It never ceases to amaze me how the Metroidvania genre has become such a prominent figure in the gaming world, because whether you love it or hate it, the concept is here to stay and there’s no sign of it going away . The number of new games in this genre is constantly growing, and Afterimage by Aurogon Shanghai is the latest in a series of Metroidvania clones released worldwide. The big question now is whether the game offers something new and different or is it just the same tried and true formula hidden behind a fresh look.
In Afterimage you play as Renee, a young woman who has lost all her memories and can only regain them by exploring the magical world of Engardin, a place full of ruins of all kinds and a multitude of natural obstacles to overcome. The journey is long and the ruins of the Kingdom of Engardin are vast, with many different regions and challenges typical of this game genre.
To aid her in her adventure, Renee is provided with a basic sword, which of course can be replaced and upgraded with a variety of different weapons at the player’s request. Each weapon also offers its own unique set of challenges and combinations to master, and a wide range of weapons are available, from swift whips to heavy broadswords. In addition, secondary weapons can also be equipped, allowing Renee to cast spells, further increasing the variety of combat in the game.
In fact, Afterimage’s gear system offers a very comprehensive range of possibilities, making it one of the most extensive I’ve experienced in a Metroidvania game. However, the sheer number of unlockable options can be overwhelming, especially for those unfamiliar with the genre who may be playing Afterimage as their first Metroidvania game.
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Visually, the afterimage is a bit sketchy, which might seem like an odd statement given how stunningly beautiful many of the game’s visuals are. And it’s true that he occasionally maintains a strikingly clean visual selection to match his pastel, hand-drawn aesthetic. It’s crisp, clean and clear, but also incredibly flat. It lacks depth and texture, but more importantly, I felt a strong disconnect between the moving objects and the rest of the world.
Afterimage is an ambitious game, but your ambition can get in the way. The wide variety of special items, abilities, and weapons can feel redundant and confusing at times. The narrative also has pacing issues, with large parts behind exploration and text for the player to figure out on their own. Also, many attacks and weapons have questionable hit zones that can cause a lot of frustration at critical moments. Finally, the game’s overall narrative leaves a lot to be desired and feels incomplete.
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For discerning fans, the Kickstarter success of Aurogon Shanghai offers much to fall in love with, given its hauntingly beautiful world filled with secrets and upgrades, as well as a vast arsenal of gear and abilities that give Renee a surprising personal touch. In fact, Afterimage could well become the game for genre veterans that takes all clichés to the extreme. It’s a Metroidvania that packs a punch.
But you also can’t shake the feeling that the game feels directly incomplete, unfinished and unpolished on a narrative level. There’s no finesse or sense of detail, and the production seems to have been guided by the “more is better” mantra. Because yes, there really is more and plenty of everything, but at what cost? I would have liked to see Afterimage stay in the oven for at least another six months before releasing it to the world, and my recommendation is to wait and see what the developers do with the title. Because a lot more work is needed here to really do justice to the potential of the game and to bring it to the finish line.
