A young monk, a mysterious red bird and a magical staff that doubles as both weapon and traversal tool – Akatori certainly isn’t short on ideas. The action platformer and Metroidvania has launched today on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and PC, with PlayStation players able to join the adventure from August 14th. It’s priced at £12.49.
At the heart of Akatori is Mako, a teenage girl raised at the Firebird Temple. When the mysterious Amber Storms begin corrupting the world’s living things, she sets off across a series of interconnected realms in an attempt to stop the spreading threat.
Her only companion is a strange red bird sealed inside her staff. Its motives remain unclear, but its rather unusual abilities should prove useful.
At A Glance
- Game: Akatori
- Developer: Contrast Games
- Publisher: Games Harbor
- Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC, PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5
- Price: £12.49
- Genre: Metroidvania / Action Platformer
A Staff That Does Rather More Than Hit Things
Akatori’s most interesting idea is built around Mako’s mystical staff. It isn’t simply something to wave at enemies when they get too close.
The staff can be used as a weapon, thrown as a projectile and recalled, while also helping Mako move around the game’s increasingly vertical environments. That means combat and exploration are closely tied together rather than feeling like two completely separate parts of the adventure. Mako can glide, wall-hook, slide and parkour through the world, chaining these abilities together to keep her moving.
Combat is similarly focused on movement. Ground and aerial combos allow Mako to attack while staying mobile, while enemies don’t simply stand around waiting to be hit.
What’s more, creatures can interact with one another, trigger traps and respond to hazards in their surroundings. That should make encounters a little less predictable, particularly when the environment itself becomes part of the fight.
It also gives Akatori a slightly different flavour from the usual Metroidvania fare. You’re not simply exploring a maze, finding an ability and returning to an earlier locked door. Movement itself appears to be a major part of how Mako gets around.
A World Corrupted By Amber Storms
Mako’s journey takes her through a collection of myth-inspired environments, with the game moving from Asian-inspired landscapes to floating bamboo islands and stranger realms beyond.
The visual style combines pixel-art characters with stylised 3D environments, giving Akatori a distinctive 2.5D look.
The Amber Storms have left their mark on these worlds, corrupting the creatures and environments Mako encounters along the way. Exploration therefore isn’t just about finding the next upgrade or secret passage – there’s a wider mystery behind what has happened to the world and the strange bird accompanying Mako.
Boss encounters also promise to mix things up, with underwater escapes, rhythm-based challenges and multi-phase battles among the encounters waiting further into the adventure.
A New Metroidvania To Explore
Akatori arrives on Xbox shortly after its PC release on Steam, where it has so far picked up Mixed reviews. That means there’s already some player feedback available for anyone tempted to see what Mako’s journey is all about, although Xbox players are now getting their own opportunity to make up their minds.
Akatori is available now on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and PC for £12.49 through the Xbox Store, with PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 versions arriving on August 14th.
Mako has worlds to explore, an Amber Storm to stop and a mysterious bird to figure out. Not a bad day’s work for a monk.
