Mangavania tells the story of a young ninja named Yuhiko has taken it upon himself to go down to the underworld in order to find a cure for his ailing brother. On your quest to find a solution for your sibling’s curse, you’ll need to free lost souls in order to progress forward.

Mangavania is a simplistic 2D action platformer where players need to complete each level by finding 3 souls to unlock the exit. Each of the 20 levels feel like a mini-Metroidvania in and of itself. Levels aren’t 100% linear and players will sometimes need to go around to find keys to open locked door and the souls.

Our hero will come across a bit of opposition on his quest, however he has his trusty sword to defend himself. Thankfully the protagonist begins with 3 hearts for health. This is quite beneficial as some enemies can be tricky to kill if not careful. Also there’s some tricky platforming and if you fall into a hole, you only lose a heart instead of being game over. Unless you fall on your last heart obviously.

Via the game’s main menu, you can also visit a shop that will allow you to get some perks such as a bow/arrow, additional heart for health, double and dash. As you progress through the game’s 20 levels, it becomes progressively harder the further you go. While it does steep up rather quickly within the first 5 levels, it’s difficulty curve increases more reasonably moving forward.

The game does have a very simplistic and minimalist black and white visual; while there are a few additional colors, it’s overall black & white. The protagonist and the enemies are outlined in white while the level backgrounds are all black. It’s simple yet effective and different. The soundtrack is quite deceiving. While it goes with the minimalist, it’s quite forgettable and uninspired.

While there’s nothing inherently wrong with Mangavania, the levels are a bit annoying to navigate. While it’s a nice touch of having 20 mini Metroidvania-like levels, I can’t help but feel a whole Metroidvania map would’ve been a much better gaming experience. The 20 short level format also makes for a short experience.

Mangavania is a fun and addictive, albeit short, gaming experience worth every buck. While you can go through the game without any of the upgrades, buying new skills like the bow or double-jump will ensure a slightly different second replay. This game is also perfect to be played in short bursts or completed in a single sitting. If you’re looking for a short, action pack platformer to chew up between AAA games, Mangavania is a must play.

Overall
  • 70%
    CX Score - 70%
70%

Summary

Pros

  • Addictive gameplay
  • Can be played in short bursts
  • Using purchasable skills can offer some replay value

Cons

  • A single Metroidvania map would’ve been better than 20 single levels
  • Can be done in a single sitting

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