Gal Guardians: Demon Purge Critic Reviews

Grim Guardians Demon Purge manages to stand out from other Metroidvania games thanks to its meticulously balanced difficulty and length, the number of secrets, epic boss battles, and a somewhat funny story that is followed by beautiful graphics and an outstanding soundtrack. This is not a random game in the market but is a must-buy for any 2D action lovers and gamers in general.

Grim Guardians has a few issues, but ultimately is a fantastic retro style platformer that fills the Castlevania shaped hole in my heart.

Despite some small nitpicks, I still very much recommend Grim Guardians: Demon Purge. It not only showcases Inti Creates’ skill at breathing new life into old series, but it does so with panache. The combat is varied and complex, and the challenge, though sometimes frustrating, nevertheless kept me invested during the entirety of my playthrough. Not to mention you’ll unlock a new mode and difficulty after beating the game once. Plus, if you have a friend close by, you can both play a sister in local co-op. If you enjoy platformers and are hankering for a new Castlevania-inspired adventure, look no further.

Grim Guardians: Demon Purge is another satisfying 2D action title from Inti Creates, further cementing their status as makers of genuinely solid retro throwbacks. Some of the enemy designs are clever callbacks to Mega Man and Castlevania, but ultimately the title manages to stand on its own merits. Even though they never seem to stop dictating all the action happening on screen, Shinobu and Maya are delightful to play as and make enough banter and jokes between them to keep the narrative light. If you'd rather purge something new than the dozens of games in your backlog, Grim Guardians provides a devilishly fun ride.

Grim Guardians: Demon Purge is one of Inti Creates' better releases, and it feels great to play on both Nintendo Switch and Steam Deck. The 2D action adventure also works well with Steam Remote Play Together for co-op.

Gal Guardians: Demon Purge is a balancing act: between modern and retro game design, between loving homage and forging its own identity, between “Classicvania” and “Metroidvania”. It walks those tightropes admirably, and the result is a game that anyone with a fondness for Castlevania—whichever era it may be—should check out.

For Metroidvania fans and lovers of Inti Creates' works, Grim Guardians certainly does enough to please. Getting to grips with combat negotiations and levelling up your weaponry brings with it a sense of reward and progression, and it’s enjoyable to backtrack for secrets. It’s not quite on the level of Curse of the Moon, its closest relative, but it’s not far off — and the sibling switching idea is at least novel and fun to work with. Gory, spritely, and occasionally creatively inspired, it hits all the right notes, just sometimes in a little too sparse a manner to be considered overwhelmingly compelling.

Grim Guardians: Demon Purge is Inti Creates at its safest, working in a genre it is most comfortable with. That’s not a criticism, given how talented the developer is at this stuff. If you enjoy the older Castlevania games, you’re going to love this. At the same time, as confident as this production is, it’s hard not to wish that the team at Inti Creates had pushed themselves a little further for this outing. It’s just a little too safe for broader appeal beyond its main niche.

I’d say Grim Guardians: Demon Purge is a good snack for people who enjoy Inti Creates titles, the Bloodstained: Circle of the Moon spin-offs, or games that are Metroidvania-adjacent. It’s a brief diversion, which isn’t a bad thing! In a world where so many games can be 20-40 hours long, sometimes I want something silly and fun that will keep me busy for one or two evenings. I really appreciated what Inti Creates accomplished with the generally delightful Grim Guardians: Demon Purge.

Grim Guardians: Demon Purge is the spiritual sequel to Bloodstained and Castlevania, an interesting but not without flaws action platformer.

Grimm Guardians: Demon Purge is a competent and gorgeous Castlevania-lite with satisfying action and a great two-player mode. It’s also got its tongue firmly in cheek, and I had a fun time blasting through gigantic bosses and exploring this world. I just wish it offered a little more variety in gameplay and had a little more of what makes the Castlevania series so fun to explore. Maybe in the sequel…

If you’re on the hunt for a well-built 2D action game, particularly one you can play with a friend, then Grim Guardians: Demon Purge will likely satisfy. It’s a highly experienced developer working in the genre it’s best known for, and the resulting level of quality is hardly a big surprise. I think it’s more for the fans of the developer than the fans of the property it draws its themes from, and I do wish it had a little more bite to its challenge. An enjoyable romp, but nothing all that special.