Elderand

Elderand is another solid entry in the Metroidvania genre, though it doesn't push any new boundaries where gameplay is concerned. It does manage to stand out somewhat thanks to its strong enemy design and worldbuilding, as well as a good soundtrack. For a debut game, it's impressive to see something as well realised as this, but there's precious little here you haven't seen elsewhere in this crowded genre. Perhaps it needs a second entry to fully live up to its potential.

At the end of the day, Elderand feels more like a game you play in between big releases or to scratch a certain itch, more than a title you might get excited to play. The individual flaws of the game might not be absolute dealbreakers, but they undoubtedly muddy the waters and noticeably drag down the experience. A sale is the only time I would recommend people try out Elderand, but with genre giants like Hollow Knight and Ori and The Will of the Wisps all at a similar price point, Elderand remains a hard sell.

Elderand is a competent Metroidvania offering but suffers from inconsistent bosses and a reluctance to dive deep enough into its inspirations.

Elderand is a worthy addition to the wider Metroidvania genre and offers plenty of bang for your buck. It takes clear inspiration from the best of Castlevania and marries it to challenging combat. That being said, there isn't anything particularly new here, and there is a lack of consistency across the level design. The result is a solid indie game offering plenty for genre fans.

Elderand offers what you expect from a metroidvania. It is an addition to the genre offering no more or less of a solid experience.

Elderand is a successful metroidvania take which adds nothing to the genre, but enhances what we are used to see in these games. The only drawback is a lack of action in the first minutes, but then the game starts to get interesting.

If you're after more Castlevania, without actually playing Castlevania again, then that's fine, and Elderand will provide you with a perfectly competent experience. But given that other games have taken that route and shown far more personality, it's hard to see why you'd want to choose this game instead of any of those other ones.

Elderand is the definition of disappointing. There's no big flaw to point at, apart from the fact that it is extremely afraid to do… well, anything apart from the basics. The result is something that looks good, sounds good, and feels good, but never really manages to be more than 'okay.' It's a well-crafted 'okay,' with nothing to show that could separate it from the rest of its competitors, old or new.

If you’re looking to lose yourself purely in Metroidvania battling, Elderand has got you covered. Absorbing and enjoyable, it will certainly slake your thirst for skill-based, challenging combat and varied foes

Elderand feels like a game that would have thrived in a previous generation of gaming. It holds onto some mechanics that just don't feel that great compared to what the Metroivania genre offers in the modern day. It's not all bad, but there are better games in the genre that you can play.