PLATFORM: PC, SWITCH (REVIEWED) | RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW
Released on PC earlier this year and now making its way to the Switch, Voidwrought is a hand-drawn Metroidvania that focuses on an unnamed protagonist known as the Simulacrum who – for whatever reason – is driven to collect the blood of the Gods in an age where the coming of the Red Star heralds the arrival of a new era. Travelling through the interconnected underground, the path is full of cosmic horrors and other monstrosities waiting to end your quest at the earliest opportunity.
In true Metroidvania fashion, Voidwrought‘s dark and murky depths contain plenty of items and artefacts – some hidden, others less so – which the Simulacrum can use to gain new powers and abilities. Once learned, these powers can be used to open previously inaccessible areas, and there are more than 50 additional relics which give an extra boost to your abilities. Combat takes the Hollow Knight approach of simple forward-facing attacks, along with an upwards (or downwards, if you’re in mid-air) thrust, but additional special attacks can be learned if you take the time to explore your surroundings and defeating bosses will bestow unique upgrades upon you, bolstering your abilities even further. By the time you’ve beaten the first few bosses, you really start to feel quite powerful and, after what might feel like a fairly slow opening couple of hours, the game feels like it really comes into its own.
At around 10-12 hours in length, Voidwrought isn’t the longest and most time-consuming Metroidvania out there, which for many is likely to be a plus point – sometimes all you want is something that will keep you going for two or three decent sessions to cleanse the palate between longer games. It is, however, incredibly well-realised, with a beautiful art style and fantastic dreamlike soundtrack that set the atmosphere perfectly. Give it an hour or two for things to really open up, and you’ll find an engaging and rewarding adventure that fans of the genre definitely shouldn’t miss out on.
