Minoria

 

Release: 2019

Developer: Bombservice

Publisher: Dangan Entertainment

Gameplay Stats: 7 hours, 15/15 achievements

Another Metroidvania from the creators of Momodora! How does this new one compare to the previous entries in the series?

Visuals: They decided to go with a low poly 3d aesthetic but kept the gameplay 2d. There are a couple of different types of enemy, but definitely less than 10. The bosses are all unique and standout, but the rest of the game looks pretty same-y. The very first enemies in the game show up in the final areas which I usually think is a problem. The areas that are included are a castle, prison, garden, and forest. Nothing super interesting or unique. Again, largely featuring the same enemies. I think this is a definite weakness of the game.

Audio: The music is okay. I kind of struggle to call it serviceable even. The sound effects are kind of weak as well to be honest. Very repetitive and they don't really match the animations and visual effects very well.

Plot: I think the plot was pretty cool actually! I think the game ended a little sooner than I would've liked, but the plot was what kept me moving through it. You are a nun ridding a castle of witches! There is some betrayal and you meet a few interesting unrelated characters over the course of the game as well. Pretty enjoyable!

Gameplay: I think this is what they intended to be the strength of this game, but I don't think they really did anything interesting or unusual in the game. The things they did do I would argue that they didn't do particularly well. The game feels floaty and the limited exploration that's included doesn't really amount to too much. This game was tagged as a metroidvania but there are only a couple of instances where backtracking would be useful and it's never required.

If it wasn't already clear, I think this game was a little underwhelming. I think it's hard not to compare this game to previous games in the series and I really don't think this one measures up. It seems like it was rushed whereas the previous games clearly felt like labors of love. I wouldn't recommend this game.