Odallus: The Dark Call

[HumbleBundle / Steam version] This is such an 8 bit (or very early 16-bit) throwback action game. The creators of this game did something quite nifty in order to merge the Metroid and NES Castlevania gameplay styles. You can revisit previous levels once you gain power ups in other levels (Mario 3 style). That way you can unlock hitherto unexplored areas of the game an levels locked on the map. It's slightly clunky, but the overall retro feel makes feel like it works exactly like it should. I have not hit the halfway point in this game yet, but I am looking forward to it.

This is a perfect action/platform for me, a solid level design with a simple but interesting story. The gameplay remember a fusion within a revenge of shinobi and castlevania/metroid; the pixel art is a 16bit game with a 8 bit color election, very good art remember my a Berserk (anime) desing and Conan. The bosses are not easy to pass but the difficult is not is not ridiculously impossible as other similar games from the past, that is a good point to the classic styles games made today. Really cool see this game out in this times...

It's a retro NES-style game (although with better graphics and music). The animations are too stiff, though. Nevertheless, after a few hours of play, you realize that the game is very good-looking. The atmosphere is very "Castlevania" and that's one of the game's strong points. The game's strongest point, however, is the exploration of the various levels and the discovery of the secrets they contain. Finding all those treasures/power-ups in those secret places is super fun and satisfying. There's a real excitement about being part of an epic adventure. Despite all these qualities, the game will be to hard for most people. I can understand putting some tough bosses and parts, but please don't make us go through two minutes of gameplay just to try again to defeat the boss that just killed us! What's more, those two minutes are often very challenging and we lose precious life points. I'm about 80% of the game completed and I'm done with it! The frustration is too high and I don't feel like investing 5-10 hours of ultra-frustrating gameplay just to beat a boss. This game is sorely lacking in save points, which would allow us to retry the difficult parts rather than starting all over again.

Odallus: the dark call the kind of game that forces me to say 'Yes, it's an inspired retrò game. Yes, it's interesting and challenging....buuuuuut when does it become fun?' Basically, an arcade/castlelvania (a difficult combinations to obtain, I ll give them that) fantasy 2d platformer that it tries a little too hard coping the old games, which I still believed it's wonderful, IF implemented right, and with new moves (after all, when the old games where 'new' they reach peak of fun thanks to their INNOVATIONS, at their time). It also tries a little too hard to be... welp, hard. And , as other games such Volgarr the viking as taught as, if you don't know how to place checkpoint and how to use a multiple life system, just give up. Still, for anyone with enough patience (and time), this game is a viable option. Just prepare for quite an unfair challenge (and stiff controls).

I like a good metroidvania game as much as the next old fool with inch-thick nostalgia glasses but I completely fail to see the appeal of this game. Pros: - nice dark atmosphere - kind of neat graphics - crisp controls Cons: - it's not a lot of fun