Sydney Hunter and the Curse of the Mayan

Sydney Hunter and the Curse of the Mayan is a decent platformer that more than justifies its asking price with impressive longevity and smooth, compelling gameplay.

With its well-executed retro personality, Sydney Hunter and the Curse of the Mayan is a 2D platforming adventure with plenty of challenges and items to find. The protagonist could be a little more agile, but in general, the game fulfills its role of revisiting styles of the past and improving them.

Hard, classic, and always fun – that's how Sydney Hunter's debut on Sony consoles can be described.

Sydney Hunter and the Curse of the Mayan has some areas that could use more consideration and improvement but it is a challenge worth attempting...Those who enjoy retro design should at least give it a try.

In the end, I probably spent a good 7 or 8 hours playing Sydney Hunter and the Curse of the Mayan for review, and mostly enjoyed my time. Though I’m not familiar with the previous game, Sydney Hunter and the Caverns of Death, I felt this was a mostly faithful retro romp. Sure it had its share of problems, but none of them kept me from having a good time. They just irritated me in the interim. But if you like games inspired by the classics (this one definitely took notes from Castlevania, Mega Man, and even more recent stuff like La-Mulana and 1001 Spikes), you should probably pick this game up. For only $19.99, it’s hard to say no if you’re a retro game fan.

There isn’t much here to complain about. What players get is a charming, funny, and challenging platform game that feels like a combination between an Indiana Jones like adventure mixed with elements of exploration and Mega Man like gameplay, minus the blaster. It’s a title I absolutely loved digging into and I feel anyone that’s a fan of retro games definitely deserves to check this one out. It’s a hidden treasure for sure.

Retro-inspired 2D platformers simply don't get much better than Sydney Hunter so grab your whip and get ready for a great time.

While the adventure held my attention for a little while, eventually the backtracking and repetition wore me down. Those looking for a demanding action-platformer with Metroidvania elements may find buried treasure here. Others are just as likely to find Sydney Hunter full of fool's gold.

Going old school can be a risky proposition at times, but when it is done right the results can be rewarding as well as nostalgic (at least for people like me)...