The Siege and the Sandfox

It’s a rare Metroidvania that feels different, that knows what it wants to be and manages to pull it off without feeling overly indebted to the games that inspired it. I enjoyed it, but most importantly, I felt like I was playing something with its own identity. Like the Sandfox themself, it could not be here without what came before it. But like the Sandfox, it charts its own path forward.

It's beautiful, smart, meditative, and sometimes quite brutal. But it's a journey well worth taking, a sound-sensitive dance between shadows and death that offers a strangely polished experience that richly rewards the tactical and patient.

The Siege of the Sandfox delivers a gorgeous pixel-art stealthvania with slick parkour and stellar sound design. The AI and bugs can be a pain, but if you're into metroidvanias, this one’s definitely worth a shot.

Ultimately, The Siege and the Sandfox is a lovingly crafted 2D platformer that delivers on its promises of exploration and agile gameplay. While the backtracking can occasionally feel a little stretched and a few more fast travel points would be welcome, the intricate level design, satisfying progression through new abilities, and charming pixel art visuals make for a highly engaging and rewarding experience. If you're a fan of classic platforming with a strong emphasis on discovery and nimble traversal, then the The Siege and the Sandfox might just be your next favorite adventure.

The Siege and the Sandfox takes a refreshing approach to the Metroidvania formula. With its focus on parkour and stealth, each trip to the array of distinct biomes is a thrill. The core mechanics drive the level design, creating strong segments that challenge your skills. Unfortunately, small but frequent bugs do affect the experience and halt the game from reaching its true potential. Even so, its inventive design and atmosphere make it a memorable entry in the genre.

The Siege and the Sandfox is an interesting but raw metroidvania, with good stealth mechanics and a checkpoint issue.

If patience is required, though, it's equally repaid. Playing as the Sandfox remains inherently pleasing, along with the game's story and atmosphere. A little post-launch care could see it truly shine. [Issue#412, p.120]

The Siege and the Sandfox is a unique combination of metroidvania and stealth, boasting some great ideas, but the poor execution of several of its elements results in a rather gritty mix.

A old-skool minded metroidvania, unhampered by combat, The Siege and the Sandfox excels in its stealthy confines, creating a dark and masterful labyrinth to explore to your heart's content, but often because you are frustratingly lost.

To appreciate The Siege and the Sandfox, you need to keep in mind that almost everything in it is focused on building atmosphere and narrative and stealth gameplay. The “stealthvania” approach is legitimate, but the simple mechanics and laborious navigation through the levels do not contribute to making its execution worthwhile. I recommend it to those who want to appreciate beautiful aesthetics and immerse themselves in a fantasy from the Arabian Nights while listening to a lovely narrator who accompanies each step of the journey.

The Siege and the Sandfox makes a strong first impression with its intriguing premise and stellar presentation, and with a few well-aimed updates Cardboard Sword's project could truly shine. However, there are currently too many rough edges holding it back. Tighter and more responsive controls would better support the game’s acrobatic nature without compromising its identity, while smarter and more consistent AI would make the stealth elements far more engaging, though we're not entirely sold on their integration to begin with. Still, if the concept piques your interest, there’s no reason not to give this “stealthvania” a shot, just be ready to accept a few trade-offs.

The game is appealing for those seeking a casual stealth and platforming experience, wrapped in a timeless pixel art style. While its 10-hour runtime might leave you wanting more, this release could benefit in the future from improvements to its hiding and enemy distraction mechanics.