[b] SUMMARY[/b]
- 'External Visions' is a retro-styled Metroidvania with pixel art graphics.
[b] STORY & PRESENTATION[/b]
- The game's story has to do with the protagonist's mental issues; in fact, the entire adventure takes place in a world that exists in his mind.
- I got the impression the story was inspired by the developer's personal experiences and real-life struggles, which I must say is pretty interesting in terms of artistic expression.
[b] CONTROLS & MOVEMENT[/b]
- The controls are smooth, enabling the player to walk, jump, and attack effortlessly; this makes it easy to navigate the levels and handle the many platforming challenges.
- The player has a double jump by default, which is an excellent design choice, as it lets the player get into the action right away.
- The player can perform three types of attacks: a melee attack, a ranged projectile attack that requires a weapon power-up, and special attacks that require items purchased from the in-game shop.
- The game is not fully controller-friendly. You’ll need a mouse to navigate the main menu and scroll the map. This somewhat disrupts the experience, but it's not that big of a deal.
[b] GAMEPLAY[/b]
- In terms of gameplay, this has more or less all the core features of a Metroidvania: exploration, puzzle-solving, finding secrets, and, of course, backtracking.
- What makes this game different from other games in the genre is its rather unconventional weapon system. You can only carry one weapon at a time, and you cannot carry weapons from one area to another. More on this later.
- Solving puzzles gives you access to areas containing items and loot. Some puzzles are extremely cryptic and require careful thought.
- The player can also open the following screens: item select screen, weapon upgrade screen, and a map.
- The map has three modes: one shows the pathways connecting the various rooms; one displays the locations of weapons, save points, and treasure chests; and one shows an overall view of the game-world Be careful when opening the map, as the game doesn't auto-pause and leaves you vulnerable to enemy attacks.
- There are friendly NPCs who offer clues and reward you with items if you complete tasks for them.
[b] WEAPONS[/b]
- By default, the player can attack enemies at close range with a slash.
- The player can also acquire and use three types of ranged weapons, simply labeled "1," "2," and "3." In addition to damaging enemies, they also function as tools for solving puzzles and accessing new areas. Weapon 1 is a red projectile that breaks red blocks obstructing paths. Weapon 2 is a yellow projectile that creates a temporary platform when it hits a wall. Weapon 3 is a blue projectile that allows the player to control specific blocks and objects; this is needed to solve certain puzzles or create paths on hazardous regions.
- These three weapons can be obtained from terminals scattered across the game world, each marked with a number (1, 2, or 3) corresponding to its weapon.
- All this sounds cool. However, the problem is that you can only carry one weapon at a time. So, when you reach an area where your current weapon is useless (and this happens often), you’ll have to backtrack to a terminal to pick up the weapon you need and, in the process, discard your current weapon. Basically, you’ll be constantly juggling between the three weapons just to make progress.
- While this system adds a layer of complexity, it can feel exhausting. For instance, you'll pick up a weapon, progress a bit, and then find yourself needing a different weapon to move forward. So, in addition to exploring the game world, you'll constantly have to ensure you’re carrying the right weapon. So, a lot of time goes into backtracking just to equip the correct weapon.
- Each weapon can be upgraded to a more powerful version (four upgrades per weapon), with each upgrade costing an orb.
[b] LEVEL DESIGN[/b]
- There is a little "hub" area and four interconnected areas guarded by a boss. Once you beat all four areas, you unlock the way to the final areas.
- Boss rooms are sealed off by an energy field. They can only be accessed after the player enters a special "state" (by purging "negative thoughts"). This is achieved by activating specific machines scattered throughout the area. Once activated, the player's sprite changes color, signaling that the player can walk past the energy field. I thought this was an interesting mechanic.
- The game allows the player to fast travel through teleporters (requires teleportation objects) and special doors from the hub area, which are activated only after the player enters certain doors in the main area.
- Thankfully, there are plenty of save points, even outside boss rooms.
- Areas are separated by force fields that unequip your weapons, so you cannot carry your weapons from one zone to the next.
[b] ENEMY AND BOSS DESIGNS[/b]
- The game has a variety of enemies. You will constantly keep running into new enemy types as you progress. This keeps the game feeling fresh throughout.
- Bosses are pretty challenging, but they become easier to beat once you memorize their patterns.
- There are also a few mini-bosses here and there, some of whom are hidden.
[b] ITEMS[/b]
- The main collectibles are purple crystals, which are dropped by defeated enemies or found in treasure chests. These act as the in-game currency and can be spent at vending machines.
- Vending machines located throughout the world offer a variety of useful weapons and items. Some of these include: fireballs - rapidly shoot projectiles to the left and right; Poison Potion – create a toxic bubble cloud that damages enemies; Landmines – explode when stepped on by enemies; Robot Spiders – crawl sideways and explode upon contacting an enemy; Firestorm – causes fireballs to rain for a few seconds; Teleport Relics – transports you to an activated teleportation pod; Slow-motion Pill – slows down time for a few seconds.
- Orbs are much rarer and are found in treasure chests. They are used to purchase weapon upgrades.
- The shop in the hub area sells essential items required to open doors and unlock secrets.
- Additionally, there are special items needed to complete fetch quests and side missions.
[b] VISUALS & SOUND[/b]
- The game features charming retro pixel art reminiscent of classic 8-bit NES titles, enhanced with a modern touch. The tilesets and backgrounds are detailed, with rich textures that add to the atmosphere of the game's world.
- The 8-bit chiptune music and sound effects match the visual style.
- The game's soundtrack can be described as melancholic and soothing. I personally liked it.
[b] FINAL THOUGHTS[/b]
Although the weapon system can be frustrating at times, 'External Visions' is a wonderfully crafted indie game. Beating it felt rewarding and well worth my time. Although I love indie games (especially Metroidvanias and platformers) I had never heard of this game before. I only stumbled upon it while browsing for free games to pass the time. Its pixel-art style immediately caught my attention, which led to me giving it a try. Since it was a free game, I had zero expectations, but within 30 minutes I was fully immersed, and I kept playing until I beat it. Shortly afterwards, I started a new game just to check details that I had missed earlier (and ended up completing 100% of the map).
This is truly one of those rare hidden gems on Steam, and I’m glad I discovered this game and added it to my collection. Considering its length, content, and overall quality, it almost feels wrong that it’s free. I suppose this review is my “payment” to the talented developers behind this game. I highly recommend this game to fans of Metroidvanias and platformers.
Thanks for reading.
(End of Review)
