The Guise

by Mikhail Mar 20, 2023 | 1 Votes | 62 Played | 0 Reviews

9 rate

Genres:

Adventure , Platformer

Graphics:

Labels:

Dark Fantasy , Platformer , Horror , Souls-like , Metroidvania

Platforms:

Publishers:

Ratalaika Games The Guise is a 2D platformer developed by Rasul Mono and published on the Nintendo Switch by Ratalaika Games. Explore a vast, ruined world as Ogden, an orphan whose curiosity got the better of him and became a monster. Fight countless enemies and absorb their abilities. Play Now Similar Games

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Summary Plotline Gameplay Graphics/Sound Conclusion

Summary

As kids, we loved fairy tales. We’ve read books and watched movies about the likes of Cinderella, Snow White, Hansel and Gretel, and the Little Mermaid. However, our innocence was unsullied: the real stories behind these century-old tales were quite dark, and telling them to kids in their proper form would not have exactly benefited us in our formative years.

Such is the setting of The Guise, a 2D action-platformer and Metroidvania brought to the Switch by Ratalaika Games. Freshly released on the Nintendo Switch, it presents a dark, gritty tale of a young boy trying to cure himself in a dark and ruined world in an endless battle between gods. You’ll play as Ogden, the young boy in question, and explore a massive world filled to the brim with ruined villages, dark forests, and dungeons.

Now available on the Nintendo Switch, the game manages to set itself apart thanks to its outstanding art style and unique tale. With that said, should you give the game a shot? Before you put on the cursed mask as Ogden, let’s first check out what it has to offer.

Plotline

In The Guise, you’ll play the role of a young boy named Ogden, an orphan living alongside the two other kids under the roof of Mallory, the headmistress of an orphanage. For some reason, Mallory, who is quite mysterious and dabbles in the magic arts, leaves for a couple of hours. This isn’t a big deal, but she forgot to lock her room which looks something akin to what a witch coven would look like. Thanks to his curiosity, Ogden ends up touching a cursed mask and, in turn, gets transformed into some sort of a beast-like monster. To lift the curse, he has to get used to his state and journey across the dark, ruined world.

Apart from the down-to-earth side of The Guise’s story, its entire world has its own story. For some reason, the children of the All-Father are in conflict, leading to the shattered world Ogden and the other kids are living in.

Gameplay

The Guise is a light Metroidvania/action-platformer. Compared to its peers, it does not stand out much in terms of gameplay, but it does most things right. Much like its many contemporaries, like Hollow Knight and Blasphemous, it provides a tight and rather difficult experience with a lot of challenges. It doesn’t have much of a learning curve, but it can be quite easy to make a mistake; you can easily mistime a roll/dodge or not see a body of water resulting in a lost life. And yes, there’s a game over screen; unless you’re pretty good, you’ll likely get to see it several times during your playthrough.

The Guise’s gameplay centers around exploring the world outside the orphanage. In my years of playing video games, I’ve rarely encountered a setting as dark and bleak; it’s like the end times where monsters roam every corner and demons flock towards you to take you out. It’s insanely scary. Dealing with opponents can be quite tedious at the start, given that you’ll only have a basic attack and a simple absorption ability to heal HP. Thankfully, the further you progress into the game, the more abilities you’ll obtain, especially when you take out bosses.

Moreover, there’s an in-game currency that uses eyeballs. You can take these from the enemies you kill and exchange them for upgrading your abilities via the Eye Collector. For example, you can enhance your dodging and ramming ability or add an upgrade that lets you charge up and fire shockwaves in front of you. The controls are crisp and intuitive - the Switch game feels right at home.

One of the most memorable elements of The Guise is the exploration. The areas aren’t linear; there’s a great deal of backtracking, especially since you might have missed a hidden room or two. Thankfully, this also complements the best part of the game, which is its world. Though bleak and extremely dark, it keeps you engaged and curious. After all, the next dungeon might show you the spirits of more dead villagers or something sinister.

Graphics/Sound

Presentation is where The Guise excels. In a way, we can closely compare the art style to something akin to a fairy tale written by someone like Lovecraft. Even the innocent children look frightening, thanks to their black eyes. The first parts immediately showcase the game’s visuals and excellent audio design; it’s a rainy day and there’s a strong gale blowing through the tall grass and blackened trees. The same can be said about every other location you visit - the music is foreboding, and every area looks like a scene out of a post-apocalyptic tale.

Conclusion

Overall, The Guise is a solid Metroidvania experience that doesn’t stand out due to the gameplay but via its visuals, audio design, and overall presentation. Its setting and lore are something akin to a fairy tale-inspired horror film. Plus, It does everything right in terms of exploration and character progression.

Now available on the Nintendo Switch, The Guise is undoubtedly a must-buy and would make a fantastic addition to your gaming library.

New Game Added: The Guise

by Mikhail Mar 20, 2023

The Guise is a 2D platformer developed by Rasul Mono and published on the Nintendo Switch by Ratalaika Games. Explore a vast, ruined world as Ogden, an orphan whose curiosity got the better of him and became a monster. Fight countless enemies and absorb their abilities.