Ultros Critic Reviews

ULTROS is a masterclass in environmental storytelling combined with solid Metroidvania mechanics in a truly excellent package. Go into this one slow and ready to enjoy the journey and it will more than pay off.

Ultimately, Ultros is a deceptively deep and mechanical Metroidvania driven by its eye-watering psychedelic vibes. It's not easy to do something that feels unique and fresh in video games, especially within a genre that's thriving at the moment. With this in mind, I don't think I've ever played a game like Ultros, and for that alone it's worth recommending. I certainly haven't written the words "cosmic uterus-based horticulture" in anything I've published before, and, surely, will never do so again.

Ultros distinguishes itself in the Metroidvania genre with its novel gardening mechanics, intricate time-loop narrative, and a unique nutrient-based upgrade system. This innovative blend of exploration, strategic combat, and character progression set on a mysterious planet makes it a compelling experience. Ultros redefines the genre, promising to become a classic for both speedrunners and casual players.

Ultros is a kaleidoscope game. It takes a handful of ordinary things, shakes them up and sticks the pieces together, and then spins it all around. It's just a different version of what we've seen dozens of times before, sure. But it feels special, and it sure does look good.

Ultros is already a solid, extremely fun metroidvania game when played straight, with nice combat, an interesting story and a gorgeous world filled with intrigue and a great use of organic life as a major theme. But it's when the game focuses on exploration and the possibility of greater secrets that it becomes something truly special, showcasing clever puzzle design that ramps up the challenge even further, also highlighting its innovative gardening mechanics in the process. It's easy to get sucked into Ultros for long periods of time or even multiple playthroughs, and it's all time well spent.

Further and further in, Ultros’ world seems one of creative, chaotic malleability instead of precision, opening up to sequence-breaking and weird shortcuts through experimentation. It’s a game about amassing the tools and time to carve a connective path with nature, learning the layout of the land, and collaborating with it to continue on. Ultros takes the common ingredients of the modern metroidvania, then transplants them into an utterly original DMT-infused Metroid fever dream, in the very best way.

Ultros is a psychedelic platformer that could easily belong in a modern art showcase. It has simple yet engaging combat mechanics, phenomenal art and music, and great characters. I urge you to check the game out if you’re even a little curious.

Ultros is a metroidvania that takes some conventions of the genre just to make them instrumental to the realization of something else, for example with the inclusion of gardening mechanics, admirably integrated with every aspect of the game, from the development of the abilities of our protagonist to exploration. Our hope is that the public will be receptive to a product of absolute excellence in every respect, son of an artistic ludic and philosophical vision that deserves to be spread and appreciated for its courage and originality, as well as for its all-encompassing sensual charge.

Ultros major issue is that it isn’t as weird and hallucinatory as it wants to be. Sure, this space burial site that overflows with life offers an interesting setting with some impressive visual touches. The narrative is somewhat obscure, and occult tinged. But neither is enough to keep players engaged in the long run if they don’t already like this mix of exploration, combat, and platforming. And the game offers limited details about many of its systems, with the constant loops adding to the confusion. Ultros requires patience and a significant time investment but it offers an immersive world and good core mechanics.

Ultros is an essential experience not only for lovers of the metroidvania genre, but for anyone looking for a work with spirit and character. He doesn't claim to reinvent anything and consciously chooses to do little, doing it well. As the credits rolled, we moved away from the screen aware of the fact that something inside us had left the game. Or rather, sown.

Ultros is a psychedelic cosmic loop of a metroidvania. Its combat is approachable and simple, while its gardening encourages creativity and problem-solving that is rarely seen in the metroidvania genre. I had a good time playing Ultros; it mystified me while giving me room to stress-test its cosmic universe and fully explore its boundaries. While I wanted more complex combat and intentional varieties of color, I was quite satisfied with my journey to warrant a play in the future. Ultros is a trip worth taking at least once.

Ultros has its share of problems and imperfections. Still, I had a great time playing it. The visuals won me over, the exploration entertained me and the whole theme made me question my own life.

Ultros is easy enough that you rarely have to fully engage with its most interesting mechanics, and its writing struggles to effectively convey its lofty ideals. But the lines still connect together at the end, turning this metroidvania into a beautiful, circular experience of presence and balance. It’s a game that wants you to see the world differently when you finish it, and the way everything is connected. If nothing else, what other game lets you take a stroll through an umbilical cord?

That's Ultros: a green-fingered Metroidvania that wants you to experiment. Experiment with nature, with the environment, and even, ultimately, with not killing everything you come across. I'm on board.

Ultros is a game with a very strong visual identity, trippy theme and a few unique mechanics, like its gardening system for upgrades and abilities. Strip away the psychedelic art and gauzy narrative, however, and you’re left with a somewhat familiar-playing 2D Metroidvania. That isn’t necessarily bad, but I wish the game’s combat and exploration matched the imagination of its art.

Ultros is a collection of novel ideas such as these that elevate it beyond its metroidvania underpinnings and help it stand out in the genre as something distinct. While it borrows elements from other genres to do so, it uses them thoughtfully within the context of its core design, never straying from the fundamentals of engaging exploration and rewarding progression that keep fans of this genre returning for new adventures. Its complexity can veer into frustrating territory by keeping some crucial mechanical aspects a little too vague, but it's never so detrimental that it hampers what is an otherwise engrossing adventure set within a visually memorable world--one with secrets and stories that invite you to stay well beyond your first escape, and reward you well for doing so.

Expect to be confused, bewildered, and visually seduced by Ultros, but don't expect to be too surprised by what simmers beneath the surface.

Ultros ingeniously blends roguelike and metroidvania elements, offering a unique progression system centered around cycles. While its combat falls short of being memorable, the game shines with its innovative mechanics, visually stunning design, and around 11 hours of engaging gameplay, making it a must-try for fans of the genre.

Ultros is a true labour of love that has a lot to say about the balance between violence and peace, and exploitation and environmentalism, themes which are incredibly important and too often ignored in games, but this theme sometimes feels at odds with the basic game mechanics and can lead to early frustration. The game is quite clear that the first ending is a bad one due to the violence required to reach it, but I couldn’t justify the investment of time and energy to continue past this to complete the more acceptable approach. In a way, this feels appropriate to me as it demonstrates why true change is so difficult to achieve in wider environmental terms. I guess the gap between the message and the mechanics here is not as wide as I initially thought.

Ultros demands a lot from you. If you engage with it, you may not get the best Metroidvania of recent years, but you will certainly get one of the most memorable.