Afterimage Reviews

Gorgeous, hand-drawn graphics are one thing, but whether a Metroidvania works mostly depends upon the quality of exploration and combat. This is where Afterimage shines, provided you're up for the challenges both present.Read More

Afterimage, from Aurogon Shanghai, is a 2D Metroidvania that lets too many obstacles get in the way of the fun stuff.

With a more than 26-hour runtime, Afterimage kept me hooked to my seat as I ventured through the beautiful world with elegantly designed creatures and battles everywhere I turned. For the price of entry — Afterimage is one of the best Metroidvanias I have personally ever played.

Afterimage is a beautifully drawn metroidvania with great ways to customize and run through the world. And it needs no tweaks to run well on the Steam Deck, making this a Best on Deck game!

Afterimage is an action RPG with a massive world with tons of areas and hidden areas to explore. The story is very confusing, but the huge variety of enemies, weapons, and attacks make the game enjoyable to play.

Reveal the hidden secrets of a fantasy land in Afterimage! Explore the magnificent landscapes and ruins of an ancient metropolis, meeting mysterious colossal beings and adorable roaming spirits along the way. The thrilling adventure of this marvelous 2D hand-drawn world awaits you! Switch version reviewed.

Even if there are a few rough spots, Afterimage is a magical Metroidvania that shines. Most of the issues require a little patching but the core remains engaging. The combat works because the enemy variety compliments Renee's moves, and overcoming previously difficult bosses is intensely satisfying. Platforming has a few quirks, but using enemies as impromptu platforms to find secrets or barely making a jump is exhilarating. Even the story, which doesn't start out with alot to set it apart, blossoms thanks to a spectacular world and interesting themes. This title is an absolute gem for Metroidvania fans.

Afterimage is a truly beautiful experience, one worth taking the time to enjoy. There are some frustrating moments like a lack of clarity in direction or forced moments of experience grinding, but a compelling story and fascinating world kept those from ruining the experience.

Afterimage is a vibrant and vast Metroidvania adventure that rewards you the more you dig into it. A must play for fans of the genre.

I had a good time with Afterimage. Its levels got more and more interesting as you progressed, the characters you’d run into were well-acted and I liked the interactions Renee had with them. There’s a lot of game to go through with Afterimage, multiple endings in fact. And though I spent most of my time cheesing encounters because I could, and I take issues with the game’s presentation, there’s a strong gameplay loop that I think many players, especially those new to Metroidvania-style games, will enjoy in Aurogon Shanghai’s first venture into 2D action games.

Sure, Afterimage has plenty of flaws. It’s a little too difficult at times. Its choice to lock fast travel behind a rare potion is frustrating. And it’s all too easy to feel like you’re at a dead end. But despite its issues, it has kept us coming back for more. This is a beautiful metroidvania with a huge, impeccably-designed world that begs to be explored. Whether you’re a long-time metroidvania fan or enjoy action RPGs, Afterimage is well worth pouring some time into.

While we did grow a little weary of the overwhelming amount to explore and backtrack through in Afterimage, we didn’t grow tired of whacking its wide range of enemies, nor did its gorgeously hand-drawn environments — which Switch unfortunately struggles to do justice to when docked — ever disappoint. It's best experienced elsewhere if you're playing on a television, but if you primarily play your Switch handheld, Afterimage offers a lengthy, lovely-looking Metroidvania adventure.