Video Game Mini-Review: Voidwrought

Developer: Powersnake

Publisher: Kwalee

Genre: Metroidvania

Nintendo Switch

The insane amount of metroidvanias on the Switch has made it difficult for new titles to stand out. Voidwrought, by newcomer Powersnake, tries to do just that with Lovecraftian inspirations and base-building. Is Voidwrought a worthwhile addition to the genre or another game in a sea of metroidvanias?

Voidwrought takes place in Gray City, a broken world full of that awful Lovecraftian dread. The player character collects the blood of gods while traveling through spooky locations and battling scary creatures. The narrative is sparse, relying heavily on environmental storytelling. While the poetic writing and small fragments of the story suit the tone, it can be hard to fully connect with the world.

The story might fall short for some, butVoidwrought shines in its gameplay loop. As a fan of the genre would expect, there are plenty of opportunities for exploration, with hidden secrets and collectibles everywhere. Ichor is the main currency, giving upgrades and progression. Players can also enhance combat with new abilities and buffs throughout the game. Whether unlocking upgrades, finding hidden paths, or tackling environmental puzzles, Voidwrought is full of discovery. The game also features some nice quality-of-life features that are sorely missing in many games in the genre, most notably the thoughtful fast-travel system that minimizes frustration. A manual map-marking tool is a helpful feature for keeping track of unreachable areas until new mobility-enhancing abilities are unlocked (and you knew those were coming, right?).

Combat feels fluid, and Voidwrought‘s mechanics emphasize agility and precision. The melee attacks are fast and responsive and just feel good. There is a shrine-building mechanic that unlocks new paths and rewards while expanding the world’s lore. It’s a nice feature that separates Voidwrought from a lot of its peers. Despite a few overly simple enemy designs and uneven difficulty progression, Voidwrought‘s gameplay rules.

Voidwrought’s Lovecraftian visuals and satisfying audio design tie everything together. The environments and enemy designs perfectly capture the oppressive tone, while the visual and sound effects add weight to every encounter. On the Nintendo Switch, the game performs exceptionally well, with no crashes, bugs, or noticeable frame drops, throughout my time.

Voidwrought is such a pleasant surprise in a crowded metroidvania genre. While its sparse storytelling and uneven difficulty progression may deter some players, the overall experience is excellent, and fans of the genre should dive in while they wait for Hollow Knight: Silksong (It’s totally coming, guys).