Posted on: May 20, 2022
EraztheRogue
Games: 287 Reviews: 3
Simple Execution of a Decent Concept
I'm not going to call Larva Mortus a hidden gem, but here's how I see it; if you enjoyed semi-jank Flash games from yesteryear that executed a limited gameplay loop rather well, this'll be a fun era callback for you. The story is... Well, not that important. Get a few things from over the world to assemble something to stop something. It's not very compelling so I didn't pay attention to it. You fight ghouls and werewolves and stuff. That's all that matters. Gameplay is where this one shines. It's sort of a twin stick shooter with a handful of weapons and enemies where you traverse a randomly generated dungeon floor similar to Binding of Issac. However, here, you can swap weapons at will and enemies are a little cheaper, like leaving a damaging cloud after they die. It has a levelling system too, which allows you to invest points into a few simple stats like health or speed for a more tangible feeling of progress between generated levels. That's about it. Shoot monsters, move between rectangle rooms, pick up ammo or new weapons and repeat. Graphically, which is why I specifically call this a callback to Flash games, Larve Mortus rather weak. A lot of the sprites are simple and nothing really blew me away or stuck out. You'll also get some clashing styles, like with the 3D renders in the weapon room or random monster faces that pop up to "jumpscare" you in the loosest sense in certain rooms. The particles were decent enough though, so there was that. I just don't feel like there's a ton to say here. If you think a simple execution on a twin stick arena traversal concept sounds like fun for an hour or two, you can do far worse than the mindless fun of Larva Mortus. If you have a nostalgia for Flash games you'd wile away the hours with you'll probably like the game a lot more just as I did. If you're looking for something with a larger scope, plot, complex enemies or levels? Give this a miss.
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