We as humans are often comforted by the embrace of a simpler time. We look back fondly on memories of summers, of bike trips, of lemonade and LAN parties. Nostalgia can be a heck of a thing. I specifically remember when my parents bought me my first Nintendo GameBoy Advance, and how that awakened me to a participatory experience of story in games. I remember having my mom buy me Castlevania: Circle of the Moon, strategically withholding from her that the game has some darker themes, which I’m sure would have made it so the game never found its way into my hands. This was my first experience with the “Metroid-Vania” style of game, and while I never played any of the Metroid titles, I must have played every single Castlevania title released for a handheld console. I say all of this because Alwa’s Legacy reminded me of how fun the Metroidvania genre is, and brought back a flood of memories.
Alwa’s Legacy is the latest from Developer/Publisher Elden Pixels and the follow-up to 2018’s Alwa’s Awakening. You play as Zoe, a mage who awakens on a beach with a minor case of ‘how did I get here?’ You are tasked with slaying some demons, and hopefully regaining Zoe’s memory along the way.
Now, I had not played the previous title and was a newcomer to this world, but that didn’t stop me from thoroughly enjoying it. Alwa’s Legacy is full of charm and personality. From the expertly written characters, to the feel and style of the world. Every time I ventured into a new area I found myself in awe of how much detail was put into making the world fully realized. Alwa (the land you are traversing) has personality, and every area offered a new, unique challenge that made me want to just keep playing. It’s that sense of progression that really draws me to a game. In Alwa’s Legacy, the player is nudged in just the right direction upon getting a new spell or unlocking a new area. I know that sometimes these nudges can lead to confusion or are often ineffective, but Alwa’s (the land, not the game) separate locations are memorable by their music, environment, and characters. This novelty lends itself to active progression through the game. When you encounter obstacles, they stand out enough to be remembered later on when you finally find the item needed to overcome them.
I remarked a little bit about how realized this world is and I want to touch on that more. Being a newcomer, I felt I missed some important parts of the series’ story. However, that didn’t stop me from falling absolutely in love with the characters; from the knight that you talk to at the beginning of every dungeon, to the town fisherman and wizard. These characters are written so well and with so much charm. Alwa’s Legacy also presents some extraordinary art that is an absolute delight to look at. Every area in the game, including the dungeons, has a unique theme and feel. Did I mention that the soundtrack is a bop? Because it is. Each level is scored by its own synth-y, musical theme. Adding tremendously to the overall feel of the game and helping to transport the player to this world.
And one last thing before I move on, Alwa’s Legacy has an extremely fine-tuned and balanced learning curve. UNLIKE SOME GAMES, LOOKING AT YOU, DARK SOULS. You will still die a lot, though. Upon beating the game (and in its sadistic glee the game tracks this) I had died 371 times. Equating to about one BloodBorne level (why am I hating on the Souls games so much, I actually like them). Every time you do perish though, I felt like I had learned something or progressed, and hardly ever did dying feel like a waste of my time.
Now, I want to preface this next section by acknowledging my typical review structure. Usually, I remark on what a game does well, and then follow with what it does… not so well. Followed by some closing thoughts. Well, we’ve reached the point in the show where I tell you, the reader, the cons about Alwa’s Legacy.
There really are none.
Usually there’s one feature in a game that I can find to absolutely rag on, but Alwa’s Legacy doesn’t have that. In its place are just some aspects I would call: Less Good. So now I present to you, the “Less Good” section of this review.
There are only a few things. Firstly, while the characters are great, I felt a little bit lost with the story that the developers were telling. I never quite grasped the importance of how certain aspects of the game fit into the narrative and had some trouble understanding the separate narrative beats. On that same note, I did feel the game’s denouement was rather sudden. It just seemed to… end. However, that doesn’t take away from just how much fun Alwa’s Legacy is! I am fine with these nitpicks because it is enough to just experience the beautiful world Elden Pixels has created.
Alwa’s Legacy may not reinvent the wheel when it comes to Metroidvania games, but I enjoyed it immensely. It brought back memories of sitting in the backseat of my parent’s car, slaying vampires. And while there are some aspects of Alwa’s Legacy that are overshadowed by others I feel in almost every way Alwa’s Legacy is, as Thanos would put it, “Perfectly balanced, as all things should be.”
9.5/10
Check Out the Alwa’s Legacy Trailer:
Alwa’s Legacy is available for $17.99 on Nintendo Switch eShop, Playstation 4, Xbox One, PC, MacOS, and Linux via Steam.
Nintendo Switch Review
I am a writer from Portland,Oregon who has loved gaming since early childhood. Writing and sharing about the best in visual arts is one of my favorite things. Some of my all time favorite games are: The Last of Us, God Of War (2019), Journey, Persona 5, Borderlands 2, and Shadow of the Colossus.
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