I remember seeing the trailer for Ultros a while back. It may or may not have been shown at an Xbox showcase. I don’t remember where I saw it, but I recall the game making an impression on me with its psychedelic and trippy artsyle. The artstyle made such an impression with me that I knew that when this game was released that I had to do an Ultros review.
So how is the game? Is it a must-play in a year that has been stacked with good Metroidvanias?
Let’s dive into it.
The Narrative:
I’d be lying if I said I knew what happened in the game’s campaign. I was about 6 hours in and then a thought hit me “What is this game about?” Now you may be asking yourself if that is a reflection on the game’s storytelling or if it’s a reflection of Sebastion’s ability to digest this story.
Thinking that it might be me that’s trippy I went to go read the game’s description. It reads “ULTROS is a psychedelic metroidvania where you wake up stranded on The Sarcophagus — a cosmic uterus holding an ancient, demonic being. Trapped in the loop of a black hole, you will have to explore The Sarcophagus and meet its inhabitants to understand the part you play…” I’ll be real with you I didn’t know that before reading the description, and even afterwards I still played the game perplexed on the narrative.
Don’t come into playing Ultros expecting to be wowed by its story. If you like trippy narratives this one might be for you. If not, play Ultros for its other aspects, many of which are great.
The Gameplay:
If you’ve played a Metroidvania then you know this game’s formula. You roam around figuring out where to go next, fight and defeat enemies, and gain power-ups that allow you to get to new areas. Ultros is a Metroidvania through and through.
What surprised me about the gameplay is how deep the combat is. You start off with a simple slash attack but learn skills that allow you to do things like launch enemies in the air and start air juggling them with attacks. You get directional attacks, heavy attacks, and counterattacks.
Additional Pros:
This isn’t going to come as a surprise but the most striking aspect of Ultros is the game’s artsyle. Ultros is a gorgeous game and I’d be shocked if I experienced another game in 2024 that leaves more of an impression. The visuals are trippy, featuring a wide range of vibrant and vivid colors. Yet what is most impressive is how detailed everything is. I expected to have a hard time distinguishing items and enemies from the background but that was the case at all.
Another aspect that deserves praise is Ultros’ soundtrack. The score and soundtrack isn’t as memorable as the game’s artsyle but it does its job well. The music accents the mysterious and trippy vibe of the game.
Cons/Flaws:
One aspect that I didn’t enjoy with Ultros is that it is easy to get lost and the game doesn’t really tell you what to do. The game’s narrative doesn’t help considering most of the time I didn’t know what was going on. I managed to stubble through, but it was there was a lot of wasted time trying to figure out where to go and what to do next.
Overall/Should you Play Ultros:
If you are a fan of Metroidvanias and want a unique experience in the genre then you should play Ultros. I went back and forth on my feelings while playing this game. While I love the artstyle and was surprised by the depth of its gameplay, I was disappointed by how easy it is to get lost and the game’s narrative style. Thankfully Ultros delivers a memorable positive experience that easy to recommend. Just don’t expect to know what the hell is going on.
Where Should Ultros fit in your video game backlog:
Here at the ProNerd Report and on the Single Player Experience Podcast, we practice the 10 games backlog rule. In this practice, you log down 10 games, those games are gonna be your video game backlog. To be as productive as you possibly can be, we recommend that you only play three games at one time. One single player narrative game, one game that’s gonna be your chill and relaxed game, and another game that’s going to be your palate cleanser game, which is a game that you play when you’re not in the mood for your other narrative. When you complete or get tired of one game, it leaves the backlog list. Then you decide which new game is added to the list, and which game on the list advances to your active three games.
Ultros – Ultros is a good pick-up and play chill and relax game. It is also a great game if you want a pallet cleanser from your main narrative game. I played this game mostly on the Steam Deck and had a great time. This is a great game to play on a mobile console like a Steam Deck and Switch.
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Reviewed on PC/Steam Deck
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