Lords of Exile Review

Lords of Exile is set in ancient times of war in the Far East where the lands of Exilia have been overrun by an army of nightly creatures and samurais. Exilia’s only hope is a a bloodthirsty cursed knight that can vaniquish the darkness and its evildoers.

Lords of Exile is a 2D action platformer that’s reminiscent of the Castlevania games on the original NES. While not fighting against Dracula and his horde of evil, some enemies do look straight out of Konami’s 8-bit classic. Our protagonist, Gabriel, use a sword as a default weapon. It does start off with a small range, but this can be upgraded.

Similar to Mega Man, once Gabriel fends off a end level boss, he’s rewarded with an upgrade automatically applied to his skillset such as a strong sword attack or double jump for example. Two sub-bosses also reward the player with the spirit of warrior; one that can break blocks hindering progress while the other one can serve as a grappling hook on designed poles. Our hero can also slide to add a bit of pep in his movement.

Killing enemies can also reward Gabriel with gold which can be used at shops represented by bonfires throughout the game. Shops are limited by either giving the option to refill health or grabbing a power-up or sub-weapon. Some enemies will also drop health. Gabriel can also pick a selection of sub-weapons such as throwable knives or scythes.

Lords of Exile looks like a game straight out of the 8-bit era and that’s not a bad thing. While most gamers are focused on witnessing a new level of gaming realism, it’s always a nice change when one game such as this releases. Each level, despite its dark color palette, has its own unique theme providing some diversity and challenge. The soundtrack is a banger; it feels both familiar and fresh at the same time. Definitely worth a listen.

The game’s main nuisance is the controls. While there’s nothing catastrophic, the protagonist moves at a slow pace; glacial pace. Mixed with the fact that it feels like the hero has cement for boots makes platforming a chore. Following a death, having to slowly retrace your steps through the area makes it tedious. And also for some reason, the double jump works when it wants to; I lost count how many times I fell down a pit to my death because it didn’t work. Also makes boss battles more frustrating than they should. Most of upgrades are useless and unnecessary.

Lords of Exile could’ve cemented itself in a GOTY contender for me, but the sluggish controls and the double jump that seemingly works on and off caused a bit of frustration. Boss battles are tense and challenging (until you learn their pattern), the plaforming is quite solid (when double jump works) and the overall experience is enjoyable. I’m not asking for Sonic type of movement speed, but at least Mario from the original Super Mario Bros. would’ve made this a GOTY contender. If you can tolerate the slow movement, Lords of the Exile is a fun and challenging experience.