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. Universo Nintendo
    Mar 20, 2023
    95
    Grim Guardians Demon Purge manages to stand out from other Metroidvania games thanks to its meticulously balanced difficulty and length, the number of secrets, epic boss battles, and a somewhat funny story that is followed by beautiful graphics and an outstanding soundtrack. This is not a random game in the market but is a must-buy for any 2D action lovers and gamers in general.
  2. Shindig
    Mar 15, 2023
    80
    Gal Guardians: Demon Purge is a balancing act: between modern and retro game design, between loving homage and forging its own identity, between “Classicvania” and “Metroidvania”. It walks those tightropes admirably, and the result is a game that anyone with a fondness for Castlevania—whichever era it may be—should check out.
  3. The Mako Reactor
    Feb 23, 2023
    80
    Grim Guardians: Demon Purge is one of Inti Creates' better releases, and it feels great to play on both Nintendo Switch and Steam Deck. The 2D action adventure also works well with Steam Remote Play Together for co-op.
  5. NintendoWorldReport
    Feb 22, 2023
    80
    Grim Guardians: Demon Purge is another satisfying 2D action title from Inti Creates, further cementing their status as makers of genuinely solid retro throwbacks. Some of the enemy designs are clever callbacks to Mega Man and Castlevania, but ultimately the title manages to stand on its own merits. Even though they never seem to stop dictating all the action happening on screen, Shinobu and Maya are delightful to play as and make enough banter and jokes between them to keep the narrative light. If you'd rather purge something new than the dozens of games in your backlog, Grim Guardians provides a devilishly fun ride.
  6. God is a Geek
    Feb 22, 2023
    80
    Grim Guardians has a few issues, but ultimately is a fantastic retro style platformer that fills the Castlevania shaped hole in my heart.
  7. Hey Poor Player
    Feb 22, 2023
    80
    Despite some small nitpicks, I still very much recommend Grim Guardians: Demon Purge. It not only showcases Inti Creates’ skill at breathing new life into old series, but it does so with panache. The combat is varied and complex, and the challenge, though sometimes frustrating, nevertheless kept me invested during the entirety of my playthrough. Not to mention you’ll unlock a new mode and difficulty after beating the game once. Plus, if you have a friend close by, you can both play a sister in local co-op. If you enjoy platformers and are hankering for a new Castlevania-inspired adventure, look no further.

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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