Elderand

by Mikhail Apr 3, 2023 | 1 Votes | 53 Played | 0 Reviews

10 rate

Genres:

Action , RPG , Adventure , Platformer

Graphics:

Labels:

Monsters , Dark Fantasy , Metroidvania

Platforms:

Publishers:

Graffiti Games Elderand is a 2D action-platforming Metroidvania where you play a shipwrecked character stuck in a horrifying, Lovecraftian world. Play the role of a competent fighter who can take on gruesome threats like dangerous cultists, grotesque monsters, and fellow humans. Use weapons ranging from swords to magic staves, and wear various gear and accessories! Play Now Similar Games

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Summary Plotline Gameplay Graphics/Sound Conclusion

Summary

Although you can say the Metroidvania genre is quite saturated nowadays, it has plenty of gems. After all, the genre has had a Renaissance of sorts in recent years, thanks to the rise of games like Hollow Knight, Bloodstained, and Dead Cells. Ever since these titles made it to our respective gaming libraries, there are others that have followed, with many as equally excellent.

One of these games is Elderand, an action-platformer Metroidvania hugely comparable to the early Castlevania games and Souldiers. It features a sprawling, ruined world beset with grotesque monsters and a desperate population trying to survive a curse spreading throughout the land. Oh, and did we mention there are cultists and gigantic suits of armor you have to take out?

Though a relatively short game compared to its peers, it was a pleasure. This is thanks to its comprehensive roster of weapons and equipment, robust character progression, and enemy variety. Its tale is enough to keep you hooked, and you’ll yearn to learn more about the world and the story when you start playing.

Plotline

You’re a bounty hunter searching for fortune, and your travels have brought you in pursuit of Sserthis, an evil being. You embarked on a ship to an island to take your sworn enemy out, but unfortunately, you’ve been shipwrecked. From there, you’ll need to work out things independently and deal with monsters and hostile inhabitants along the way.

Thankfully, the land you’re in isn’t all bad; there’s a peaceful settlement in the cursed land, trying to stave off the curse that ruined a nearby city that once thrived. You’ll uncover the land’s many mysteries and secrets through notes left by adventurers and former inhabitants while interacting with the residents. The game does right by introducing bits of lore in the weapon and enemy descriptions, further investing you in its well-written world. Overall, the story is centered on the land and inhabitants, not your character, and it’s pretty well executed.

Gameplay

Elderand is your typical Metroidvania; without this designation, we would call it an action-platformer and a hack ‘n’ slash rolled into a single package. It features a sprawling map with countless enemies, numerous weapons to wield, and puzzles to solve. In addition, the save points are essentially camping sites; you can’t just autosave anywhere. Moreover, the game is pretty challenging, though I wouldn’t say it’s comparable to more hardcore experiences.

Combat is the main meat of what Elderand has to offer. There are countless enemies to take on, ranging from grotesque eyes with hands, human enemies in hoods, zombies with tongue-like whips, hooded scythe-wielding cultists, and hooded human thieves. All these make up a formidable cast; you could even say they’re too much for your typical bounty hunter. Thankfully, your character is anything but ordinary: he’s a mighty combatant capable of holding his own against golems, giant spiders, monsters, and other magical beings.

Fights are relatively straightforward yet exciting. Most of the time, it will consist of you memorizing and getting used to the enemy’s attack patterns and utilizing openings to land a strike or two. To evade attacks, you can either block them with a shield or press A + a directional button to dodge forward or backward. You can use staves to unleash a magical projectile or do a magical melee combo with Y + Y + ZR. Enemies have varied attack patterns, and bosses release more powerful versions of their attacks the lesser their HP bar is.

You’ll have many weapons to choose from, and how effectively you wield them depends on your stat proficiencies. For swords and battle axes, you’ll need to increase the strength stat, and if you prefer using magic and mana, increase wisdom to use staves effectively. Meanwhile, the effectiveness of speedy weapons like dual blades and whips, ranged types like bows, and secondaries like thrown knives and axes will require you to increase the dexterity stat. In addition, some weapons may have special effects. For example, a specific sword can poison enemies, while a dual-blade can cause opponents to bleed out. Moreover, you can upgrade your weapons via a blacksmith in a village, but you’ll have to find his hammer first.

Exploration in Elderand feels relatively smooth. You can easily navigate across areas and backtrack once you unlock fast travel and double-jump an hour into the game. Moreover, there are tricky movement puzzles to solve and chests containing gold, materials, and weapons to open. Save points are placed strategically with most before new areas and bosses, and they automatically fill your HP and MP bars, which is nifty considering potions are hard to come by. There is also a merchant that sells specific necessities like secondary weapons, arrows, and the occasional rare weapon.

Graphics/Sound

In terms of presentation, Elderand excels. Though it’s a 2D game, the environments are rich and detailed; the pixel art, particularly on the backgrounds and world design, is a joy to the eyes. There are various in-game biomes and areas, including a ruined city, a forest, a castle, and an underground cavern, each delivering its unique feel. Moreover, the enemy and character designs are pretty detailed, and the user interface is intuitive in the technical aspect. The same can be said about the music. Though it does not stand out, it complements everything the game offers.

Conclusion

Overall, you can never go wrong with Elderand. It’s a fantastic Metroidvania, and although it hasn’t received much hype, it successfully delivers a fantastic gameplay experience you’ll surely enjoy. It’s up there with its more well-known peers and is a must-have on the Nintendo Switch.

New Game Added: Elderand

by Mikhail Apr 3, 2023

Elderand is a 2D action-platforming Metroidvania where you play a shipwrecked character stuck in a horrifying, Lovecraftian world. Play the role of a competent fighter who can take on gruesome threats like dangerous cultists, grotesque monsters, and fellow humans. Use weapons ranging from swords to magic staves, and wear various gear and accessories!