Grim Guardians: Demon Purge Review (Pacyfista)
I will start by saying that while we do have elements of backtracking, this is not a metroidvania. Don't go in expecting one. It is a stage based platformer, akin to classic Castlevanias or more recent Bloodstained - Curse of The Moon games, but with a little twist - having various side paths.
So, to start with what i like.
Starting with presentation, because that is an easy one - game is gorgeous. From dialogue art of all characters, to character sprites in game, everything is clear and has that specific anime charm. I especially like the designs of our main characters. They have that spunk you look for in a protagonist of such game.
Now to go into the gameplay - i enjoy the simple systems that grow more complex with time, and it works well here. You start with 2 very different characters, which works better than i thought it will - before trying out the demo, i was worried i would end up with Castlevania - Portrait of Ruin situation, where i stick to one, better character and only use the other one in more of a support role or when i am forced to. That doesn't happen here. Both Shinobu and Maya keep being equally useful for the entire game. Both start with one subweapon, unlocking more as we go - and i am again pleasantly suprised, because besides maybe one Shinobu sub that becomes less relevant after half-way point of the game, all of them keep being useful, and are not relegated to just being a way to progress into side paths.
Difficulty is the good kind of challenging, but fair. There are some boss attacks that are harder to dodge, and sometimes you might be tempted to just tank through them, but other than that - very solid. I assume some would argue it is even too easy.
There are permanent upgrades you can collect during your journey through the castle - but to be fair it wouldn't be that much harder to beat the game without them, and if you are going for 100% you are bound to find them anyways.
I was wondering if i should even talk about the story, because it really isn't a focus in such games. I will just say that it is a very anime plot, considering some developments later on (if you played the game and went for the collectibles - you know what i mean). As you would expect out of such title - yes, there are multiple endings.
Last thing to mention - I, personally, noticed no technical problems with the game. No crashes, no bugs, game ran well. To be expected, but still worth mentioning.
Now, onto the bad stuff
Being unable to access the map is a a big problem. You can see it during stage select, and when entering the stage, but it is really hard to read. Considering you will run each stage more than once if you intend to go for 100% completion, you will probably familiarize yourself with the layout of the stage enough to be able to navigate it. But still, it not being an option is simply a bizzare choice.
Also, regarding the mentioned earlier collectibles - i can see how having no indicatior how many you are missing in general could be frustrating. By the time i am writing this i am pretty sure there are guides online where to find everything, but for players that don't want to look them up and do it themselves, a small counter either for each stage or in general would be most helpful. Compass is a fine and unique addition, but it rarely helps that much. Replacing it with rough map and small counter feels like a better idea to me.
I am not a big fan of Sister Union attack. It is super freaking cool but i rarely felt like i actually need to use it. It was too slow to use on bosses reliably, and when used on mobs it felt like a "I cannot be bothered" button. I don't know what i would do to fix it or change it up to be more useful but not overpowered, but i am not a fan of current form.
Rest of my issues are spoilers, soooo...
I like the approach of having to go through the game at least twice for an ending, and the fact that bosses become harder - i just wish it would extend to the rest of the stage. The rest remains the same, which is a shame, because earlier stages feel like a chore. Some switching up of enemy placement, and maybe introducing stronger enemies earlier would help the difficulty curve, especially since the upgrading of subweapons make them even more of a cakewalk.
To conclude...
Grim Guardians : Demon Purge has flaws, but none harsh enough to distract from a very solid package it delivers. I recommend giving it a try, especially if you are a fan of recent 'modern-retro' games like Shovel Knight or Bloodstained - Curse of the Moon.
...and a small side note, alt-ending caught me a bit off guard. if you know, you know.