Afterimage
by Mikhail
Jun 2, 2023 |
1
Votes |
85
Played |
0
Reviews
10
rate
Genres:
Action , RPG , Adventure , PlatformerGraphics:
2DLabels:
Monsters , Fantasy Setting , MetroidvaniaPlatforms:
Publishers:
Modus Games Afterimage is a Metroidvania by Modus Games where you explore a world broken after a cataclysmic event. Explore the ruined world as Renee, an amnesiac young lady with Ifree, her companion. Take on countless enemies, unlock new abilities, and be treated to one of the most beautiful Metroidvanias ever made. Play Now Similar Games Played
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Summary
First, please let me say this: Afterimage is the most beautiful Metroidvania I have ever played. In all my years of playing and reviewing games of the abovementioned genre on this site, there is nothing quite like it in terms of art and visual style. Regardless of where you are in its broken yet idyllic world, you’ll be treated to stunning and striking visuals, especially its background art, much like how you stare breathlessly at paintings in a renowned museum. All this despite being a 2D experience. In particular, I found myself speechless the first time I wandered into Rainbow Plains. The scenes in the background and playing areas transition smoothly; pair this up with its outstanding anime-inspired character design, voice acting, and impeccable music, you have an underrated gem in your hands.
Sure, we can say all we want about visuals and overall presentation, but does Afterimage’s overall gameplay hold up? It does, and we can safely say it’s your standard 2D Metroidvania title: it has an expansive map, hack ‘n’ slash combat that is both exciting and could make you want to pull your hair out, and additional abilities as you progress. You’ll play as Renee, a young amnesiac girl accompanied by Ifree, her familiar, as they embark on a journey that can potentially change the course of this broken world.
Plotline
Afterimage’s storytelling mechanics can feel a little heavy. Right at the beginning, you will be bombarded by chunks of lore with jargon that barely makes any sense to someone new to its vibrant yet broken world called Engardin. In a nutshell, there was a great conflict between the humans and the Goliaths, four beings who upheld order and balance. The humans managed to win but at a significant cost: the divine order was broken, and the human race could not reincarnate.
You’ll play as Renee, a young amnesia-stricken girl accompanied by Ifree, her companion. The game’s events will put her on a journey that will undoubtedly change the fate of Engardin.
Gameplay
In a nutshell, Afterimage is a fun Metroidvania where you explore massive areas rife with enemies, secrets to uncover, and treasures to retrieve. If you’ve played the likes of Hollow Knight, Bloodstained, and Axiom Verge, you’ll find its gameplay loop a little all too familiar. Regardless, it has unique elements that set it apart from its peers and an overall art style.
In Afterimage, combat is relatively as fast-paced as its peers, though you would want to keep your attacks deliberate. Enemies, especially those cannon fodder you encounter as you explore. Many have one-dimensional attack patterns you can easily get used to after a few encounters, but nevertheless, they can be bothersome. Apart from the usual mobs, you’ll also take on bosses in exciting battles. Some range from sentient mushrooms to plant-infested wolves and suits of armor with different attack patterns. The difficulty can spike up relatively quickly, but if you boost your Talents, aka attributes, correctly, you’ll be able to deal with the threats accordingly.
Battling bosses can be a little tough, but thankfully, you’ll have lots of equipment in your arsenal. Afterimage lets you collect different types of gear, and you can use two simultaneously as primary and secondary weapons. These include the usual thoroughfare of swords and greatswords, along with whips and scythes.
Exploration in Afterimage is quite enjoyable, but you may be frustrated at the start since some areas are blocked by the relatively slow progression. The game utilizes “afterimages,” or skills in layman's terms, to give you abilities that can let you explore its obstacle-filled world. Initially, you’ll only have the dash ability, and as you progress, unlock moves like double jumps and wall jumps for easy navigation. One gripe is it takes a while to unlock most of these abilities, and you’ll have to backtrack a lot to obtain everything. Moreover, you can save your game and recover in certain areas with special plants.
Graphics/Sound
Presentation is where Afterimage excels. It is astonishingly beautiful thanks to its amazing art style, HD textures, and stunning backgrounds. The backdrops of different biomes exceed expectations visually, making it feel like you’re exploring a vast world instead of a 2D one. The animations are relatively smooth and crisp, with no noticeable gaffes on a mid-tier laptop. The same can be said about the voice acting and the music; the latter changes every now and then depending on the location and the intensity of your encounters.
Conclusion
Overall, we can’t recommend Afterimage enough: it’s an extremely pretty game with lots of intricacies and deep lore, complete with exciting combat and a vast world to explore. Again, it’s one of the most beautiful Metroidvanias I’ve ever laid my eyes on, and you’ll likely say the same if you start playing it.
Afterimage Blog
New Game Added: Afterimage
by Mikhail
Jun 2, 2023
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