Possessor(s) is a brand new, reasonably awkwardly-titled Metroidvania from Hyper Gentle Drifter studio Coronary heart Machine and indie powerhouse Devolver Digital, and it asks a vital query: what would occur in the event you discovered your self sharing your mind with a demon?
Properly, if this roughly 15-20-hour journey is something to go by, it seems the reply is easy: you’d find yourself exploring a sprawling map, unlocking a set of motion skills, and combating difficult bosses to progress a narrative about “codependency, loss, and survival”, in line with the devs.
I will not mince phrases on the outset: Possessor(s) gives a reasonably bog-standard instance of its style, no less than in gameplay phrases, and I am not completely positive its narrative explores the aforementioned themes with sufficient depth or complexity to make it value recommending both.
Possessor(s) Is Metroidvania By the Numbers
Possessor(s) does not have a lot new to supply in structural phrases.Regardless of an initially enthralling and engaging setting – that of a metropolis wracked by an apocalyptic occasion and nonetheless shuddering with the aftereffects of demonic invasion – Possessor(s) rapidly settles right into a reasonably rote Metroidvania rhythm.
If you happen to’ve performed the greats within the style, like Hole Knight (or, certainly, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night time and Tremendous Metroid), you then’ll know what to anticipate right here.
You will regularly uncover a big, interconnected area filled with themed areas, utilizing newly-acquired traversal powers to succeed in hitherto-unavailable areas, all whereas upgrading your fight skills and survival capability as you go.
It is not a very impressed tackle the style’s typical gameplay conceits, and wanting repurposing sure family objects as weapons – most important character Luca will wield kitchen knives or a baseball bat reasonably than swords and spears – there’s not a lot right here that is pushing the envelope.
After all, in the event you’re searching for nothing greater than a structurally unchallenging exploration-based platformer with some stable fight, that might not be a downside for you, however in the event you’re looking for any type of innovation out of your subsequent Metroidvania hit, it is secure to look elsewhere.
Often, the extent design and artwork fashion will provide a diverting vista; you will see an enormous rupture in actuality off within the background, for example, or a sequence of floating workplace desks serving as platforms – however they’re little greater than set dressing for a really easy set of maps.
Fight in Possessor(s) Is Enjoyable, however Repetitive
Boss fights in Possessor(s) are a uncommon spotlight.Strong may be very a lot the phrase to explain the fight in Possessor(s). Coronary heart Machine says the fight right here incorporates “components of platform fighters” like Tremendous Smash Bros.
That is superficially true; you’ll be able to juggle enemies and use quite a lot of totally different particular assaults mapped to directional button-attack combos, and you’ll make the most of an aerial dodge to maintain your self secure from nasty air assaults as nicely.
Truthfully, although, I managed to make it via Possessor(s) with out utilizing a lot of the purportedly Smash Bros.-inspired strikes at Luca’s disposal. Early on, you will unlock a parry (one other more and more overused mechanic, I believe), and that’ll carry you thru nearly all of Possessor(s).
For essentially the most half, fight in Possessor(s) works fairly nicely, even when it fails to appreciate its full platform fighter potential.
Assaults land with a reasonably satisfying heft (offered you are utilizing a heavier weapon just like the baseball bat), and knocking enemies towards partitions as soon as their Sekiro-style poise is damaged might be cathartic as nicely.
Sadly, Possessor(s) falls right into a quite common lure that is plagued by the corpses of lesser Metroidvanias, and that is enemy selection. Put merely, you will have seen each enemy on provide right here throughout the first handful of hours, and the remainder is actually going via the motions.
Because it progresses, Coronary heart Machine’s journey will throw enemy variants at you, however they’re little greater than palette swaps with barely extra highly effective assaults, so dodging or parrying them is a matter of lifeless course.
As is often the case with video games that wrestle with enemy selection, Possessor(s) rapidly devolves into muscle reminiscence and tedium. I used to be begging for only one or two surprises to be hurled at me, however these surprises by no means got here, and combating the identical set of possessed objects and animals turned insanely repetitive.
Bosses are a barely totally different matter; whereas there aren’t a lot of them (and the sidequests reuse them in a borderline unforgivable method), they’re enjoyable to battle and stunning by way of their movesets. It is simply the components in between that really feel boring.
Possessor(s) Has an Okay, If Uninspired Story
Possessor(s)’ story is not notably new, however its characters are alright.With fight and map exploration proving comparatively unexciting, it is as much as Possessor(s)’ story to choose up the slack, however I do not know if it is able to bear that type of weight.
The characters listed below are endearing sufficient. Luca is a guarded younger woman who’s abruptly having to share her head with a demon, Rhem; they each want one another to outlive on the outset of Possessor(s), so their relationship is initially an uneasy one.
From that setup, nonetheless, I am positive you’ll be able to rapidly guess how issues are going to finish up. May or not it’s that Luca and Rhem will discover a grudging respect for each other as they each find out about their respective histories?
That is the core downside with Possessor(s)’ story in a nutshell; every part unfolds in a completely apparent and predictable method. An organization known as Agradyne, which manufactures batteries, is concerned, and the truth that it is a company is actually all it’s essential to find out about its function within the narrative.
There aren’t any twists or turns right here, nothing that shocked or engaged me past the baseline stage. At occasions, Possessor(s) revealed data to me that I believe it thought was stunning, however I simply rolled my eyes and stated “nicely, clearly”.
With that stated, Coronary heart Machine will need to have been doing one thing no less than vaguely proper, as a result of I did have a tiny little lump in my throat at the story’s conclusion. I do not suppose it is a notably memorable story, however it serves its goal whereas it is round.
Possessor(s) Evaluation | Last Ideas
From downtown!I loved my time with Possessor(s) precisely sufficient to play via it as soon as after which by no means give it some thought once more. Its well-worn story is performed out and unengaging, however its characters are enjoyable sufficient to be round for precisely the time they’re on display screen and no extra.
If you happen to’re a fan of Metroidvanias, like me, you will rapidly settle into the acquainted Sunday-afternoon rhythm of Possessor(s), however those that do not just like the style or who’re nonetheless coming down from the excessive of Silksong can safely wait earlier than being possessed by this explicit demon.
Possessor(s) was reviewed on PC with a duplicate offered by the developer over the course of about 15 hours of gameplay – all screenshots had been taken throughout the technique of evaluation.
