Minoria

 Xbox One
Metascore
tbd

No score yet - based on 3 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 3
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 3
  3. Negative: 0 out of 3
  1. TheXboxHub
    Sep 18, 2020
    80
    Minoria on Xbox One is a worthy entry in the broader Momodora canon. While Momodora: Reverie Under the Moonlight is arguably the more memorable experience, Minoria is still a welcome and unique take on the developer’s own Metroidvania formula; one that manages to do things with its own style both in presentation and gameplay.

User Reviews

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User Score
7.3

Mixed or average reviews- based on 4 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 4
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 4
  3. Negative: 1 out of 4
  1. Xbox_Alive
    Sep 15, 2020
    9
    Minoria is a classic Metroidvania. It is also wonderfully, blissfully, free from any unnecessary roguelite mechanics. This is the kind ofMinoria is a classic Metroidvania. It is also wonderfully, blissfully, free from any unnecessary roguelite mechanics. This is the kind of Metroidvania that Samus would be proud of and a game that deservedly sits alongside Hollow Knight as a highlight of the genre. The tale of Minoria is set within the Witch Wars. Which Witch War does Minoria take place during? That would be the fourth Witch War. Which is, as I’m sure you’ll agree, arguably the best of all the Witch Wars. Enjoyably, rather than being pointless stuff, the backstory in Minoria is deep and informs a plot full of twists and turns. This is not as simple a narrative as you would think, with a layered story that keeps on giving deep into the credits. The player is cast as Sister Semilla who, alongside the talking head of Sister Fran, must venture deep into the castle of the heretics for a spot of princess rescuing and baddie bashing. Sister Semilla works for the Sacred Order, though perhaps all is not what it seems as they delve further into the dark maze that makes up the castle and its grounds. With all the confidence of someone who completed every Metroid in their youth, I was lured into a false sense of security by Minoria. Than I meet my first demon who promptly killed Semilla with one strike. The only thing that surprised me more is that Semilla explodes into what appears to be a pack of cards thrown in the air with wild abandon upon her death. Minoria is hard from the very beginning. But it is to its great credit absolutely fair when it comes to its difficulty curve. The attacks of the enemy are clear to read and respond to, you just have to up your reactions to do so. After a painful drag of the game’s opening play, I found that my reflexes soon started to improve. A combination of attack, dodge and parry makes up the combat of the game and it is a mechanic that is satisfying in its simplicity. There’s fantastic audio and visual feedback to every every attack you land, whilst dodging is so immaculate in its delivery you’ll wonder how other games manage to miss out. Timing really is the skill of the game, but fumble it and see most of your health bar wiped out. It’s a looming risk and reward mechanic, and one that is improved as your skill set at the game increases. Soon I was timing the attacks I wouldn’t have even tried in the beginning. There’s another risk and reward system that’s the beating heart of Minoria. As you explore the labyrinthian map, chock full of secret passages and short cuts you’ll be pleased to know, you’ll acquire new weapons, relics and level up. However, if you die before making it to the safety to save the game then you’ll lose everything you’ve gathered between saves and it’s back to the last save point you return to. It’s a design that constantly puts you on the edge of your seat. This surely would have led to frustration had the placing of these save spots not been so well implemented, fortunately the positioning of the save points (pots) is pretty much perfect. Minoria will punish you to make you keep trying, but not ragingly so. It will also make you perspire as you so desperately push on through an ultra-tough dungeon, hoping against hope that there’s a quick save in the next room. Visually Minoria is charming, bringing to mind in many places the delicate, almost ethereal aesthetic of Team Ico’s work. Despite the dream-like quality I never lost track of where Semilla or her enemy were. Character design is vivid enough to stand out against the airy and varied backdrops. This is a highly recommended play for those looking for a solid addition to their Xbox One library. Of course I may be a bit jaded as I love a great Metroidvania style experience.… Full Review »
  2. Xplocion
    Oct 11, 2022
    9
    The good:
    From the creators of “Momodora (4): Retrive Under Moonlight” comes this accessible metroidvania. The character design is very    The good:
    From the creators of “Momodora (4): Retrive Under Moonlight” comes this accessible metroidvania. The character design is very striking (basic but striking) reminiscent of the animations of the 80s-90s. Two very different endings. You will have to experiment a lot with the combinations of the incenses that you are buying and obtaining to find the best results. It has 610G accessible, yet it is very accessible to complete 100%. For the perfectionists, if you defeat the bosses without being touched they give you the best weapons and incense.

