Gal Guardians: Demon Purge

 Switch
Metascore
76

Generally favorable reviews - based on 12 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 12
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 12
  3. Negative: 0 out of 12
  1. TouchArcade
    Feb 28, 2023
    70
    If you’re on the hunt for a well-built 2D action game, particularly one you can play with a friend, then Grim Guardians: Demon Purge will likely satisfy. It’s a highly experienced developer working in the genre it’s best known for, and the resulting level of quality is hardly a big surprise. I think it’s more for the fans of the developer than the fans of the property it draws its themes from, and I do wish it had a little more bite to its challenge. An enjoyable romp, but nothing all that special.
  2. Pocket Tactics
    Feb 28, 2023
    70
    Grimm Guardians: Demon Purge is a competent and gorgeous Castlevania-lite with satisfying action and a great two-player mode. It’s also got its tongue firmly in cheek, and I had a fun time blasting through gigantic bosses and exploring this world. I just wish it offered a little more variety in gameplay and had a little more of what makes the Castlevania series so fun to explore. Maybe in the sequel…
  3. Multiplayer.it
    Feb 26, 2023
    70
    Grim Guardians: Demon Purge is the spiritual sequel to Bloodstained and Castlevania, an interesting but not without flaws action platformer.
  5. Siliconera
    Feb 26, 2023
    70
    I’d say Grim Guardians: Demon Purge is a good snack for people who enjoy Inti Creates titles, the Bloodstained: Circle of the Moon spin-offs, or games that are Metroidvania-adjacent. It’s a brief diversion, which isn’t a bad thing! In a world where so many games can be 20-40 hours long, sometimes I want something silly and fun that will keep me busy for one or two evenings. I really appreciated what Inti Creates accomplished with the generally delightful Grim Guardians: Demon Purge.
  6. Digitally Downloaded
    Feb 24, 2023
    70
    Grim Guardians: Demon Purge is Inti Creates at its safest, working in a genre it is most comfortable with. That’s not a criticism, given how talented the developer is at this stuff. If you enjoy the older Castlevania games, you’re going to love this. At the same time, as confident as this production is, it’s hard not to wish that the team at Inti Creates had pushed themselves a little further for this outing. It’s just a little too safe for broader appeal beyond its main niche.
  7. Nintendo Life
    Feb 23, 2023
    70
    For Metroidvania fans and lovers of Inti Creates' works, Grim Guardians certainly does enough to please. Getting to grips with combat negotiations and levelling up your weaponry brings with it a sense of reward and progression, and it’s enjoyable to backtrack for secrets. It’s not quite on the level of Curse of the Moon, its closest relative, but it’s not far off — and the sibling switching idea is at least novel and fun to work with. Gory, spritely, and occasionally creatively inspired, it hits all the right notes, just sometimes in a little too sparse a manner to be considered overwhelmingly compelling.

Awards & Rankings

81
#81 Best Switch Game of 2023
42
#42 Most Discussed Switch Game of 2023

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
7.3

Mixed or average reviews- based on 9 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 9
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 9
  3. Negative: 2 out of 9
  1. kailomonkey
    Mar 25, 2023
    10
    Great Castlevania homage with many references to other games. combined with anime inspired characters from their rail-shooter series Gal Gun.Great Castlevania homage with many references to other games. combined with anime inspired characters from their rail-shooter series Gal Gun. The moveset increases as you go through the game making for a second or pass through the stages worth doing, and especially of note is the variety of uses and combinations of those abilities. I've never seen two players choose exactly the same way to solve problems. The humour of the game creeps out slowly but if you like the tone, maybe you will like the other GGDP (Gal Gun Double Peace).… Full Review »
  2. Babushka_Zhu
    Feb 25, 2023
    9
    Прекрасная игра с огромным количеством качественных отсылок на франшизу Gal✩Gun, фанаты которой оценят их по достоинству. Экшен очень увлекаетПрекрасная игра с огромным количеством качественных отсылок на франшизу Gal✩Gun, фанаты которой оценят их по достоинству. Экшен очень увлекает и геймплей даёт честный вызов игроку. Уровни хорошо проработаны и их интересно исследовать. Версия для Switch прекрасно оптимизирована, отлично играется в портативном режиме и дарит неподдельное удовольствие. Для фанатов франшизы Gal✩Gun это настоящий Must Play, в который играть обязательно. Для остальных же это качественный side-scroller с японским колоритом, который скрасит пару вечеров вашей жизни.… Full Review »
  3. Adremere
    Jun 26, 2023
    7
    Pros:
    One of the protagonists has a gun and that leans in more heavily on the Metroid part of Metroidvania. It's not totally overpowered    Pros:
    One of the protagonists has a gun and that leans in more heavily on the Metroid part of Metroidvania. It's not totally overpowered either and strikes a good gameplay balance between to the two characters you can switch between.
    The music feels like a Castlevania game's music.
    The controls handle very well.
    A fair number of extra items to discover in the 2nd half of the game without making exploration overstay it's welcome or pad the game to give it unnecessary play hours.

    Cons:
    I found the final boss to be frustratingly difficult compared to a lot of the other bosses. Attempts on the boss got to the point where they just weren't fun anymore. This could be a pro for people who enjoy a good challenge.
    There's lots of over the top anime tropes in this game. It didn't really bother me, personally but if you're the kind of person who hates anime voices and dirty jokes then you should probably stay away from this game. Although the cover makes it pretty obvious that it draws heavily on anime styles so this shouldn't come as a surprise.

    Overall this is a decent Metroidvania, that's not overly long, with good gameplay and feels like a decent homage to Castlevania. It definitely is more linear than a lot of the post-SotN Castlevanias, but that could be a good or bad thing depending on what you like.    … Full Review »
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