Laika: Aged Through Blood will either be your dream game or your nightmare. The idea of a nail-biting metroidvania where you ride a motorcycle the entire time is already an incredible cool concept on paper, and as a long-time Trials fan, I couldn’t was excited to boot this one up. This is so much more than just a motorist power fantasy, though. It’s a haunting, grim game set against a stark world and somber soundtrack that constantly clashes with the bullets, blood and guts constantly being spilled – resulting in one of the most emotionally striking metroidvanias I’ve ever played.
Laika: Aged Through Blood is a story of bitter survival and unrelenting revenge, like a post-apocalyptic John Wick where John Wick happens to be a badass coyote mother with a motorcycle. As Laika, you’re tasked with eliminating the imperialist bird army that is quickly gathering up their military strength to destroy your village and everyone you love – including your daughter. The world of Laika is stark and oppressive, similar to the barren, desperate wastelands of Mad Max: Fury Road – Laika lives in a world that is on the edge of emptiness, but pushing along through her endless journey of vengeance feels so much more important because of that emptiness. In a world with nothing left in it, struggling to protect what little remains crafts an emotional hook that never let me go.
That emotional core contrasts strongly with the gameplay of Laika: Aged Through Blood. Rather than walking and running, you’ll be on the back of a motorcycle for the entire game, and required to constantly pay attention to your acceleration, orientation, and wheel placement. If you’re a Trials fan, this stuff will come naturally to you, but for others, the constant hand-eye coordination of managing your bike will probably lead to a lot more frustration and deaths than you’re prepared for. Sticking with it is so worth it, though.
Beyond platforming and movement challenges, you need to orient your bike in certain ways to block bullets, do backflips to reload your gun, and more. Actions that are a simple button press in most games are an almost Herculean effort in Laika, and that challenge can be frustrating, but also so rewarding when you pull it all off and feel like an action hero.
The only time your constant motorbike management can be a hassle in Laika: Aged Through Blood is during the infrequent side-quests that task you with backtracking through previously cleared areas. You can’t sprint through these zones like you would in any other metroidvania, and since every enemy respawns, you’re forced to tackle these areas with just as much concentration and dexterity as your first time through.
Thankfully, even in these moments, the hauntingly beautiful soundtrack is there to make the journey memorable. Laika: Aged Through Blood employs a soundtrack full of somber, vocal guitar tracks that set a constantly oppressive yet emotional tone for your journey.
Laika: Aged Through Blood is a striking experience. The combat and gameplay alone is beautifully original, and I can’t get enough of backflipping and wheelie-ing my way through hordes of imperialist birds. Topped off with the emotional core of the game, though, and this is a truly special experience. You might bounce off the game initially due to the struggles of the unique control scheme, but if you stick with it and power through, you’ll go on an unforgettable blood-soaked adventure.
