I'm an indie gaming expert and I can't stop playing the latest metroidvania

The first thing you notice about Ultros is the neon acid trip art style, but there's so much more just beyond the surface.

It feels familiar, thanks to the sharing of the artist and musician behind Hotline Miami, Niklas Åkerblad, but the atmosphere is where the similarities end.

Ultros is a metroidvania, and while that market feels oversaturated at the moment, it offers something completely different.

Every time you reach your goal, you start over from the beginning, without any weapon or power-ups.

It's not a roguelike because some things carry over, like the things you plan and the upgrades you added to your device that you can use once you get it back.

The gameplay is hard to explain beyond spoiling it, other than saying it's very different from any Metroidvania you've played before.

Losing all your upgrades may seem frustrating, but starting over introduces new challenges that keep the gameplay fresh.

The map is also incredibly expansive, and while there are no particularly difficult platforming challenges, there are plenty of puzzles to unlock further areas.

Plants are the key to unlocking more areas, and placing the right plant in the right place is the key to reaching more secret areas.

You'll always get the right seeds to sow for paths that will move you forward in the main story, but reaching the more secretive places will require a lot of trial and error.

This strikes the perfect balance between making the main path passable for everyone, but offering a deeper challenge for those who want it.

The same ethos can be seen in the combat design, which can be brutally difficult if you want it to be.

To get the best materials for upgrades, you'll need to use different moves and combos to take down each enemy.

Skillful combat is rewarded, but you aren't particularly punished for punching your way through.

While most of the main sections don't challenge you too much, there are some brutally difficult sections and boss battles that are built to push you.

At the same time, there are difficulty sliders in the menu so that no challenge can become too frustrating.

There's a lot to love about Ultros, and how unique it is truly seeps into every aspect of the game.

The new combat style fits neatly into what feels like a new genre of metroidvania that offers players innovation.

It tells you very little and challenges you to try and discover things in order to build your own story.

Ultros should not be included in the Metroidvania box and could even change the genre in the future.

If you want to read more recent game releases, check out our Foamstars review.

Written by Georgina Young on behalf of GLHF.

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