HIGH A competent metroidvania experience.
LOW Lack of novel ideas. Plagued by technical issues.
WTF Two crashes right after that platforming section…
Envisioned as a continuation/spiritual successor/reboot of a classic Atari title, Adventure of Samsara is a by-the-numbers pixelated metroidvania game comprising (often) annoying platforming sections and (mostly) manageable combat challenges, all set within a fantastical-futuristic 2D world. The player controls a knight-type character whose latent sun-fueled powers have recently awakened, making him the prime candidate to fulfill an ancient prophecy and save the Orphic race.
As is the staple with this genre, Samsara slowly unfolds as we uncover new weapons and mobility abilities that allow us to breach previously-gated areas, revealing stages full of enemies who love to exploit how each of their strikes pushes the player backwards while aiming us for the nearest abyss.
Even if such falls aren’t instant death here, this somewhat rudimentary philosophy will definitely be the biggest impression players will be left with, at least at first. That approach, together with the inherently slow pace of how Samsara plays — with both character and enemy actions taking too many frames to complete — grants it a peculiar kind of quality from the get-go. However, I sincerely doubt that players will find this flavor particularly enjoyable, as metroidvania fans have been spoiled by much snappier-controlling titles in the vein of the Hollow Knight and the Blasphemous series (to name a few), which offer far more engaging gameplay loops, even before getting many unlocks.
Still, that’s not to say that there isn’t enjoyment to be extracted here. Adventure of Samsara lives up to its name in terms of mileage and the sheer number of just-out-of-reach collectibles teasing the player at every turn. Unlocking all health, mana, and suit upgrades is far from simple, allowing tenacious players to reap the benefits of their labor by being able to (literally and metaphorically) stomp on most of the late-game opposition once several key upgrades are obtained. Naturally, getting there is where patience will be tested, with mid-game sections ending up as the toughest challenges this experience has to offer.
Spaced at healthy distances throughout this process, the knight will face towering bosses (often amalgamations of sentient flesh and metal) which are the sole instances when the soundtrack is felt. Defeating them will take some strategizing, but most bestow a new tool, as expected. The player can also chat with rescued NPCs at the village/hub area who will upgrade our powers and drip-by-drip reveal Samsara’s lore. Even if it’s light on surprises, the plot is serviceable enough to connect the various biomes and monstrosities into a coherent narrative.
Speaking of adversaries, what this title lacks in enemy variety, it makes up for in smart enemy placement by positioning baddies in ways that force the player to figure out the best approach every single time. Each foe is capable of dwindling the knight’s health bar within seconds, though the generous parry window alleviates some of this threat. As a result, Samsara’s platforming sections (rather than combat) were where I spent most of my time.
As new abilities are unlocked, players will be tasked with performing chains of acrobatic moves across vantage points to clear long stretches of hazardous floor, and this wouldn’t be such a problem if the game ran as intended.
Unfortunately, my time with Samsara (playing on the Switch Lite) was marred by noticeable slowdown whenever moving between areas, and sometimes when simply opening and closing the map.
Furthermore, the intros that play before boss battles practically ran in slow motion, adding an unnecessary layer of frustration between repeated defeats. Most damningly of all, Samsara (at least in the version I reviewed, soon after release) is prone to crashing, leaving me with no choice but to replay entire sections of dastardly platforming challenges, only to see it crash again and be forced to replay the same vexing section.
This all adds up to a competently-made title that won’t leave anyone completely disappointed, but the prevalence of technical issues leads me to knock the final score down. Metroidvania fans might find some enjoyment with Adventure of Samsara, but I’d bet it will disappear from their memories as soon as credits roll.
Rating: 6.5 out of 10
Buy Adventure of Samsara: PC – Switch – Xbox – PS
Disclosures: This game was developed by Ilex Games and published by Atari. It is currently available on the Switch, PC, Xbox Series S/X, and PS4/5. This copy was obtained via publisher and reviewed on the Switch Lite. Approximately 12 hours of play were devoted to the game, and it was completed. This is a single-player only title.
Parents: This game has received an E10+ rating from the ESRB and contains Animated Blood, Fantasy Violence, and Use of Tobacco. It’s comprised of pixelated graphics depicting the main knight-like character battling various fantastical creatures in a 2D setting. While strikes are followed by splatters of blood and similar fluids, the fighting/violence is not the focus of this title.
Colorblind Modes: There are no colorblind modes available.
Deaf & Hard of Hearing Gamers: All dialogue is shown via textboxes, and there is no recorded dialogue in the game. All enemy attacks are clearly telegraphed on-screen with easy-to-note areas of attack. I’d say this game is fully accessible.
Remappable Controls: This game offers a controller diagram, but the controls are not remappable. The movement assigned to the sticks, magic attacks and dodging to the shoulder buttons, and attacking/jumping to the face buttons.
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Author: 360 Technology Group
