Ultros

Ultros is already a solid, extremely fun metroidvania game when played straight, with nice combat, an interesting story and a gorgeous world filled with intrigue and a great use of organic life as a major theme. But it's when the game focuses on exploration and the possibility of greater secrets that it becomes something truly special, showcasing clever puzzle design that ramps up the challenge even further, also highlighting its innovative gardening mechanics in the process. It's easy to get sucked into Ultros for long periods of time or even multiple playthroughs, and it's all time well spen...

Ultros is ultimately an excellent game, and I loved almost every minute I spent with it exploring what is really a giant work of art. The storytelling, the music, the art, the design and exploration are all wonderful to experience, even if its biggest puzzle mechanic is also its biggest frustration. But those frustrations don't overshadow the things that make Ultros shine, and they are all why it is a must-play game for Metroidvania fans, or anyone that just wants to be awed by what they're looking at every five minutes.

Ultros is a great Metroidvania that ticks all the required boxes and then some. The magnificent art style deserves even more praise because it’s very original and drenched in dazzling alienesque tones, true eye-candy with no shortage of bloody moments and remarkable bosses, despite some potential confusion between what’s background and what’s not. Platforming and combat are both solid, and while the latter isn’t perfect, there’s enough comfort to enjoy some good slashing and dodging fun, mixed with a hint of gardening and a gripping loop mechanic. The biggest fans of the genre should dive into...

A bold metroidvania with a message to impart and ideas to spare, even if it doesn’t always make full use of them.

ULTROS is an incredible, vibrant, and gorgeous metroidvania that feels wonderfully unique and runs great on the Steam Deck.

Psychedelic stylings accompany a game of transformation and discovery.

Some of its best moments can only be appreciated by those willing to put in the extra time, which is both a rewarding and unfortunate reality, as not everyone will be able to experience the best the game offers with a single playthrough. But if you have the patience to persevere through some minor shortcomings and a couple of playthroughs, your understanding and appreciation for this game will no doubt mature from a freshly sprouted sapling to a towering conifer.

We feel like Ultros is destined to become a cult classic. It will undoubtedly be loved by some, but many will find it overly vague in terms of story and direction to leave a lasting impact. It has some interesting ideas, a stunning visual style and a neat soundtrack, but the further you progress, more and more frustrations are likely to creep in, undermining them all. Add in the combat which doesn’t really go anywhere during your adventure, leading it to eventually become stale, and you have a game that doesn’t live up to its potential.

“Ultros is a bold and beautiful artistic vision, but a convoluted Metroidvania.”

While Ultros undeniably looks and sounds beautiful, the incredibly tedious gameplay and a time loop gimmick that leads to tiring monotony more than anything else make Ultros fail to be anything more than nice to look at in screenshots.

Late-game fiddliness spoils what is otherwise a vibrant and always interesting Metroidvania, whose emphasis on growth, connection and (tripping out on mad monsters) make it one of the most sumptuous games of 2024 so far.

Ultros is a fascinating new Metroidvania where bombs and missiles are replaced with gardening tools.