Aeterna Noctis

Aeterna Noctis surprises you with its high difficulty and charms you with its addictive gameplay. A metroidvania that brings together elements of great games to create a big universe, that although it shines with its own light, it doesn't end up innovating, but it does very well what it sets out to do.

If the only console you own is a Switch, then Aeterna Noctis is a very good Metroidvania. I’d put it a tier lower than the best of the best in the genre, but still better than most, because of its excellent gameplay. If you own a PS5, Xbox, or PC, then the Switch should be the last version you play. The camera is too zoomed-out for handheld mode, and the framerate is very choppy compared to the other smooth versions. I wish I could also report on how the PS4 and Xbox One versions compared to the next gen versions. They were all planned for the same release day, and ended up taking another year to become available, so I would assume they are all downgrades that had to be quality compromised.

Although Aeternum Noctis is a solid production, some design decisions prevented the game from reaching its potential.

Aeterna Noctis is a fine metroidvania that does a great job at taking inspiration from some of the most outstanding games in the genre. Its visual world and level design stand out and for good reasons, while the game's welcoming pace allows players to focus on the exploration. At the same time, the game's pacing can also be a weak point as it makes it harder to keep focused, and a very high difficulty level may put off less experienced players while its long loading times make the experience less enjoyable.

If you are yearning for controller-tossing difficulty and can tolerate a bit of imprecision, Aeterna Noctis offers an expedition that will test your reflexes and just as often, your patience.