Guacamelee! Gold Edition

 PC
User Score
7.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 292 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 199 out of 292
  2. Mixed: 59 out of 292
  3. Negative: 34 out of 292

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  1. Pixelatre
    Jun 17, 2017
    6
    OK, this game is hard. The first boss fight (X 'tabay or however you spell it) is not too hard once you learn the patterns. The second fight (flame face) was too easy and I first-attempted it. There are various sections of the game with gruelling horrible platforming sections that do not require much skill but patience. They are a cheap shot at making the game harder. You will findOK, this game is hard. The first boss fight (X 'tabay or however you spell it) is not too hard once you learn the patterns. The second fight (flame face) was too easy and I first-attempted it. There are various sections of the game with gruelling horrible platforming sections that do not require much skill but patience. They are a cheap shot at making the game harder. You will find yourself clutching various buttons on your controller (or keyboard) at once, then messing up and pressing the wrong buttons. Breathe deep during these sections to reduce the risk of a panic attack... Once you finally beat these sections you feel rewarded... for about 30 seconds, then you are faced with another horrible section (ugghhhhhhhh). The third boss (Jaguar Javier) is SO FREEEKIN HARD. The game goes from -meh kinda medium difficulty- to -HAHAHA ALL THAT WAS JUST A TROLL NOW WE ARE GONNA GIVE YOU A BOSS WHICH YOU WILL ONLY GET 2 HITS ON BEFORE YOU DIE- diffuculty. All his attacks are fire so you cannot dodge them. He constantly gives himself shields which you neede to press some kind of combination which you are so likely to mess up, then he gets a hit on you. The annoying part is that you have a delay from being hit to getting back up again (which means as soon as you get back up again he sends you back down.

    OK, enough of the cons. Aside from what I just mentioned the game is preeeeety cool. The open maps are fun to explore and the metroidvanian exploration, backtracking, opening new areas and exploring them is all a blast. Also the art style is cartoony and cool. I like it. Let's talk about the core of the game: the combat. It is polished and satisfying to whack skeletons and throw them aginst the roof, reducing them to a mere pile of bones. The El infierno stage of the game adds an extra challenge for completionists to unlock all of the characters. The storyline is not the strongest point of the game, it is a cliche story of an ordinary guy who becomes a superhero to save the world from monsters, except this time, it's set in Mexico. ¡Oh si! Burritos! The Soundtrack is catchy and fun, and the game is an (sorta) good time (apart from what i mentioned before...)

    By the way, don't try to play this with a keyboard, you will spend half an hour just re-mapping the atrocious controls, only to make them a tiny bit less atrocious.

