Ultros Review

Ultros header artwork

In this world of huge divides between retro-influenced pixel graphics and AAA visual fidelity, it can take a lot for a game’s aesthetics to really stand out. Ultros absolutely does, however, with a palette that offers up more colour than a Dulux swatch book and an art style that would fit perfectly with a 1970s prog rock album.

It’s difficult to overstate the distinctive beauty of Ultros’ visuals. Alongside the barrage of colour the world and its residents are all beautifully designed and occupy a space reminiscent of vintage science fiction cover art with mechanically infused creatures and a juxtaposition of organic and mechanical environments. The atmosphere is ably developed through a soundtrack of ambient music that makes your experience feel suitably mysterious – although several had hooks that felt quite familiar (one in particular reminded me of the classic X-Men cartoon theme).

The narrative for Ultros is appropriately obscure and surreal, perfectly matching the visual aesthetic. You wake up as a mysterious figure in a strange place with no recollection of how you got there or what you should do. At first you don’t even have a weapon and must follow the initially linear path to find a sword that will take you through most of the game. Whilst combat is a part of Ultros, unlike many Metroidvanias, you won’t be upgrading or replacing your weapon. Much later on you get a slightly more powerful sword, but that is the only meaningful change in your arsenal. After passing a few rudimentary tutorial-esque screens that teach you how to jump, climb and slide you begin to explore the world of Ultros. I did find the main character a little clunky to control at first, a feeling probably exacerbated from having recently completed the new Prince of Persia game which goes for a far more dynamic feel.

Ultros metroidvania melee combat

Once you get stuck into the main body of the game you’ll find that alongside the platforming and combat there is a substantial focus on gardening here. This isn’t horticulture in the Stardew Valley sense but instead sees you find and plant seeds in various areas to potentially unlock hidden passages or powerups. I say potentially, since specific plants are needed in specific areas to be effective and the game is deliberately vague in helping out with this.

A full completion of Ultros would require an encyclopedic knowledge of the different plants’ properties and locations, but there is a central narrative to complete without becoming absorbed into this side of things. Finishing the game only requires a handful of gardening moments and the game is better at holding your hands with most of these key junctures.

Ultros boss battle with insect monster

Combat in Ultros is fine and does attempt to encourage you to mix things up, but never really becomes more than a necessary evil. This does fit into the game’s wider themes, but makes for a slightly underwhelming experience. You have a very limited number of attack moves and must avoid repeating them against single enemies in order to receive the best drops from them. These drops, which you eat raw, provide the nutrients that can be exchanged for power ups at the various save points dotted throughout the map. Every item has a different blend of nutrients and each power up requires its own mix, so this does make upgrading a more involved process than then usual currency based affair. This process of upgrading is further developed through the game’s main distinctive gameplay mechanic – roguelike loops.

Ultros isn’t a roguelike by any real metric but every time you complete one of the main objectives you’ll find yourself returned to the very start and will then have to relearn your upgrades and retrace your steps before being able to venture into new areas. In narrative terms this is all tied to the idea of death and restoration and the lifecycle of plants, but the first few times you go through the process it feels more like an annoyance. Fortunately your upgrades become cheaper over time, but that begs the question as to whether this becomes busywork at the mercy of the theme, rather than an enjoyable mechanic. Exploring the map does also provide some assistance, as you find items that can lock in chosen powers even when you loop. These can be changed at will, too, so you can employ a certain amount of strategy.

Summary
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.
Good
  • Wonderful artstyle
  • Evocative soundtrack
  • Thought-provoking narrative
Bad
  • Loop mechanic can be annoying
  • A little clunky to control
8
Written by
Just your average old gamer with a doctorate in Renaissance literature. I can mostly be found playing RPGs, horror games, and oodles of indie titles. Just don't ask me to play a driving game.