Guacamelee!

 PlayStation 3
User Score
7.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 201 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 154 out of 201
  2. Mixed: 20 out of 201
  3. Negative: 27 out of 201

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  1. sabioseta
    Apr 14, 2013
    7
    Deep combat system that's easy to control and the music really sets the mood and gives the game personality. Small details and visual style adds to the game's charm but you can't help but feel the game really didn't get the full commercial production treatment. Would love a sequel where voice actors are added and textures are bumped up. Not great or spectacular but "good" game overall.
  2. Sukunk
    Apr 9, 2013
    10
    Hahaha, this game is hilarious. Definitely worth chicken' out, if you know what I mean. Beating the crap out of the undead always feels great, but the combat in this game feels especially fluid once you get a hang of the supers. Inter-dimensional platforming is also super sweet, and there are plenty of great challenges aside from the main quest line.
  3. tattoosteve
    May 1, 2013
    9
    I've never seen a Mexican themed video game before and that is nice because I'm half Mexican and I feel like my dad's side of the fam doesn't get represented as much as it should. Anyway, it's really funny and the gameplay is dope, especially the combos you learn over time (and they're pretty challenging too). Overall a good buy.
  4. MikeCthaILLest
    Apr 10, 2013
    10
    Guacamelee! Is what you get when you put Super Metriod/Symphony of The Night, Saturday Night Slam Masters/Fire Pro Wrestling, Old School Super Mario/Mutant Blobs From Space, In a blender & hit puree.

    Guacamelee is the Nintendo game I wish modern Nintendo games were. DrinkBox stays out Nintendoing Nintendo. With a billion times the flair & creativity.
  5. odizzle999
    Apr 11, 2013
    10
    Perfect metroidvania game!!!!! Very funny and great shout outs to old school games like Castlevania, Metroid Super Mario Bros, and Zelda. a lot of love went into this game!
  6. JerryMonz
    Apr 9, 2013
    10
    This game plays really well and the combat is surprisingly deep once you figure out how to perform some combos. There are a lot of references to other games and the game doesn't try to take itself seriously. You get the PS3 version and the Vita version for one price, which is always nice. Drinkbox Studios made another great game that, while on the short side, is worth your time and money.
  7. umafeo23
    Jun 25, 2013
    10
    The game talks itself. It is funny, the gameplay, story, effects and graphics are GREAT coming from a small company, and you will literally enjoy every single second of this game.
  8. Storm1672
    Feb 25, 2014
    8
    A suberb Metroidvania style game. Excellent power-ups, leveling up, top level design, actually using your powers, great boss fights, great fighting.... All is excellent. Only drawback is the kinda simple art style which btw isn't my cup of tea. But I cannot ignore the level of livelyhood and vivid colors. All in all it's not a technical marvel and I came by the occasional glitches, but theA suberb Metroidvania style game. Excellent power-ups, leveling up, top level design, actually using your powers, great boss fights, great fighting.... All is excellent. Only drawback is the kinda simple art style which btw isn't my cup of tea. But I cannot ignore the level of livelyhood and vivid colors. All in all it's not a technical marvel and I came by the occasional glitches, but the balance and tempo of this game is just right.

    If Guacamelee was ever to be a AAA game it would probabaly make a 9 or 10 because the people behind it seem to know what they are doing. Possibly the greatest of its genre only to be matched (in this gen) by Shadow Complex.    … Expand
  9. BasicSpace
    Apr 14, 2013
    10
    Brillant game, tons of fun. Incredibly deep and well balanced. What really makes the game shine is just how polished the mechanics are; it really is a joy to play. The music is excellent as well as the art direction.
  10. j_w_l
    Apr 16, 2013
    9
    This is the kind of game that made me fall in love with video games. This game draws on Metroid's 2-D, nonlinear platforming, with a Final Fight-esque combat scheme that is both simple and complex, and then champions this package with visual graphics that remind me of last year's Mark of the Ninja.

    Many will naturally point to the game's trajectory of plot as a weak point (not sure why    This is the kind of game that made me fall in love with video games. This game draws on Metroid's 2-D, nonlinear platforming, with a Final Fight-esque combat scheme that is both simple and complex, and then champions this package with visual graphics that remind me of last year's Mark of the Ninja.