    Verdict: This game is cool, but only get it if you are a fan of rock hard difficult games. If you are a fan of super metroid, try this game out. After all, it is metroidvania. For me however, what i hope to see in the future is an easy mode. Thank you for your time reading this long review.    … Expand
  2. Kvasi
    May 13, 2014
    5
    Seriously annoying jumping challenges combined with phase switching. Very similar to the new Giana Sisters. It wasn't funny then and this is equally boring. To bad that they mess up an otherwise ok game with crap like that.
  3. goodterling
    Aug 25, 2013
    5
    Game starts out nicely, but eventually reveals some frustrating flaws. It demands absolute precision from the player, but is pretty sloppy with its own hit boxes and timings. Boss characters are given massive amounts of invulnerability frames, which aren't indicated in any way, that you're forced to learn by trial and error. Conversely, you can be damaged at any time, even duringGame starts out nicely, but eventually reveals some frustrating flaws. It demands absolute precision from the player, but is pretty sloppy with its own hit boxes and timings. Boss characters are given massive amounts of invulnerability frames, which aren't indicated in any way, that you're forced to learn by trial and error. Conversely, you can be damaged at any time, even during special moves when your character is just a blur, which is maddeningly counter intuitive. Many people are reporting they never get past the final boss, which leaves little incentive for me to play the final quarter of the game. This is a punishing game for 15 year-olds who have the time to play it as obsessively as it demands. I used to have that sort of patience, but now I realized games are supposed to be...fun. On the plus side, it has amazing style and a great sense of exploration. Really unique stuff. But with all these rave reviews, I thought someone really needed to chime in with a reality check.… Expand
  4. kdamica
    Sep 14, 2013
    6
    Guacamelee is a well-made game that gets boring quickly. Despite gaining new abilities frequently, combat feels repetitive. Mandatory dialog is frequent and sometimes funny, but also got old quick. I bought the game because I love metroidvanias, but it feels more like a fighting game. There is a lot to like here, but it just didn't hold together for me.
  5. Slipper
    Sep 1, 2013
    6
    The game looks fun. Average side scrolling. Music is nice, graphic is good, story is ok. Playing with keyboard is little hard. To much keys to press. Controller is highly recommended. Price is ok. Nothing more to add.
  6. mckw
    May 17, 2014
    5
    The first thing you notice about this game is it's charming art style and charming theme, but that all soon gets buried under repetitive, shallow combat and controls that fight you. It is linear as linear can be, the side quests are a joke as you really aren't convinced to do them at all. The main story was honestly really dull as well and seldom keeps you interested enough to actuallyThe first thing you notice about this game is it's charming art style and charming theme, but that all soon gets buried under repetitive, shallow combat and controls that fight you. It is linear as linear can be, the side quests are a joke as you really aren't convinced to do them at all. The main story was honestly really dull as well and seldom keeps you interested enough to actually play it further. I hated the controls, and what is supposed to be the meat of the game, which was the combat, was done poorly. I think this game is an opportunity missed, and it's a damn shame.… Expand
  7. Captain_Chaos
    Jun 22, 2016
    7
    Guacamelee is a love letter to the Metroidvania genre, in the form of a super-powered romp through the world of Mexican folklore. You are Juan Aguacate, a destitute agave farmer who finds his village under attack by the undead army of Carlos Calaca. The love of his life, who happens to be the daughter of el presidente, has been kidnapped. What is Juan to do? Why, acquire a magic lucha maskGuacamelee is a love letter to the Metroidvania genre, in the form of a super-powered romp through the world of Mexican folklore. You are Juan Aguacate, a destitute agave farmer who finds his village under attack by the undead army of Carlos Calaca. The love of his life, who happens to be the daughter of el presidente, has been kidnapped. What is Juan to do? Why, acquire a magic lucha mask and go on a non-linear platforming adventure, get powerups from "choozo" statues, power-slam bad guys, find secrets and navigate rather tricky jumping puzzles, of course. Guacamelee oozes style from beginning to end, with a colorful palette, excellent music and a well-used light/dark world mechanic, requiring the player to frequently switch Juan between the living world and the Mexican land of the dead via portals, often in mid-jump. But the game is inconsistent in difficulty. The combat is generally managable and the boss fights are quite simply awesome, but some of the jumping puzzles are incredibly frustrating. In addition, to reach the game's golden ending, it is neccessary to obtain a number of secret items, some of which are located at the end of some fiendishly difficult challenge rooms, many of which, like the trick jump room with its accursed disappearing platforms, I was unable to complete, and this left a bad taste in my mouth. The final boss is also quite difficult, requiring you to demonstrate a mastery over all the abilities you have learned over the course of the game, but when I had finished, I was very satisfied despite not getting the best ending. I would recommend the game to any fans of Metroidvania, but with caution- it is not a forgiving experience.… Expand
  8. TitaniumDragon
    Jun 24, 2020
    7
    Guacamelee is a very stylish 2D metroidvania. Juan the (very muscly) agave farmer has his girlfriend kidnapped by Calaca, a skeleton from the world of the dead. After being summarily dispatched by the sombrero-wearing skeleton, Juan finds himself in the world of the dead. There he gets a mask that allows him to return to the world of the living as a luchador (Mexican wrestler) and fightGuacamelee is a very stylish 2D metroidvania. Juan the (very muscly) agave farmer has his girlfriend kidnapped by Calaca, a skeleton from the world of the dead. After being summarily dispatched by the sombrero-wearing skeleton, Juan finds himself in the world of the dead. There he gets a mask that allows him to return to the world of the living as a luchador (Mexican wrestler) and fight back against Calaca and his henchmen.

