Visually Stunning, Psychedelic Metroidvania
A breathtaking journey through colour, sound and mystery – Ultros is a psychedelic adventure like no other and one that rewards patience and curiosity.
Ultros is a game that proves titles don’t have to be photo-realistic to be labelled visually stunning. In fact, sometimes 2D video games can actually look even better than the AAA titles that attempt to push the graphical limit of our software.
Ultros happens to be one of those examples, and it’s also perhaps THE most visually stunning game I’ve ever played! From vibrant saturated colours, to beautifully illustrated animations, this is a game that will leave you drooling from the visuals and contemplating the intricate psychedelic adventure.
Metroidvania Meets Roguelite Mechanics
At its core, Ultros is a metroidvania platformer, but there’s a handful of unique mechanics and plenty of innovative direction. For example, it’s also a roguelite, but it’s all going to get a bit confusing until I explain the general concept.
Players assume the role of an unnamed explorer who crash lands on some sort of alien spacecraft. The character has no idea what’s going on (presumably) and neither do we. It soon becomes clear that it’s some kind of living ecosystem or bio organism. Not only that, but everyone on the ship is stuck in a repetitive loop that keeps resetting.
We’re introduced to a ghost of a dead warrior who lets us take their sword, and from then on we’re tasked with taking down 8 Shamans who are protecting the trapped demon “Ultros”. It’s a bit of a trippy narrative, and it’s anything but clear; however the actual lore and snippets of details that we’re left to piece together is incredibly interesting and well written.
The core gameplay revolves around this repeating loop, where each loop players will unlock a new upgrade giving them access to new areas, usually after they’ve defeated a boss/shaman. The roguelite mechanics come in the form of the upgrades; you don’t keep any of your progress from each cycle, except if you’ve unlocked a special item which lets you keep a chosen skill (and there’s multiple items like this to unlock). It might sound a bit begrudging or confusing, but it manages to work really well, and it’s certainly one of the best metroidvania/roguelite titles I’ve played in a long time.
This Is Not A Fighting Game
The game really wants you to use your sword and focus on combat. Killing enemies gives you items you can use to upgrade your skills and become more powerful. Not to mention there are several boss fights where you have to kill the bosses, and then of course you have to basically kill the shamans. You’re told to do this so you don’t really give it much thought BUT it turns out this is absolutely not a game focused on combat.
Without giving too much away, I’ll just say that there are further layers of depth to this game, and there’s a reason the combat mechanics seem pretty basic. It’s because this is an exploration/puzzle game at its core. Everything else comes second. There are lots of twists and turns, but it’s really all about exploring the environment, appreciating the beautiful world and reconnecting everything.
I don’t want to dive too much into spoiler territory so I’ll leave it at that as far as details go. There aren’t many combos to utilise and there’s only one weapon. Combat is shallow which might be disappointing for some, but it’s clearly not the main focus area.
Eco Warrior As A Literal Term
Another aspect of the metroidvania approach is an intricate mechanic where you can plant seeds in specific areas. This process takes a whole cycle, but when the following one starts, you can then return to those areas and find a whole new plant which lets you access somewhere you couldn’t before.
It’s a great idea and it fits perfectly with the eco/environmental theme. It’s also a great way to introduce the awesome character of Gardner who is one of the only NPCs you’ll encounter in the playthrough.
However, it’s far from perfect. Towards the end of the game, players will have unlocked the majority of the map, which is really quite large. They are then left to their own devices to work out which seeds need to be planted where, where they can get the seeds in the first place, and how this might change as the story unfolds. It gets unnecessarily complicated, and you actually have to end up grinding through cycles in the latter part of the game to plant the right seeds and ultimately unlock the “good” ending.
There is a tool which is supposed to help streamline this: the splicer tool. This lets you take parts of one type of tree and splice it with another, but it’s such a clunky mechanic and never seems to work very effectively or easily. I found it easier just to trial and error my way through various seeds, rather than relying on this tool. The game does a terrible job at explaining how to use it properly.
It also becomes an absolute nightmare to navigate the entire map towards the end of the game. There is a form of fast travel, but it’s very specific how it can be used and often won’t be much help. You will absolutely get lost whilst playing Ultros, and that’s all part of the focus on exploration and puzzles, but a bit more assistance when it comes to how to progress to certain areas (which type of seed!?) would have been nice.
Fantastic Music and Artwork
Ultros has one of the best video game soundtracks I have ever heard. It pairs beautifully with its trippy psychedelic visuals and never once slips up. Featuring mostly gentle ambience paired with euphoric nature sound effects, the music in Ultros will take you to another world.
I found out whilst researching that the Composer, Ratvader, recorded sounds in the Amazon rainforest and utilised them in the music with heavy distortions. It works magnificently and sounds magical, ethereal and everything in between.
There are also darker undertones throughout to match the foreboding of the Ultros being, but no matter what the instance is – the music across this game is absolutely perfect. It’s a soundtrack I have since listened to outside of playing and will frequently return to!
The artwork in every single scene is the other highlight. My jaw never stopped dropping at how stunning the environments are. It’s not just the backgrounds, though they are certainly the most detailed and eye-catching, but it’s also the slick character animations and fluid designs that all tie together with complete synergy. It’s so rare that a piece of art manages to capture such a complete form whilst maintaining a distinct theme, but Ultros achieves exactly that. When it all clicks together and gets going it is so close to perfection.
Lost in Psychedelia
I had a really special time playing Ultros and it’s a game that will linger with me for a long while, and one that I already know I’ll be returning to.
As frustrating as some of the late game can be, this is still a phenomenal video game that deserves a whole lot more praise and attention. From the jaw-dropping visuals, ethereal music, slick and fluid gameplay, to the deep and interesting lore and the unique blend of roguelite and metroidvania, Ultros is a mixed bag for many but a video game that should absolutely be cherished.
Ultros is a form of art that you can so easily lose yourself within. It’s a vivid tapestry of sound, art and emotion, woven together into an unforgettable journey. For those willing to embrace its unique rhythm and be prepared for some slight frustration, Ultros offers a fantastic glimpse into how far the artistry of video games can reach.
Important Links
Ultros: A Psychedelic Sci-Fi Adventure Enters a Time Loop on Xbox and PC – https://www.thexboxhub.com/ultros-a-psychedelic-sci-fi-adventure-enters-a-time-loop-on-xbox-and-pc/
Buy Ultros on Xbox – https://www.xbox.com/en-gb/games/store/ultros/9N38W9WN089L
