Alwa's Awakening

 Xbox One
Metascore
tbd

No score yet - based on 2 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 2
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 2
  3. Negative: 0 out of 2
  1. TheXboxHub
    Dec 17, 2019
    80
    The bottom line is that if you like retro platformers and are looking for your next game, you’ve found it. If you don’t like retro platformers, then I respectfully suggest you try Alwa’s Awakening on Xbox One, as I wouldn’t be at all surprised if it made you change your mind.
  2. Xbox Tavern
    Nov 18, 2019
    70
    Alwa’s Awakening is very true to the original style 8-bit platformer. They have some adventure and puzzle elements as well and is not as linear as many of the other 8 bit platformers. The story line is quite light in details but the game itself is more concentrated on the gameplay which shows as it is a fun and interesting challenge. Although it feels a bit slow-paced it is still a good game to pick up for old-style platformer fans.

User Reviews

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User Score
7.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 4 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 4
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 4
  3. Negative: 1 out of 4
  1. Xbox_Alive
    Nov 28, 2019
    7
    Alwa's Awakening is an 8-bit Metroidvania game. You play as Zoe, summoned forth to save the world of Awla from an evil Sorceress. The game isAlwa's Awakening is an 8-bit Metroidvania game. You play as Zoe, summoned forth to save the world of Awla from an evil Sorceress. The game is played in a large interconnected 2d map where you have to use Zoe's powers to reach different areas. Zoe starts without any magic, and when you receive your first Rod, it too has no magic but makes for a great club! The game is an ax ready to come down at any time, as the world is deceptively deadly. The enemies aren't as challenging as the environment, making your incredibly precise movement a valuable asset. The game is methodical, and if you get stuck on an area, and die, you will return to your last save room. This can make for a frustrating experience at times, but the satisfaction of completion is great. Bosses pose a challenge, but not so much as to say they're hard. This game is a nostalgic rollercoaster! It's a slightly slower-paced game, boasting 10 hours of gameplay. Alwa's Awakening is an incredibly well-made game, smooth with razor-sharp control. Whether you're a fan of nostalgic gameplay, that tests your skills, or intricate Metroidvania games, Alwa's Awakening can stand its ground amongst some of the greats.… Full Review »
  2. loltoke
    Jan 16, 2021
    3
    This game starts out as a fun and traditional metroidvania. There are many areas blocked off until you get power upgrades, which consist ofThis game starts out as a fun and traditional metroidvania. There are many areas blocked off until you get power upgrades, which consist of three magic spells and then upgrades to those spells. Essentially the spells serve as vehicles to get you across larger and larger gaps or up to higher and higher ledges. In that sense, the power ups are not really very cool or interesting compared to some other metroidvanias. In addition, the power up to the main weapon only comes in the form of one orb that doubles your hit power about halfway through the game. Now on to the worst part of the game, which about 50% of metroidvanias in the last five years suffer from (I'm going to end up writing this same review for like 20 other games) - uneven ramp up in difficulty. I got through about 80% of the game, beat 3/4 main bosses and explored 80% of the map or more. The fourth boss is ridiculous. You have to jump back and forth on platforms while dodging eyeball monsters and bullets that cover the whole screen. I could barely even hit the guy twice without dying (I'd need to hit him about six times to kill him). I don't mind grinding and I assume that if I faced him about 20 times I could eventually kill him. The problem is that you never get to upgrade your healthbar in the game. 10 hours in, I'm dealing with the same 3 measley hits and you're dead EXCEPT they are generous enough to give you a flask to refill ONCE. A major design oversight or error was made here because when you restore to your save point, your flask is gone. This means that you have no hope of facing a boss again without going to find a well to refill your flask. This probably takes 10 minutes just to walk to a well somewhere, come all the way back to the save point, and fight the boss again. You can do the math - 10 minutes of walking between each boss fight x 20 fights = 3 hours and 20 minutes of walking. No thanks! Sadly I uninstalled the game and it will forever be 80% complete. Please metroidvania designers, stop doing this kind of thing! I'd like to finish more than half of the games and I'm not a 12 year old kid with infinite time on his hands. I have a real job.… Full Review »