    This game is steeped in Mexican tropes and terrible food-based puns. Almost everything in the game is a pun, and the whole thing is wrapped in a very irreverent air. There are silly little screens that pop up before boss fights to announce who is fighting who, the character(s) make silly poses when they get new powers, your helpful wise old man guide is a goat, and one of your important upgrade powers is the ability to turn into a chicken.

    Yes, it is a rather silly game.

    Overall, the core gameplay is pretty straightforward for a Metroidvania – you have your basic set of attacks, a little trio of punches and kicks, and over the course of the game you gain six additional combat maneuvers, the ability to wall jump, double jump, the ability to turn into a chicken, and the ability to swap between the world of the living and the world of the dead. (And, if you complete an optional sidequest, the ability to fly in chicken form at the very end of the game)

    Sometimes enemies are surrounded by a colored aura which protects them from harm, and if you want to hurt them, you have to use the proper move on them. You have to use your abilities to break some colored stones to access new areas, as well as some secrets. And of course, you use your new movement powers (including a couple of combat maneuvers) to access new areas over the course of the game.

    It’s all pretty standard fare, and honestly, the game isn’t particularly innovative in any way mechanically. Honestly, the enemies aren’t particularly remarkable either; there’s not a huge number of them, and not a great variety in them, either.

    Fortunately, the game is pretty short, so before it would become tedious, it’s all over, and you’ve beaten it. Just going through the game would take you five or six hours, and 100%ing it takes about nine – and the game would outstay its welcome if it was any longer than that, so that’s a good thing.

    The whole game is just… done competently. It’s nothing particularly remarkable, but the style of the game works quite well, the game is silly enough without trying too hard to be lulzy, the game looks good visually, the overall core gameplay is solid enough, and it avoids the trap of being overly long.

    If there is a flaw to this game, it is that it doesn’t really wow the audience in any way – if you’ve played Metroidvanias, you’ve basically played this game, and there are certainly better ones than this. But on the other hand, this is well-paced and a nicely sized experience, and it is probably above average overall within the genre – it doesn’t do anything remarkable, but what is there is done well.

    In the end, I give it a thumbs up. It’s worth playing if you like Metroidvanias, and it’s small enough that it ends before you’re tired of it.    … Expand
  9. psylife
    May 13, 2016
    7
    The harmonious blend of platforming and fighting mechanics is absolutely brilliant and unique. Special combos and abilities are expertly introduced and keep the experience fresh and enticing throughout ; These amphibious game-play mechanics means that most of the special moves and combos used in combat articulate with the platforming elements to form an ultra-fluid action experience ;The harmonious blend of platforming and fighting mechanics is absolutely brilliant and unique. Special combos and abilities are expertly introduced and keep the experience fresh and enticing throughout ; These amphibious game-play mechanics means that most of the special moves and combos used in combat articulate with the platforming elements to form an ultra-fluid action experience ; Brilliant. The controls are ultra-responsive and are a joy to interact with. The pacing is superb and the levels are both, clever, challenging and action packed. The audio-visual presentation is both lovely and immersive. Simply put, this is one of the most ingenious and brilliant platforming experience to grace this medium.… Expand
  10. dyspeptic
    Feb 18, 2014
    7
    Played: Feb 2014
    Pros:
    + Very comfortable controls that allow you to move intuitively (with controller) + Interesting visual style Cons: - Feels very short - Some enemies get very stale by the end - Story starts promising and ends nonsensical This game bills itself as a “metroidvania” type platformer, and let’s face it: it pretty much is. Some areas are inaccessible until the    Played: Feb 2014
    Pros:
    + Very comfortable controls that allow you to move intuitively (with controller)
    + Interesting visual style
    Cons:
    - Feels very short
    - Some enemies get very stale by the end
    - Story starts promising and ends nonsensical

