Morkull Ragast’s Rage, crafted by the teams at Selecta Play, Astrolabe Games, and Disaster Games, brings a fresh twist to the traditional Metroidvania formula with its hand-drawn 2D visuals and intriguing premise. In this game, you step into the shoes of the antagonist, Morkull, who is not merely another villain but a character with self-awareness, fully cognizant of his existence within a video game. Your mission is to guide him out of the Ragast to achieve his ambition of global domination, fitting for someone known as the God of Death and Darkness. The game elegantly tips its hat to classic Metroidvania titles while infusing elements reminiscent of recent hits like Hollow Knight.
Navigating the world of Morkull Ragast’s Rage is straightforward yet engaging. Utilize the left analog stick or the D-Pad to control Morkull, while the B button lets you jump and A is used for interacting with the environment. Combat is mapped to the Y button for basic attacks, with the X button reserved for heavier blows. A unique twist is the bone shield, activated with the R button, which not only defends against enemy strikes but can also reflect projectiles back with well-timed precision.
To manage injuries sustained in battles, simply press L to consume a potion. The ZR button introduces a dash mechanic, providing a way to both avoid incoming attacks and traverse larger gaps that are beyond a normal jump. The right analog stick serves a crucial role, allowing you to survey the environment vertically before making any risky leaps. In true Metroidvania fashion, constant map consultation is vital, accessible via the – button, guiding you through the sprawling, interconnected world.
Defeating foes yields Anima, a resource used at save points to enhance or acquire new skills, including boosting combos for more effective combat scenarios or unlocking the quirky Power of Friendship skill. This particular ability, clearly a programmer’s personal favorite, triggers an invincibility phase when your health drops below 15%. You can even activate an interface to track enemy health, use extra potions, and more.
As you advance, new abilities become available, allowing access to previously unreachable areas, consuming some of your purple energy bar. One such ability, the Noob Crusher, executed with a combination of buttons and directions, breaks through certain floors, paving the way to your first boss encounter.
Despite its promising features, Morkull Ragast’s Rage falters in several areas. Its mapping system lacks precision, often struggling to accurately mark your location in complex rooms and failing to highlight essential paths or potential skill acquisition points. The controls feel rigid, and the variety and engagement level with enemies is less than stellar, resulting in combat that can feel monotonous. Plus, the level design is bogged down with an excess of switches and keys. On the technical side, graphical hiccups, such as flickering seams and invisible barriers, can disrupt gameplay. Morkull Ragast’s Rage is now available on the Nintendo Switch, priced at $17.99.
This feedback on Morkull Ragast’s Rage was based on a review copy provided for the Nintendo Switch by Selecta Play.
