Possessor(s)

Possessor(s) combines a compelling narrative, solid understanding of Metroid-like design and genuinely fun combat for an experience that is intensely captivating.

Possessor(s) is hauntingly beautiful. It’s a stunning world that begs to be delved into with curiosity. Luca and Rhem’s dynamic is an absolute standout, with an excellent balance of snark and heart between the two. It’s almost to the game’s detriment, as every other NPC (besides the antagonist and one of the eye holders) falls flat in comparison. Movement feels great, as does combat, for the most part. Some unfair enemy design and stun issues drag the experience down, alongside moments where progression stalls, especially if you miss the unclear whip skill interaction. Despite this, though, Possessor(s) still manages to shine with genuine merit and contains a beautiful story well worth seeing through to the end.

Possessor(s) is a beautiful Metroidvania with an open structure that encourages exploration and lets you progress at your own pace. While its platforming and combat are both solid, they lack the distinctive flair needed to match the game’s stunning art direction. The narrative is deep and layered, but its delivery sometimes undermines immersion. Despite being a strong and engaging adventure, it doesn’t always capture the magic its visuals promise.

Possessor(s) blends the grotesque, emotion, and exploration in a stylish 2D Metroidvania full of identity. Luca and Rhem’s journey stands out for its striking visuals and heavy combat that rewards precision. Even with difficulty spikes and a few progression stumbles, the game delivers a memorable experience and is well worth the attention of fans of the genre.

Possessor(s) is many things: stylized, satisfying, occasionally frustrating, and short but sweet despite its large map. It’s a familiar yet solid gameplay loop with few frills, save for shirtless demon protagonists and neon stylizations.

This experience is far from perfect, something embodied by its initial tendency to lead you into dead ends. Thankfully, these roadblocks eventually gave way to some real progress, both in terms of traversal and storytelling, as the silky smooth movement alleviated some of these long, dull hikes. While Possessor(s) doesn’t fully break from a crowded field of search-action games, its compelling characters and pointed commentary give it some personality of its own. If you’re eager to explore man-made horrors, this flaming wreck of a company town will provide.

The most disappointing aspect of Possessors is that it plays it quite safe compared to Heart Machine’s past titles, Hyper Light Drifter and Solar Ash. Little about its formula will surprise Metroidvania enthusiasts; still, the studio has nonetheless notched another entertaining single-player action game under its belt, proving its action and world-building chops transcend genre.

Possessor(s) is a visually striking journey supported by agile combat, yet it lacks the boldness that could have made it truly memorable. The relationship between Luca and Rhem adds emotional weight to the story, and the battle system provides exciting moments, but the metroidvania structure feels too basic. In the end, the game manages to engage and hold our interest, but it settles for playing it safe, delivering a competent experience, though far from the potential its premise promised.

Possessor(s) betrays Heart Machine's experience with amateurish flaws, ranging from unpleasant controls to a very unremarkable metroidvania level structure. Ultimately feels like a first draft with good intentions and absolutely stellar artworks interspersed throughout.

Possessor(s) takes a good story idea and builds its world well, then stretches it far too thinly over a mundane, buggy, and depressing Metroidvania template that just isn't fun for far too many hours. The story's decent, but so many similar games are demonstrably better.

Initially full of potential, Heart Machine's latest eventually runs out of gas when it's not stumbling off some awkward combat issues.

Possessor(s) is a compelling metroidvania game that's worth digging at to get to experience its flashy and enjoyable combat. The relationship between Luca and Rhem, as well as the general plot, is also remarkable in how it creates flawed, relatable characters in a messed-up situation. Though the game could have gone an extra mile to provide a more comfortable experience for players during exploration, it’s not enough of an issue to keep it from shining.

Possessor(s) lacks the unique pizazz of some recent Metroidvanias, but delivers a solid adventure in its own right.

Possessor(s) is a visually arresting 2D action-adventure that blends fast-paced metroidvania combat with a character-driven story. While the relationship between its two leads is compelling, the broader narrative lacks the same impact. Combat remains the highlight thanks to varied weapon types and strategic enemy design, though some balancing issues and uneven dialogue can drag the experience down. It’s a game with strong mechanics and bold style, even if it doesn’t always hit emotionally.

A stylish metroidvania with crunchy combat and a delightfully melancholy mood, but some will find it too safe and frictionless.

Possessor(s) combines an engaging narrative that will hit you in the feels with solid combat and a huge map for you to explore. Yet another solid entry in the Metroidvania genre.

With a map that pleads to be unlocked and explored wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling, as well as tremendous combat inspired by the best platform fighters, Possessor(s) is a heartfelt, and most unexpectedly great, Metroidvania that treats story and action, two distinct and unique facets of game design, as equals in this lovely story of coexisting.

This feels like a sadly squandered opportunity that was rushed to release. Whether it's the ambiguous map, frustrating stunlock instakills, vague poise system, or the inexplicably awkward jump animation over water, it's outright hard to recommend Possessor(s) over a growing backlog of this year's better metroidvanias.

Possessor(s) isn’t short on heart and style, but sometimes the gameplay doesn’t seem as innovative and tight as the concept. I desperately wanted to find out what would happen to Luca and Rhem, and seeing what happened to the demons and the world as a result of corporate greed.

Possessor(s) is a bit of a departure from the developer’s signature style, but the gameplay is great and the entire experience is very polished. It’s not overstaying its welcome, and the story they share here is quite interesting, albeit short in my opinion. I wish we spent even more time in this world, but in the end, this is a very polished, high-quality game that everyone will enjoy checking out, especially if you are a fan of metroidvania titles. Not every moment in Possessor(s) is intense, there are sometimes when you unwind and relax, and also explore the world rather than engage in constant battles. Additionally, there were a few bugs at launch, but those were solved by a few, subsequent patches. At the time of this writing, the game runs great, and I didn’t experience any crash. I wish the map was easier to manage and you had more guidance, but overall, it’s an interesting platformer with nice twists, and it stays creative without burdening players with a complex story. Instead, it seamlessly blends good story with fast-paced action, making it a solid experience even if you don’t really play this genre.

Possessor(s) aims to combine action platforming and Metroidvania in a devastated urban world, offering great mobility and a combat system without contact damage, making battles more fair and dynamic. The original visual atmosphere, good writing by the Luca–Rhem duo, and creative level design are somewhat overshadowed by some graphical oversights and a control system that is not always precise. The lack of a grace period when taking damage can be very punishing when there are multiple enemies on screen. A solid game, but with imperfections that limit its impact in one of the most competitive markets.

Possessor(s) boasts stunning visuals and a solid story, but its exploration—a core pillar of the Metroidvania genre—is severely undermined by critical flaws and frequent bugs. Ultimately, it's a game of 'all style over substance,' recommended for its characters and narrative rather than the joy of exploration.

Possessor(s) is an interesting entry-level Metroidvania for those wanting to explore the genre and enjoy a story with interesting characters and beautiful visuals. The game disappoints in some aspects and may leave you lost at times, but it's worth the price.