Exile's End

While at the shorter end of the scale for Metrovania games, the $9.99 price fits this indie title perfectly. Exile’s End might not be the best sidescroller on the Playstation 4, but it undoubtedly has a difficult charm that should feel right at home for players that grew up in the NES/Amiga era.

Playing Exile’s End involves a lot more aimless running around than it should. It’s frustrating because these are all problems that have been solved as the Metroidvania genre’s developed over the years. When it’s allowed to shine, it’s a wonderful game that almost rivals the original Metroid, I just wish it didn't spend so much time getting in its own way out of a commitment to dated ideas about difficulty.

Exile's End feels like a genuine retro classic, right down to the excellent music. However, a reliance on backtracking with no real signposting stops this from becoming a future classic itself.

Exile’s End is a good action-platformer that checks all the boxes of a good Metroidvania, but does so without much pizazz.

Despite my flat first impressions of the game, I’m very happy to have seen it through to the end.

For hardcore fans of games like Out of This World, this is a must play title, as well as for those who love adventure games from that era. For everything Exile’s End gets right about why adventure games from 25 years ago were great, however, it includes all the blemishes exactly as they were.

Exile's End starts out as a promising Metroid-style game with nods to older cinematic action games, but eventually turns into an overall mediocre experience.

While it definitely has the retro look with nice artwork and good music, it seems to be missing a lot of the feel that the retro games have.The story is decent but the game play does not provide much a challenge and frankly I cannot see myself going back to it.

If you just want to play a game that brings you nostalgia, you want to know what it was like to play a game 30 years ago or you just want to show your kids how good they have it – Exile’s End has faithfully recreated that. Just know that’s what you’re getting into if you decide to.

It’s got decent atmosphere, controls fairly well, and provides some fun exploration and fighting. It’s just not nearly as good as those that came before it, take it or leave it. I want to like the game more than I do, but getting endlessly lost, questioning my progression, and the weak start left me with a bitter taste in my mouth.

Exile’s End is a game full of ideas that have already been done before. From a narrative standpoint this leaves the game feeling predictable, shallow and uninspired. While from a gameplay standpoint, it captures the feeling of a classic 2D action side scroller that is a blast to play. If your entering this game for a thought provoking story with interesting twist and turns, you will be disappointed. If you go into expecting a classic gameplay style that feels great to return to, then you will be pleased.

Exile’s End is not a bad game by any means, but it never really reaches the heady heights of its influences. In what is so obviously a labour of love, this is a shame, but such is the risk with such blatant nostalgia. Often, going back is not a good idea.

I admired the visual and sound design for creating some truly creepy environments, and for serving up a loving tribute to the Commodore 64/Amiga era, but I was left a bit more cold in the gameplay department.