Record of Lodoss War: Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth Critic Reviews

Overall, I have to give Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth a strong recommendation. It’s on Steam in Early Access and well worth the price of admission. With content updates coming on the regular, expect that we’ll be revisiting this game again soon. For now, I recommend you enjoy the incredible visuals and addictive gameplay. It’s one of the best Metroidvanias I’ve played, and I hope it lands for you as well.

Record of Lodoss War: Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth is an amazing Metroidvania. The environments, enemies, and clever use of magic and weapons go beyond influences as the developers truly make this adventure their own. The lack of weapon differentiation is mended by the use of elements and low-impact puzzles, but the short runtime and low difficulty may leave you wanting more.

This is a fantastic metroidvania that is beautiful and espectacular, and also has very tight control. It can be a bit more lineal than other metroivanias, but if that’s not a problem for you, make sure you check it out.

Simply put, it’s a title that knows what it is and seems to hit all its targets with deadly precision. This results in a game that isn’t exactly transcendental, but is as solid as bedrock. Even if you’re not a fan of the Record of Lodoss War source material, it is worth a look. At the very least, it took me back to my days of binging on Castlevania’s Game Boy and DS titles, which I mean as a compliment. It may not be the freshest meal in the cafeteria, but it’s still a tasty dish at the right price.

The hope is that that "To be continued" at the end of the game can lead to a more substantial second chapter, which perhaps stimulates newbies to rediscover the universe of Record of Lodoss War. It really deserves it.

At the end of the day, Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth isn’t a bad game, but it’s undoubtedly Team Ladybug’s weakest work. Even the weakest from their output is well worth playing, but unlike with Touhou: Luna Nights I wouldn’t go out of your way to make time for it. Maybe some of the game's faults, like its uneven difficulty, can be alleviated with updates. Even then, other problems just run too deep; hopefully the team can stick the landing with whatever their next project ends up being.

Featuring beautiful sprite work, creative puzzles, and fun action-RPG mechanics, Record of Lodoss War: Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth recalls Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, while forging its own path.

Ultimately, Record of Lodoss War: Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth emphasizes gameplay at the expense of story and bows out a touch too early. An abundance of weapons, abilities, and playstyles combine with a dazzling audio and visual presentation, producing a challenging, fair, yet brief experience that is sure to please both Record of Lodoss War and Metroidvania fans alike.

Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth is a brief but fun foray into a well-worn genre. The mode-swapping and elemental attacks are enjoyable, but the game is over just when it starts to reach a proper crescendo, with 100 percent of the map revealed (and presumably all the gear and spells) in under six hours. Not quite a full symphony, but a fun little ensemble.

Record of Lodoss War: Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth is a charming game, with fantastic pixel art but a too simplisitc and weak Metroidvania, as it doesn't have much to offer to adventurers and feels too much of a very linear rip-off of Castlevania Symphony of the Night that lacks depth and true epic feel.