    The bad:
    I can't get used to jumping on fluffy flowers, the character looks like a Ragdoll when jumping. False sense of freedom (it is clear where you should not go) which brutally cuts off the exploration. The annoying dynamics of the parry (I'm fed up with records of games that abuse the parry, not as one more element of the gameplay, but as an obligation, that everyone plays as they please. If you don't appreciate cartoons and anime from 30 years ago the design will be lousy and even generic The bosses are broken (until you know how to deal with them) Once you finish it there is no more (unless you play it again with higher difficulty) There are surgically placed enemies positioned to hit you. There are only two slots to improve character aspects. The cliché of "not everything is what it seems is already very worn and the game throws it at you from the second two". It is not in Xbox Game Pass, but it would win integers being there for everyone who wants to play it.

    Lo Meh!:
    Another dark metroidvania with catholic/christian references in this section, never seen before. If you have never played Momodora you will not understand the references. The map is not descriptive enough to investigate a place. Nor can you put marks on the map. The parry is really annoying and you can play jumping/rolling as a panda and you also get results but you don't fully block the damage.    … Full Review »
  3. GamerGuysNGals
    Sep 12, 2020
    10
    The story takes place in Ramezia, and the hero is Sister Semilla a Nun that in the time of the fourth Witch War. A time when The SacredThe story takes place in Ramezia, and the hero is Sister Semilla a Nun that in the time of the fourth Witch War. A time when The Sacred Office, a powerful organization is set out on destroying and purging all Witches. Any one taking part in Ceremonies against the laws of the Church are considered Witches, and the missionaries/sisters Semilla and Fran must purify them. The story inspired by the history of medieval Europe, and is sort of a sequel to Momodora from Bombservice. They have a lot of similarities in their styles. So if you enjoyed it you are more than likely going to enjoy this as well.

    The first thing you notice the game is just so beautiful. The style is made up from hand painted 2-D art with Cel-shading. It just pops as you make your way through each area. The environments vary so much across the huge map. It never looks repetitive, from snow covered landscapes to ones covered in beautiful flower gardens. Dark Dungeons to amazing castle walls with unbelievable moonlit skies in the background. It is just such a treat for the eyes. The music is outstanding as well. It really adds to the action, and panic of the boss battles. It also sets the mood for the environments as well. To say it’s very enjoyable is a under statement, and it’s just another perfect addition among many positives for this title. Might as well get used to it I’m going to be praising this game from start of the review to the finish.

    Maybe one of my favorite things about Minoria is the combat, and the controls. It is just spot on and smooth. Every attack and jump is flawless and fun. There are also magic casting, parrying, and dodging mechanics as well. They all really mesh well into some unforgettable combat moments, and battles with bosses. The dodge roll feels so good as you bounce around from left to right of your enemy. It is all really easy to learn, but will take some work to master. There are a lot of people who have though the internet is loaded with no damage runs. It’s really fun to watch people do this, and see how they approach every situation. There are tons of attacks you can learn as well from a double jump attack to a charged one. Timing is everything with these moves. You will find these as well as new weapons and magic spells along the way. Some of them are really well hidden as “Minoria” is full of hidden areas and secrets. They are fun to find, and you can even find a spell that will alert you when you are near one. They will also help you find the collectible journal pages as well. The weapons all are different and have unique attack styles and perks. So exploration is a must , and a blast. It’s one of those games where as you level up and learn you get special abilities that let you reach areas you couldn’t before. That means there is a little back tracking , but it’s just so much fun doing so. Getting to see what new enemy types, and what else lies ahead.

    With all the things I’ve already praised, I have to say the Bosses are my favorite. There are a lot of them to. They all have very different attack styles and patterns and it is a blast figuring them out. It can be super challenging, and you may even have to use different spells and perks to get past some of them. Like there are perks where you take 20% less damage, or ones that regenerate portions of health that can be really useful in these fights, and other stressful situations. The most important spells in my opinion though are the health ones over the attacking ones, especially until you learn the combat and defense. You might lose a few battles, but the save points are generous. You will make your way back, and get the victory if you continue to grind it out and learn. These checkpoints are generous on the map as well, so you won’t have to do a lot of things and find a lot of things over. I can honestly say I only had to go retrieve a item I had found and died shortly after a couple of times. The game isn’t easy, but it’s a lot more fun then stressful. For you gluttons for punishment can restart the game right after finishing it with a perk that makes you die with one hit. I know a lot of gamers will enjoy that. You can also use fast travel after beating it to retrieve any items or collectibles you might have missed, and you Achievement/Trophy hunters will enjoy that.    … Full Review »
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