Candle Knight

by Mikhail Jul 25, 2023 | 1 Votes | 83 Played | 0 Reviews

10 rate

Genres:

Action , Adventure , Platformer

Graphics:

Labels:

Dark Fantasy , Fantasy Setting , Metroidvania

Platforms:

Publishers:

Dracma Studios Candle Knight is a 2.5D action platformer where you play as a sword-wielding protagonist with a burning candle for a head. Wield your sword and take on hordes of enemies as you explore a ruined castle. Solve puzzles hidden in portraits, and unlock new abilities as you progress! Play Now Similar Games

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Summary Plotline Gameplay Graphics/Sound Conclusion

Summary

The gaming industry, especially the indie space, is crowded with massive numbers of Metroidvania games hoping to make their mark. Over the years, we’ve seen, played, and loved many of them, including Hollow Knight, Grime, Ori, and Dead Cells. Such games pride themselves in their rather unique combat elements and innovative mechanics. For example, Dead Cells is pretty action-packed, and you can wield countless weapons, while Hollow Knight has a sprawling and intriguing setting.

One of the newest games in the ever-growing roster of Metroidvania titles is Candle Knight. Developed and published by Dracma Studios, it is a 2.5D Metroidvania action-platformer with a lot of quirks and new-ish gameplay elements that set it apart from its peers. Apart from its usual genre-related aspects, it also infuses rather solid combat elements that put it on a list of games with Soul-like difficulty.

So, should you give the game a shot? Before you decide, let’s check out what it has to offer:

Plotline

Not much can be said about Candle Knight’s story, as the narrative is on;y secondary to the overall gameplay. With that said, the opening sequence tells a lot about how things came to be.

In Candle Knight, two worlds suddenly merge, leading to a rather intriguing yet horrific crisis. This brought about the existence of the titular Candle Knight, whose head is literally on fire. His goal (and yours) is to sever whatever links both worlds to bring things back as they were, and this involves exploring the intricate labyrinthine castle, fighting hordes of enemies, and solving puzzles hidden in portraits.

Though the lore isn’t exactly too deep, you’ll be treated to bits of it as you progress. Certain characters, like bosses and the merchant who occasionally appears to peddle stuff, will have their time in the spotlight.

Gameplay

Candle Knight’s overall gameplay is comparable to most games in the genre, but it offers a number of new gameplay elements, particularly the ignition system that set it apart from its peers. In a nutshell, the ignition mechanic is a double-edged sword. Increasing the charge or the flame’s brightness by landing hits on enemies will enable the knight to deal more damage while receiving more from enemies. This adds a lot of nuances and, in a way, makes players perform a delicate balancing act regardless if they are fighting mobs or battling bosses.

The 2.5D platforming side of Candle Knight is as smooth as it gets, though it’s best played using a controller. You’ll move, jump, and crouch across paths inside a castle, dealing with opponents along the way while unlocking and obtaining treasure hidden inside chests scattered across the map. Although the game is essentially a 3D experience, the sidescrolling 2.5D elements work wonders. Occasionally, it changes perspectives, adding more flavor to the gameplay and a layer of challenge. The way the player-character moves remains the same while playing, but the perspective changes will force you to adjust.

Combat in Candle Knight is fairly straightforward, yet the ignition element makes it extremely difficult, even when you’re just fighting regular enemies. Most of the time, the combat revolves around slashing enemies and using your shield to block incoming attacks. Unfortunately, the difficulty spikes when you take on the game’s well-made and rather challenging bosses. With that said, there will definitely be a lot of restarts, and a careful approach works better than going “hack N slash” mode. Though you can pick up armor shards and buy stronger gear from the mysterious merchant and obtain more skills and ways to fight, the challenge will still take a lot out of you.

Apart from combat, Candle Knight also features puzzles hidden in portraits. Basically, players will step into the world underneath the canvas, solve a puzzle, and obtain rewards or a means to fast travel.

Graphics/Sound

In terms of presentation, Candle Knight is nothing short of sublime. It’s an extremely beautiful game with charming 3D visuals and excellent character design. The same can be said about the level and overall castle design, which looks like a setting straight out of a hybrid Castlevania and spooky Disney story. Moreover, the same can be said about the audio elements, which complement the spooky atmosphere the game intends to deliver. Finally, the game runs fairly well on a mid-tier laptop - I experienced no stability issues or framerate drops whatsoever, making it a well-optimized game.

Conclusion

Overall, if you’re looking for a new Metroidvania experience, Candle Knight should be on top of your list. Its direction, visual style, and ignition mechanic set it from its peers, providing a must-play title that will provide lots of fun and challenging instances. Though the difficulty spikes can be a little hard to deal with, this is something you’ve already encountered if you have already tried out other games in the genre.

New Game Added: Candle Knight

by Mikhail Jul 25, 2023

Candle Knight is a 2.5D action platformer where you play as a sword-wielding protagonist with a burning candle for a head. Wield your sword and take on hordes of enemies as you explore a ruined castle. Solve puzzles hidden in portraits, and unlock new abilities as you progress!