    Many will naturally point to the game's trajectory of plot as a weak point (not sure why everyone loves to do this) but personally I found the storyline substantially entertaining. I have also read that some think the absence of voice acting is a fault, to this I do not think they could be more wrong. The text box dialogue pays genuine homage to the greats of video games from which this game was derived and voice acting would have only conflated the identity if this video game into being something that it is not, which is truly original.    … Expand
  11. ferrers405
    Jun 28, 2013
    10
    Gorgeous game, if you like platform is a must buy, fun, addictive and excellent gameplay and hilarious game story make this one of the best PSN games.
  12. zamorian79
    Jun 19, 2013
    9
    Incredible deep for a downloadable game. It's well balanced and it has a good lenght. I wish it would be longer but not because it's short, it has a very decent length for a downloadable game (15 hours to complete it 100% on my first time) but I'd love to have more of it. The game has a ton of 8bit references and easter eggs to games like Mario, Zelda, Metroid, Castlevania and also recentIncredible deep for a downloadable game. It's well balanced and it has a good lenght. I wish it would be longer but not because it's short, it has a very decent length for a downloadable game (15 hours to complete it 100% on my first time) but I'd love to have more of it. The game has a ton of 8bit references and easter eggs to games like Mario, Zelda, Metroid, Castlevania and also recent games like Minecraft, Castle Crashers, Journey, etc. It's charming. Great combat, upgrades, skills, level design, etc. Kudos Drinkbox!… Expand
  13. Frankpsn
    Nov 5, 2013
    9
    Despite a few minor flaws, Guacamelee still can be awesome in every aspect, executing the story, gameplay and visuals with maestry, and having the sensation of epicness seen in other Metroidvania games.
  14. Gunner15
    Jul 16, 2014
    8
    Guacamelee is one of the most unique games I've ever played. But everything has its flaws.

    Gucamelee has beautiful levels and it's gameplay is fun, especially with 2-players. You play as Juan just a usual farmer in Mexico, who is then killed by a skeleton king of the underworld named Carlos Calaca. Juan is then given a mask with magical powers. he can switch through the 2 worlds of    Guacamelee is one of the most unique games I've ever played. But everything has its flaws.

    Gucamelee has beautiful levels and it's gameplay is fun, especially with 2-players. You play as Juan just a usual farmer in Mexico, who is then killed by a skeleton king of the underworld named Carlos Calaca. Juan is then given a mask with magical powers. he can switch through the 2 worlds of living and dead. This can make fro some interesting and complex gameplay, sadly that's where the negatives come in.

    Personally, I found the boss fights to be uneven and unfair. The bosses could kill you in 2 or 3 hits and the way they move changes when you die so they're almost impossible to read.

    But, thankfully, this game is free roam and you can learn more moves which makes the gameplay shines and you can also upgrade your stamina and health by finding shards while being amazed by how beautiful both the living and dead worlds are.

    It's story and characters are great. Even if the story is basic. But the characters you meet are funny, and outrageous.

