Death's Gambit

Though it's not the best platformer, the story and environment alone make it a must play for Dark Souls fans and retro Metroidvania junkies alike. There's plenty here to enjoy, with plenty of replay value for those it hooks.

Death's Gambit provides an interesting 2D challenge with its dark world filled with fierce enemies. While I can't recommend it for everyone, anyone who likes challenging 2D action-adventure games will enjoy this title.

Despite lagging behind in certain key areas and roughly developing others, Death's Gambit is a relatively enjoyable romp for fans of 2D Souls-like hack and slash. Siradon won't beckon you like Lothric or Yharnam anytime soon but presents some enjoyable sights and sounds otherwise.

But for those who trudge forth, there is a new game plus mode to be enjoyed. Or, for those bravest souls, who wish to tarnish their friendship with Death, you can destroy the contract and become mortal yet again: die once, and it’s game over. So, whether you’re a masochist or a hardcore masochist, Death’s Gambit might have something for you. At the very least, you can see an amazing take on the character of Death wearing an apron.

At Death’s Gambit's main menu, we oversee the aftermath of chaos. "What could possibly have happened here?" we think to ourselves as the music swells. It provides a subtle hint of the events that unfurl, as your character, Sorun, suddenly gets dragged across the muddy terrain after a battle. Despite its gorgeously gothic medieval setting, nothing could quite prepare us for the challenges we later faced.

It’s not hard at all to see where Death’s Gambit’s inspirations came from. The collection of shards, the bonfire-like checkpoints, and the interconnected world and level design all make it abundantly clear: similar to Salt and Sanctuary, Death’s Gambit is a 2D Souls-like that serves as an adoring love letter to From Software’s Soulsborne games.

Death's Gambit isn't perfect, but it is damn good, and it meshes together two different genres with a lot of style and charm.

Ambitious ideas and a twisting story are marred by bad design choices.

In the end, Death’s Gambit resonates as a flawed gem, one I’m happy to have played. It’s an uneven experience bogged down by technical woes and stilted combat, but if you can enjoy less-than-pristine games in spite of rough spots, it’s worth taking a chance on. Just hold out for a few patches first.

Kill the dead.

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Death's Gambit shows moments of potential, but they're undercut by bad storytelling, flat combat, and a nagging sense that it's all been done better elsewhere.