Afterimage

yyds，美术真的很优秀

[h1][i][b] Beautiful artwork with questionable execution [/b][/i][/h1] In the oversaturated Metroidvania genre, *Afterimage* from Aurogon Shanghai stands out as an ambitious attempt by a Chinese studio to make a name for itself. It’s a classic 2D Metroidvania with Soulslike and RPG elements, where you control a girl named Rene and her spirit companion, Ifri, in the ruined world of Engardin following a cataclysm. Gameplay and Exploration At the heart of Afterimage is a vast, interconnected world that gradually reveals itself as you acquire new abilities. Double jumps, dashes, wall-climbing, swimming, and other skills unlock previously inaccessible areas. The combat system is fast and responsive: you can equip two weapons at once (swords, two-handed weapons, dual blades, scythes, whips) plus magic. The variety of the arsenal here is truly impressive—not even Team Cherry has offered such a wide selection of combat styles. The controls feel very comfortable on a gamepad: attacking, dodging, and switching weapons feel natural to your fingers. However, it’s the map’s size that eventually becomes a problem. The world is huge, and after a certain point, exploration starts to feel tedious. There’s no free teleportation, few fast-travel points, and no minimap. This turns backtracking into a real chore. The story progression cues are confusing and often leave the player wondering where to go next. Visuals and Sound Afterimage’s main strength is its hand-drawn art. Each location looks like a living painting: from majestic ruins to gloomy dungeons. The animations of characters and enemies are detailed and expressive. The soundtrack maintains a high level of atmosphere—the melodies are memorable and work well both during calm moments of exploration and in tense boss battles. Story and Atmosphere The plot is typical for the genre: amnesia, a lost world, and a search for answers about the past. It doesn’t claim to be original, but it unfolds quite thoroughly through items, dialogue, and the environment. The true ending comes as a real surprise—it’s unexpected and gripping in its own way, especially given the fairly standard main story. Conclusion Afterimage is a beautiful Metroidvania packed with content, offering dozens of hours of exploration, varied combat, and smooth controls. It was clearly created with a love for the genre. However, the map’s excessive size without convenient navigation, the lack of a free teleport, and sparse hints noticeably diminish the enjoyment over time. If you’re willing to overlook these rough edges for the sake of the visuals, sound, and rich arsenal of weapons — the game is worth checking out. I’d like to thank the Aurogon Shanghai team for their hard work. Despite the challenges, it’s clear how much heart and soul went into the hand-drawn graphics, the combat system, and the game world. I wish the studio continued success and hope to see a sequel that preserves the visual beauty while addressing the original’s shortcomings. Overall rating: 6/10