Developer Renegade Kid delivers a very satisfying trip down memory lane with Xeodrifter, in the form of a 2D side-scrolling platformer with lovely, retro, pixel graphics. They know their reference points too and cleverly have based it on classic Metroid staples such as exploration, a slow rediscovery of powers and challenging boss encounters.
Being stranded in space after a meteor strike the small protagonist must investigate the planets still within reach to find a replacement engine. However, it’s action rather than narrative that is central here, running, shooting and jumping through strange worlds, defeating ever more aggressive alien enemies. Equally, as the genre demands, Xeodrifter is hard; it’s meant to be. There’s also much repetition of boss fights and retraced steps once new abilities open fresh paths and strategies. That this rarely grates is testament to the deft delivery. Balancing frustration and incentive, much like Renegade Kids’ excellent Mutant Mudds game, ensures momentum doesn’t dwindle. Equally strong is the use of the 3DS’s visual depth that emphasises the layered retro aesthetic.
There is very little to criticise here bar a short, four-hour duration and some uneven difficulty spikes. For fans of Metroid, then, this will be an absolute treat and for newcomers it outlines in one succinct package why these games are still so popular.
