When it comes to Metroidvanias, pretty well no matter the variety you’re looking for, the Switch has you covered. Whether it’s retro-oriented, tough-as-nails, budget-friendly, or even something somewhat cutesy that you’re looking for, you won’t just find options, you’ll actually find reasonably-good ones. While that’s great for the genre fans, it’s also a bit of a nightmare for developers who are trying to find some traction. In the case of Voidwrought you have something a bit down the middle overall, not necessarily differentiating itself wildly in any particular area, but still getting most of the fundamentals right to make for a good time.

The game’s most prominent feature is probably its hand-drawn look, which may not be terribly detailed, but is still clean and makes effective use of some layering to show smoke and other effects on a supplemental basis. The next thing you’ll likely latch onto is the generally clean and crisp action. While you’ll initially be limited to pretty basic slashing attacks, usually requiring a stick and move sort of approach to combat, as time goes on you’ll acquire souls and relics that will bolster your abilities and add new attack options to your repertoire. 

In terms of the map I’d say there’s a mixture of good and bad. There’s no question that the overall map is quite large, with plenty of spots where you can find secrets as well as those you’ll realize you’re not yet capable of getting to. One downside for me though, at least initially, is that it really felt like I had missed a turn or spot a few times, and sort of just kept getting further and further down the rabbit hole, unsure of how or when I’d dig myself out. In general, time and patience tended to calm my nerves, as my journey seemed to mostly be according to plan, but it did feel like I really had to get incredibly off track from where I started to finally get the means to start getting back to where I’d been.

The last piece of the puzzle is the game’s overall difficulty, which I’d again put somewhere down the middle since it changes over the course of the game. I think the early hump may have been the toughest, when you have the least overall to work with and are trying to get a handle on things. You’ll absolutely need to be quick on your feet, given your overall lack of attack range and power, but that does help you appreciate the new options you’ll have as you get further. While longtime genre fans may not feel there’s too much here that seems to be new and fresh, there’s an undeniable polish to the overall experience that’s still noteworthy.