Kingdom Shell

I am pretty excited to talk about Kingdom Shell which is a game I have had my eye on for a while. Please note that as I write this the game is not yet complete, but as someone who loves old-school platformers, I thought that it was only right to take a closer look at this and hopefully turn some more people onto it. The developer has stated that the platformers of the 90s are what inspired them to make this game and that right there is more than enough to get me interested in the game.

Broken Shell

For a 2D platformer, I am very impressed with the dark and gloomy plot that they have gone for with the story for Kingdom Shell. The game takes place in a fantasy land that was protected by a shell that kept these evil demons and creatures at bay.

That shell has become broken and now these creatures are flooding in and causing all kinds of chaos. There was an order called The Brotherhood that was there to protect, but they are overrun. That is where we come in, we play as a character called Elias who is a half-blood with the blood of demons inside him. He is also a criminal, but he is also the last hope of stopping this evil force and saving the kingdom.

Pixel Style Never Goes Out Of Style

The presentation of Kingdom Shell is very interesting. I am sure many people will say that it has a 16-bit style to it and I think it does, but I do also think it has elements that make it look more like a platformer we would have gotten on the Sega Saturn. The pixel art here is great and I like how detailed the backgrounds and different locations are. Bosses are done with much more detail and they look fantastic as a result. The game manages to be more cinematic than you would think thanks to the story being filled in via text when it is needed to be.

The Vania Of The Metroid Variety!

You knew the moment that you saw the pixel art style that Kingdom Shell was going to be a Metroidvania style of game, didn’t you? Well, it is and I mean that in the most complimentary way possible. While there is a great deal of platforming at play here, you will also have to explore and find new items, solve puzzles and get new weapons, items, and power-ups in order to progress through parts of the game. It is pretty cool stuff and something that makes the gameplay far deeper than just jumping around.

The combat is quick-paced, but there are some monstrous bosses that will make you really have to think about what is the best way to go and take them down. If you enjoy these types of games then I think this has pretty much everything that you would want and need.

Pros:

• I love the story and the setting of the game
• The pixel style visuals are fantastic
• It has a Metroidvania style of gameplay
• The platforming looks like it will be fun and challenging

Cons:

• There is no word at all when this will be actually released
• You have to be into Metroidvania style games to appreciate this