  3. GamerGuysNGals
    Dec 8, 2019
    10
    Alwa's Awakening you play as Zoe and your objective is to save the town of Alwa after the horrible Entity Vicar steals the town's powerfulAlwa's Awakening you play as Zoe and your objective is to save the town of Alwa after the horrible Entity Vicar steals the town's powerful ornaments. He put's them in the hand of four protectors, and without them the town grows dark and is taken over by horrible creatures. Alwa calls upon a mysterious character from another realm to save it. Her name is Zoe, and she is the character you will play as. Armed with a magic staff you must journey out into the land and return the ornaments, and have your final confrontation with Vicar to return then land to what it once was.
    Elden Pixels is a bunch of nerdy guys who left development teams like Zoink to make their own games. Alwa's Awakening is the result of this so i'm glad they did it. They also have funding right now for a sequel called Alwa's Legacy. I believe it is completely funded so really looking forward to seeing it soon. In my opinion Alwa's Awakening is one of the best modern retros of this generation. It is one of those games that are new, but still feel classic. Like if this had been around on the NES,Genesis, or SNES I really believe it would have been a massive hit. It does so many things right. It reminds me of a lot of classics like Mega Man, Kid Icarus, Alex Kidd, and so many others. It really takes a lot of elements from those, but delivers them flawlessly. They call these games Metroidvanias, and I think this would have been right up there with those classics If it would have been in that time.
    Alwa's Awakening really should be a huge speed running title. I don't think it is yet, but in the future I think it will be. There are Achievements for beating it under 2 hours, and under 5 continues. You'll have to be pretty talented, and know the game very well to pull that off. It is really challenging. Especially the later bosses. I know I wasn't any where near that on my plays of this game. I've played it on Switch, XBOX, and Steam and no where even close to that. The negative reviews I have seen have been about difficulty. In my opinion that shouldn't be a negative on a game. Maybe if your reviewing yourself and your skills, but isn't a reason to lower the score of a game. I think Alwa's Awakening is a near perfect experience. Like I said one of the best if not the best modern retro of this generation of consoles. I still play my NES, I wish this game was on it. I know you can get a emulator, but I'd like actual cart. I know you can get the soundtrack on a NES cart, and I plan to but I won't get into music until the next paragraph.
    The soundtrack for this game is outstanding. It has 25 different 8bit tunes that really add a lot to the experience. It is one of the best soundtracks for a modern retro, and I can't wait to own the entire thing to listen to while I'm writing out these reviews. I really put it up there with the Duck Tales game's Soundtrack. So many just amazing tracks. It looks really great as well.They did an amazing job, at keeping it looking 8bit. Elden Pixels did outstanding with this title in my opinion. All their awards are really well deserved. The over 400 unique rooms really add up to a can't miss indie title for lovers of retro platformers.
    I realize I didn't get into the game play much so let's take a step back. Zoe is such a cool character, she moves kind of sluggish I've heard a few people say to me I think maybe a little, but it isn't something that takes away from the overall experience. She is so cool breaking stuff with her wand, hitting enemies with it. She can unlock abilities with it like a bubble you can ride, or a brick you can hide behind or float across water with. She can even shoot lightning out of it. You can find upgrades for these abilities as well. They are challenging to find, and really well hidden but well worth the adventure. There is so much stuff hidden in the land of Alwa. Walls you can walk through, floors you can fall through. Nothing is simple, and I think that is why I enjoy it so much. Don't use a walk through. Discover it for yourself it is well worth it. Like Zoe all the enemies, and bosses are really well designed, and super cool. They also are very challenging. The levels are set up as puzzles to, so your going to revisit places and be able to go some where else from there, because your bubble last longer or because your brick can now cross water. It's going to have you back tracking trying to find everything to make the final boss battle a little more simple for you, or just because you like to 100% games like myself.    … Full Review »
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