    Guacamelee isn't a bad game, but like everything else in the world it's not perfect. As an indie game, and platformer it's fantastic. but it's not for everyone, if you're not into indie games or platformers then you can skip this game. unless a friend has it. then you have to try it out. And it's definitely worth its $15 price.    … Expand
  15. Kermie
    Apr 15, 2013
    9
    9.25 Hilarious, polished, and incredibly challenging; this is a brilliant metroidvania that knows its inspirations and stays true to the formula. Combat is simple at first but quickly evolves into a challenging formula that is rather addicting. The sense of humor is also fantastic; it will make you laugh out lout more than once! The boss battles are also really fun and wicked9.25 Hilarious, polished, and incredibly challenging; this is a brilliant metroidvania that knows its inspirations and stays true to the formula. Combat is simple at first but quickly evolves into a challenging formula that is rather addicting. The sense of humor is also fantastic; it will make you laugh out lout more than once! The boss battles are also really fun and wicked challenging too. If you are looking for that next great metroidvania title, Guacamelee! is sure to please even the most dedicated of fans.… Expand
  16. mosessaur
    Feb 13, 2014
    9
    I'm still in the middle of the game. Playing it on both PS3 and Vita with cross save :). Guacamelee is awesome. Fantastic platformer game. Wonderful puzzles with platforms, dimensions and mazes.
    Enjoyable to play and sometimes the story scripts are really funny. No glitches so far. The game is both challenging and fun. I started this after playing the intense experience of BioShock    I'm still in the middle of the game. Playing it on both PS3 and Vita with cross save :). Guacamelee is awesome. Fantastic platformer game. Wonderful puzzles with platforms, dimensions and mazes.
    Enjoyable to play and sometimes the story scripts are really funny. No glitches so far. The game is both challenging and fun. I started this after playing the intense experience of BioShock Infinite. And so it is relaxing me and amusing me.
    I'm playing this as it came part of PS Plus subscription. But if you are a platform based games fan then this is a must game for you. It's amusing.
    If you got PS3 and Vita then you are gonna double enjoy this. On my way to work I play on vita. Then upload my progress to cloud. When back home, I download my progress continue then save and upload it again to continue the journey in the morning using vita :)
    This is a well deserved 9 out of 10.    … Expand
  17. Vanpire73
    May 2, 2014
    7
    I enjoyed my time with this one. It's a metroidvania lite title with some fun melee combat served on a digital nacho. What's with this 150 character minimum?
  18. sayedstafa
    Apr 11, 2013
    10
    Wrestlevania! This game is great! Combat is excellent, it controls well and it has a lot of moves and combos for a 2d action game. The platforming is also incredibly fun. You switch between living and dead worlds, similar to Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams, but the way they implemented it into the platforming in this game is much better. The game also moves at a great pace. You areWrestlevania! This game is great! Combat is excellent, it controls well and it has a lot of moves and combos for a 2d action game. The platforming is also incredibly fun. You switch between living and dead worlds, similar to Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams, but the way they implemented it into the platforming in this game is much better. The game also moves at a great pace. You are constantly gaining new abilities, given new types of puzzles and obstacles. The game becomes very challenging by the end. The humor is great, a lot of clever game references. It's short, took me close to 6 hours to beat, but I was fine with the length, especially at the price. If I were to say anything negative, the game could have been better if coop was available online and compared to other games like Outland, the boss fights could have been a bit better. But I really don't feel like those two things were that bad, not enough to hurt the overall experience. I definitely recommend this game, I had a blast!… Expand
  19. unido2
    Apr 12, 2013
    10
    Awesome, dude. Fancy design, funny open world, cool abilities, lucha libre combat mode and man-goat? Yeah, dude.
    I believe in best PSN game of the year!
  20. TheHollaway
    Apr 23, 2013
    9
    Following a pair of Tales From Space titles, DrinkBox Studios has made a gem with deep roots in the old school, side scrolling, platformers. While inspired by such classics as the Castlevania and Metroid series, Guacamelee breathes new life into the once King genre with beautiful artwork (admittedly I prefer it on the PS3 for the visuals on a bigger screen), subtle RPG elements, modernFollowing a pair of Tales From Space titles, DrinkBox Studios has made a gem with deep roots in the old school, side scrolling, platformers. While inspired by such classics as the Castlevania and Metroid series, Guacamelee breathes new life into the once King genre with beautiful artwork (admittedly I prefer it on the PS3 for the visuals on a bigger screen), subtle RPG elements, modern internet humor, and a fluid combo-based combat system. This near perfect game is a must buy for any indie gamer, Vita user or fan of some of the greatest games of all time.… Expand
  21. iwantchetos
    Jul 5, 2013
    8
    this indie game is pretty original i´m Mexican when i see the game for the first time i think is something racist but when i play the game they don´t fell racist they fell greet original with a game play they remember me metroid i felt in love with the game but the game is very shot to finish even if you want the platinum trophy
  22. CantStopPlaying
    Aug 28, 2013
    8
    Guacamelee was a great lil game! The simple but effective combat system mixed with some solid twitch based platforming! The art style was really slick and the mariachi jams were dope. It was fairly short, but I played it once solo and once with a buddy. The coop bubble mechanic was really nice and allowed one player to get past the tough plaforming areas w/o yanking each other all overGuacamelee was a great lil game! The simple but effective combat system mixed with some solid twitch based platforming! The art style was really slick and the mariachi jams were dope. It was fairly short, but I played it once solo and once with a buddy. The coop bubble mechanic was really nice and allowed one player to get past the tough plaforming areas w/o yanking each other all over the place. Also, the goat dude was awesome... Pollo Power!… Expand
  23. Plasmaneedle
    Jan 18, 2014
    9
    Guacamelee displays a great blend of combat and Metroidvania gameplay as well as some interesting features such as switching between the land of the living and land of the dead. This is a PSN game worth checking out.
  24. DeusXCom
    Apr 5, 2014
    8
    Fun, over-the-top mexican arcade smasher/platformer. Enjoyable and challenging platforming segments (in some of the secret orb locations it even ventures into the hardcore territory), fluid and elaborated combat, cool art direction and most importantly fun gameplay. Let's transform into chicken and fight Jaguar Javier! I usually don't care for trophies, but it was my pleasure to plat thisFun, over-the-top mexican arcade smasher/platformer. Enjoyable and challenging platforming segments (in some of the secret orb locations it even ventures into the hardcore territory), fluid and elaborated combat, cool art direction and most importantly fun gameplay. Let's transform into chicken and fight Jaguar Javier! I usually don't care for trophies, but it was my pleasure to plat this sombrero. 8/10… Expand
  25. VidjaGames
    Jan 22, 2014
    8
    An indie game that gives you the depth of a big release. It looks great, plays great, and sounds great. I'm never sure what to expect when I buy a $15 game. So far I've spent about 10 hours playing and, while I've "beaten" the game I haven't completed all the side quests. After that there's a hard mode which I'm looking forward to with some trepidation since the normal mode was justAn indie game that gives you the depth of a big release. It looks great, plays great, and sounds great. I'm never sure what to expect when I buy a $15 game. So far I've spent about 10 hours playing and, while I've "beaten" the game I haven't completed all the side quests. After that there's a hard mode which I'm looking forward to with some trepidation since the normal mode was just challenging enough not to be frustrating.… Expand
  26. Hieroine
    Jun 12, 2014
    9
    This game was a true blast! If you are into metroidvania platforming type of games then this might be the game for you. The platforming is good, the story is fun, but yet "mature" and there are alot of refferences to internet pop culture as "Me gusta" and trollface etc. The game's got a really neat combo system and if you practice enough you'll be able to air juggle your enemeies for aThis game was a true blast! If you are into metroidvania platforming type of games then this might be the game for you. The platforming is good, the story is fun, but yet "mature" and there are alot of refferences to internet pop culture as "Me gusta" and trollface etc. The game's got a really neat combo system and if you practice enough you'll be able to air juggle your enemeies for a good amount of time, really looking forward to what drinkbox might bring up next. It might be hard to do a followup on sucha good game for a smaller studio.

