Death's Gambit

Death's Gambit is a very blunt attempt to fuse two beloved games, Dark Souls and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, into one challenging 2D action-platformer. Developer White Rabbit shows a strong understanding of what made each of them great but glosses over fundamentals that all great games need, such as responsive controls and an understandable game world, and falls short of its promise.

This 2D action-platformer is a gorgeous but frustrating test of patience.

Ambitious ideas and a twisting story are marred by bad design choices.

In the end, Death's Gambit resonates as a flawed gem, one I'm happy to have played. It's an uneven experience bogged down by technical woes and stilted combat, but if you can enjoy less-than-pristine games in spite of rough spots, it's worth taking a chance on. Just hold out for a few patches first.

Death's Gambit is 40 per cent trial and error, 40 per cent reliant on upgrades, and 20 per cent luck. Racing to the next level only to be stopped abruptly in your path by an opposing foe issues an element of surprise and delightful unpredictability, and exploring its pixelated medieval world feels both refreshing and nostalgic. Though the inclusion of a fully voiced cast and more platforming elements wouldn't go amiss, its difficult boss battle encounters are enough to keep you motivated, providing you have a great deal of patience, and are willing to put in some time upgrading your character and skill set. Just don't get mad if you die, like, a lot.

For all of its striking visuals and sophisticated animation work, Death's Gambit suffers a bit of an identity crisis among fundamental control flaws.

With its enjoyable story, melancholic atmosphere, competent gameplay and outstanding soundtrack, Death's Gambit is an enjoyable take on the Dark Souls series formula. Some flaws, such as floaty movement, weird hitboxes on select weapon types, and some mediocre bosses, however, prevent the game from being a masterpiece.

Death's Gambit is a substantial entry into the souls-like genre, even if it is very derivative. Some of the ways it was "inspired" by Dark Souls feel a bit dangerously too close at times. It does enough to make itself unique, and it does bring some new ideas to the table that will absolutely tickle fans of this genre. Don't expect Hollow Knight levels of polish or content; this is more closer to Salt and Sanctuary in terms of quality, but with a more refined art style.

like. He tries to be both original and traditionalist, by scenographic map design and a great attention into bossfights, sustained by a soft soundtrack and a deep character development (both on plot and gameplay). Its will to create a different mood from the normal "2010s dark fantasy" makes this game a good starting point for both developer and publisher, but they'll have to deal with inevitabile inexperience.

It may be different to what was initially promised, but Death's Gambit is nevertheless a great game, especially if you are into Dark Souls, Castlevania and Shadow of the Colossus, all mixed and presented in a beautiful 2D art style.