Too grindy for some people I guess, but it's very beautiful
Here is a game that has been buried in my backlog for quite some time. It is only about time that I have finally beaten Afterimage after all this time. I backed this game on Kickstarter, and it has been quite the ride.
Graphics/Performance: I have always enjoyed anime-esc art styles, and Afterimage does them beautifully. The character designs, and the environment are done so well that sometimes you have to stop to appreciate them. However, even though the game looks well, the same cannot be said for its performance. The game lags and sometimes has to cut to a black loading screen to process everything it is trying to load. Not to mention that at some point, the game will crash for some unknown reason. I do not know if this is an issue specifically for the Nintendo Switch version, but it wasn't enjoyable. Also, why does it take two minutes to load into the title screen? 3/5.
Soundtrack: Is it okay? Sure? Nothing in particular stood out. An issue that I had with this soundtrack was that some tracks did not fit the current environment or situation all that well. Some areas were excellent, while some were not. Let us say they were anti-climatic when it came to some boss fights. 2.5/5.
Gameplay: Afterimage is a Metroidvania at heart. You will, at some point, be doing some backtracking. It is inevitable. Combat-wise, it is simple, but you have many options with different weapons and abilities. Yet, as simple as it is, the game does not clarify what certain spells or abilities do. There is no way to check certain resistances or other stat-related abilities, leaving you guessing most of the time. The platforming challenges are fair and rewarding when you get access to various techniques that allow you to clear areas in other ways. The enemies are the only thing that is not as fair and simple. You will get hit hard the first few times you enter an area. Death is always around the corner. The number of enemies the game throws at you, combined with the save points being far and few between, end up causing most areas to be an unpleasant struggle. And considering how large each area is, you could be stuck for some time. Not to mention that once you do reach the boss, it might not be as rewarding as you may hope for. Also, why is there a new game plus that is not a new game plus? 2.5/5.
Story/Plot: There is a lot of lore in Afterimage—a lot. Unfortunately, the game throws you right into the thick of it. It tries its best to fill in some details here and there, but there is a lot and nothing you can refer back to in case you want to look something up. In terms of its story and main quest, it has good pacing until the third area, dropping off until almost the end of the game. With the massive areas you go through and the potential lore behind those areas, seeing them primarily empty is an enormous disappointment. Oh, and did I mention that this game has two main quests? Yep, and that quest has vast potential and implications for the world. Where do you find out about this? Mid-end game. 2/5.
Depth/Replayability: In true Metroidvania fashion, collectibles are scattered throughout for you to hunt down and find. Throughout your journey, you will find several characters who will give you a side quest as they go on their adventure. Are they rewarding? Not entirely, but they provide you with something to do, assuming you can figure out what to do because your journal will not be all that helpful. There is no new game plus, even though you unlock it at the end of the game. It is just another story featuring a different character I forgot had a role in the plot. There is also a lovely boss rush mode where you can fight any boss or mini-boss in the game with two additional characters. Oh, and did I mention that there are ten different endings? 3/5.
Overall, Afterimage was not a bad game. It had moments of "Hey, this is kind of cool" and "Why am I doing this?" However, at the end of the day, I think this game tried to do too much. It made massive areas that were plot empty. It had opportunities to pick up certain storylines or explore certain events but never capitalized on them. That, combined with the performance issues, frustrating gameplay here and there, lackluster bosses, and disappointing side quests, made this a less-than-average experience. 2.5/5
Graphics/Performance: I have always enjoyed anime-esc art styles, and Afterimage does them beautifully. The character designs, and the environment are done so well that sometimes you have to stop to appreciate them. However, even though the game looks well, the same cannot be said for its performance. The game lags and sometimes has to cut to a black loading screen to process everything it is trying to load. Not to mention that at some point, the game will crash for some unknown reason. I do not know if this is an issue specifically for the Nintendo Switch version, but it wasn't enjoyable. Also, why does it take two minutes to load into the title screen? 3/5.
Soundtrack: Is it okay? Sure? Nothing in particular stood out. An issue that I had with this soundtrack was that some tracks did not fit the current environment or situation all that well. Some areas were excellent, while some were not. Let us say they were anti-climatic when it came to some boss fights. 2.5/5.
Gameplay: Afterimage is a Metroidvania at heart. You will, at some point, be doing some backtracking. It is inevitable. Combat-wise, it is simple, but you have many options with different weapons and abilities. Yet, as simple as it is, the game does not clarify what certain spells or abilities do. There is no way to check certain resistances or other stat-related abilities, leaving you guessing most of the time. The platforming challenges are fair and rewarding when you get access to various techniques that allow you to clear areas in other ways. The enemies are the only thing that is not as fair and simple. You will get hit hard the first few times you enter an area. Death is always around the corner. The number of enemies the game throws at you, combined with the save points being far and few between, end up causing most areas to be an unpleasant struggle. And considering how large each area is, you could be stuck for some time. Not to mention that once you do reach the boss, it might not be as rewarding as you may hope for. Also, why is there a new game plus that is not a new game plus? 2.5/5.
Story/Plot: There is a lot of lore in Afterimage—a lot. Unfortunately, the game throws you right into the thick of it. It tries its best to fill in some details here and there, but there is a lot and nothing you can refer back to in case you want to look something up. In terms of its story and main quest, it has good pacing until the third area, dropping off until almost the end of the game. With the massive areas you go through and the potential lore behind those areas, seeing them primarily empty is an enormous disappointment. Oh, and did I mention that this game has two main quests? Yep, and that quest has vast potential and implications for the world. Where do you find out about this? Mid-end game. 2/5.
Depth/Replayability: In true Metroidvania fashion, collectibles are scattered throughout for you to hunt down and find. Throughout your journey, you will find several characters who will give you a side quest as they go on their adventure. Are they rewarding? Not entirely, but they provide you with something to do, assuming you can figure out what to do because your journal will not be all that helpful. There is no new game plus, even though you unlock it at the end of the game. It is just another story featuring a different character I forgot had a role in the plot. There is also a lovely boss rush mode where you can fight any boss or mini-boss in the game with two additional characters. Oh, and did I mention that there are ten different endings? 3/5.
Overall, Afterimage was not a bad game. It had moments of "Hey, this is kind of cool" and "Why am I doing this?" However, at the end of the day, I think this game tried to do too much. It made massive areas that were plot empty. It had opportunities to pick up certain storylines or explore certain events but never capitalized on them. That, combined with the performance issues, frustrating gameplay here and there, lackluster bosses, and disappointing side quests, made this a less-than-average experience. 2.5/5
The focus on exploring is quite nice, the fights are satisfying, and th- What do you mean, there is a story?