    Only thing i could have wished for is a multiplayer/co-op alternative, you can play with a friend on a second controller, but playing online isn't currently an option. Also, how fun wouldn't it be if you where able to fight your friends in arcade style battles? Still a very good game, might be one of the best indie game i've played so far.    … Expand
  27. HuevoAlce
    Jun 27, 2022
    8
    Guacamelee! is one of PlayStation's best platformers that is worth playing.
  28. 3ls0ul
    Mar 7, 2023
    9
    Este juego aún no lo eh jugado o completado, así que pondré una reseña y nota diferentes cuando lo haga.

Awards & Rankings

18
#18 Best PS3 Game of 2013
60
#60 Most Discussed PS3 Game of 2013

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
84

Generally favorable reviews - based on 51 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 48 out of 51
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 51
  3. Negative: 0 out of 51
  1. Official PlayStation Magazine Benelux
    Aug 25, 2013
    90
    Switching between different dimensions does more than changing up the visuals. You can be attacked by enemies from both worlds, meaning you will have to constantly (and sometimes frantically) switch between dimensions to survive. [May 2013, p.94]
  2. Thunderbolt
    Aug 15, 2013
    90
    Without reservation, Guacamelee is easily DrinkBox’s finest game to date. It subscribes to the design that made Metroid and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night the classics that they are, but it offers its own unique spin on the genre.
    Read full review
  3. Console Monster
    Jun 5, 2013
    92
    Regardless of if you are looking for something to pass the time, something portable or something more hardcore, Guacamelee delivers on all these fronts and more. It's fun, challenging and above all else a joy to play.
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