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- Graffiti Games
- Graffiti Games
- Graffiti Games
- Graffiti Games
Elderand
Released On: Feb 16, 2023
70
7.4
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Metascore
Mixed or Average
Based on 17 Critic Reviews
70
41% Positive
7 Reviews
7 Reviews
59% Mixed
10 Reviews
10 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Metascore
Mixed or Average
Based on 17 Critic Reviews
70
41% Positive
7 Reviews
7 Reviews
59% Mixed
10 Reviews
10 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
If you’re into Metroidvanias, Elderand is a fantastic entry for the genre. The game looks and sounds great, the controls and mechanics and tight and responsive, and the challenge is fair with tough boss fights that are very learnable. With multiple weapon types to swap between and some optional things you can do that might change the game’s outcome, there’s no doubt that I’ll be playing through Elderand again. This is definitely one I’d recommend checking out.
Elderand is an excellent mix of Metroidvania and hack 'n' slash gameplay. It feels like a dark fantasy medieval Mega Man with some fresh touches. If you are a genre fan, you will surely have a blast playing it.
User Score
Mixed or Average
Based on 12 User Ratings
7.4
42% Positive
5 Ratings
5 Ratings
58% Mixed
7 Ratings
7 Ratings
0% Negative
0 Ratings
0 Ratings
User Score
Mixed or Average
Based on 12 User Ratings
7.4
42% Positive
5 Ratings
5 Ratings
58% Mixed
7 Ratings
7 Ratings
0% Negative
0 Ratings
0 Ratings
Feels like a very classic metroidvania; relatively simple and even a bit clunky, but in a good way, and so is very reminiscent of oldschool Castlevania games. Despite not reinventing the wheel in that genre, pretty much everything this game sets out to do, it does well.
Great variety of weapons, magic, bows, armors, shields, items, etc. Everything feels super useful and varied aside maybe from a few consumables that are forgetable. The sense of exploration is great and intuitive, the unlockable abilities are super fun, so is the platforming, the combat is engaging (especially the fast bosses), there are tons of secrets to uncover, and the music is also quite amazing!
The visuals leave a bit to be desired (some areas do stand out however!), but maybe that's only because I'm a huge fan of Blasphemous which set the bar VERY HIGH for pixel art and metroidvanias. Also it's a bit baffling that most of the text displayed is straight up in Times New Roman, making the dialogue and hints prompts feel unfinished when they're actually.. not.
The story is also kinda meh. Cryptic and fine to ignore, but it does lead to great visual moments both in terms of areas to explore and boss designs.
All and all, great little indie game for sure.
A joy to 100% complete on my first playthrough, and will definitely play again
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PC
It lacks ambition and doesn't have much to differentiate it from its peers, but the design is so solid and the world is fun enough to explore that there's certainly a good time to be had in Elderand.
I may not have been particularly invested in the printed goal of the quest. Still, I certainly enjoyed my time expanding the map, grapple swinging, and trouncing any would-be adversaries that stood in my way of reaching said printed goal. But, in an industry riddled with a plethora of similar experiences ranging from middling to exemplary, a game that manages to simply be solid, fun, and respectful of my time is certainly enough for me.
As a tribute to Symphony of the Night, Elderand is fairly charming. There are some familiar callbacks to that inspiration, but it’s not as immediately accessible and balanced as that masterwork, and its attempts to add complexity amount to little more than distractions and annoyances. There’s no shame in wanting to make Symphony of the Night over and over again, but perhaps Elderand’s developers would have been well-served by embracing that formula more closely — every time it tries to go its own way, it just gets itself into trouble.
Elderand feels like a game that would have thrived in a previous generation of gaming. It holds onto some mechanics that just don’t feel that great compared to what the Metroidvania genre offers in the modern day. It’s not all bad, but there are better games in the genre that you can play.
Elderand is not a bad game. In fact, it's a competent Metroidvania and fans of the genre might enjoy it. It just doesn't go far enough in any one direction, either thematically or mechanically, to leave a strong impression, and it's hampered by lackluster combat.
Summary Explore a dangerous world and fight deadly creatures for untold treasure in this Lovecraftian inspired action RPG game. Uncover the dark and ancient mysteries of a haunting land with RPG elements and skill-based combat to slay adversaries, find hidden passages, and collective bountiful loot.
Platforms:
- PC
- Xbox Series X
- PlayStation 5
- Nintendo Switch
- Xbox One
- iOS (iPhone/iPad)
Initial Release Date: Feb 16, 2023
Developer:
- Mantra
Publisher: Graffiti Games
Genres:
