A few days after posting a news update about Akatori, here's my review. I completed the game twice—once on Ha…

A few days after posting a news update about Akatori, here's my review. I completed the game twice—once on Hard difficulty and once on Story Mode—and here are my main takeaways. The positives: the pixel art is beautiful, the combat system is easy to get into, the different biomes you explore are varied, the soundtrack is excellent, the boss fights are enjoyable, I like the system that increases your maximum health after defeating a boss, and I appreciate the changes the developers have made—they genuinely seem to listen to the community. The negatives: this isn't a Metroidvania at all, but rather an adventure platformer. Mako's personality is also a problem—I can't tell if she's meant to be a rebellious teenager or if she's just constantly having a bad day, but it didn't work for me. Exploration is only rewarded with potions, so there's very little incentive to go off the beaten path, as the collectibles simply aren't interesting enough. The story is forgettable, Akatori himself lacks charisma (he's basically a talking chicken who doesn't add much), for a so-called "god," he's pretty underwhelming. It's honestly ridiculous...and the running joke about merchant discounts got old fast—no, no, and no. The currency also feels almost pointless: you mainly spend it on potions and, at two specific points, on something else that's ultimately useless. To unlock new staff abilities, you have to clear combat rooms instead of finding upgrades through exploration. There are no collectible items that increase your damage or improve your heroine's defense either. Would I recommend the game? My answer is mixed: yes and no. If you're looking for a true Metroidvania, then no—I'd suggest skipping it. On the other hand, if you're looking for a pleasant indie game and want to support developers who genuinely listen to their community, then yes—but not at full price. Wait for a sale before picking it up. After spending more than 14 hours with the game and completing it twice, I'm only missing one achievement (at the time of writing, as that may change in the future). I don't regret playing it, but I don't think I'll come back to it. It was a nice discovery, I bought it on sale, and it kept me entertained for quite a while between my League of Legends matches. See you around, guys! 😉