    This game bills itself as a “metroidvania” type platformer, and let’s face it: it pretty much is. Some areas are inaccessible until the correct special movement is unlocked, but ultimately there aren’t that many special moves, so many areas are open to you right from the start. You play as a luchador, so there won’t be any weapons to find, either; the few additional moves you can get in the game are all grapples (a move you can complete when smallish enemies have taken enough damage). The low number of moves contributes to the short feel of the game (probably about 8 hours for the first play-though), but man are they satisfying! Throwing a damaged enemy through a whole crowd of others and sending them flying like bowling pins should bring a grin to anybody who picks up this game.

    On the other hand, there are only a few enemy types, and late-game difficulty increase consists largely of forcing you to take on more of them and introducing some unblockable types (read: fire-based attacks). As you get good, you’ll find that you can destroy many enemie types in 1-2 seconds, which is good, because otherwise you’d get really bored fighting the same 8-10 monsters.

    The story starts out feeling epic, but pretty quickly you find you’re actually just rescuing Princess Peach from Bowser again. The boss minions of the main enemy have very crudely sketched reasons for working with him, nor is it ever clear just why your girlfriend was abducted in the first place. Furthermore, the devil is introduced as a character, then plays essentially zero role. Why introduce a pointless character you might ask? Maybe because the developers just wanted to… in any case this is not a game you should play because it “features elements of hispanic culture”-you won’t pick up any traditional lore at all.

    Overall, the game is pretty darn good, and very memorable in some parts. You may find that you’ll get replay out of it if you go in for additional modes unlocked at the end of a run, but I’d try to get it for less than $10 if possible.    … Expand
  11. carlosgtardon
    Jun 10, 2014
    6
    Aunque visualmente y como concepto es muy interesante, hay momento que es demasiado rígido y parece que constantemente estás en situaciones de botoneo que disminuye la fluidez aparente.
  12. youlouz
    May 4, 2015
    6
    This game is fun, but gets boring and repetitive

    PROS
    -Neat Graphics
    -Plenty to explore
    -Fun combat

    CONS
    -Weak story
    -Gets repetitive
    -Levels are very long
  13. NightGeisha
    Jan 2, 2019
    7
    Guacamelee! Its Guacamelee! A 2D action-platformer game inspired on Mexican traditions and folklore.
    The game is full of action, adventure, puzzles and more. It can become a challenge for those who like me do not use a driver, which is recommended right from the start.
    Graphically the game is very colorful and "cartoonish". The game also has a very interesting and fun soundtrack at    Guacamelee! Its Guacamelee! A 2D action-platformer game inspired on Mexican traditions and folklore.
    The game is full of action, adventure, puzzles and more. It can become a challenge for those who like me do not use a driver, which is recommended right from the start.

    Graphically the game is very colorful and "cartoonish". The game also has a very interesting and fun soundtrack at good old mexican mariachi style.

    Very fun experience that I fully recommend. Here is small YouTube vide with the first minutes of the gameplay if you wanna check it out: https://youtu.be/NK-auTVPnuM    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

9
#9 Best PC Game of 2013

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
88

Generally favorable reviews - based on 22 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 21 out of 22
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 22
  3. Negative: 0 out of 22
  1. Worth Playing
    Jan 30, 2014
    98
    It doesn't reinvent the wheel, but the amount of care and polish that went into this title is readily apparent.
    Read full review
  2. PC Gamer UK
    Nov 6, 2013
    80
    A delight. [Dec 2013, p.95]
  3. GameOver.gr
    Oct 3, 2013
    85
    The PC edition of Guacamelee comes with all the extra content that has come out since its initial release and with all of that lovely, Mexican craziness.
    Read full review
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