Metaverse Keeper – Review
Follow Genre: Roguelike, Dungeon crawler
Developer: Sparks Games
Publisher: Sparks Games
Platform: PC, Mac
Tested on: PC

Metaverse Keeper – Review

Site Score
9.0
Good: Very fun and dynamic gameplay, Beautiful graphics
Bad: None, beside the slight learning curve
User Score
8.5
(2 votes)
Click to vote
VN:F [1.9.22_1171]
Rating: 8.5/10 (2 votes cast)

The Binding of Isaac was a very popular and fan-loved game when it came out, because of its addictive gameplay and randomly generated levels that would keep you playing for quite some time. With that success, the developers at Sparks Games decided to make the same kind of game but in a more futuristic setting. The title feels the same as The Binding of Isaac with some interesting twists added to make the game even more dynamic.

Story

The Multiverse is a place created by an ancient evil creature that hasn’t been seen for ages. However, times are changing and the entity that started it all has returned throwing the Multiverse out of balance. That’s why four heroes from different universes have been called upon by the government to discover the secrets of the monster and stop it for once and for all. Failure will be present, but because of the time travelling powers of the ship, the group will have enough chances to successfully make it. With a difficult game like this, it is quite hard to provide a good story flow and you won’t have too many updates about how the story progresses when travelling through the levels. Unlike The Binding of Isaac, where you had small hints to puzzle the pieces together of the story, this seems to be absent in Metaverse Keeper.

Graphics

Metaverse Keeper is a game that really creates the right atmosphere. It is set in a futuristic setting on a space ship that has the ability to time travel. Because of this, all the levels are logically linked to one another and slowly get deeper and darker. The first level is very colorful and lively but as you progress, it gets darker and the enemies get more dangerous. Bosses are intimidating yet most don’t have a hideous appearance. Metaverse Keeper is the exact opposite of The Binding of Isaac; while the latter was very bloody and gory, this one is more user-friendly but not all too childish. You get clear instructions on the screen and the characters you play with feel like real human beings due to their constant interaction with the environment. The overall game looks amazing, creates the right mood, is just fun to watch and very enjoyable.

Sound

The music in the game goes hand in hand with the scenery. In the space ship you have this Sci-Fi music, but when in a mission, it turns to the environment that you are currently in. Sound effects are also very well-placed in events, everything corresponds with what’s happening, and you can react on all the audio cues to even have a bigger edge on the enemy.

Gameplay

Metaverse Keeper is a dungeon crawler with roguelike elements. You start the game by completing a tutorial level that gives you all the information you need to get started. After this you get dropped into the space ship and must go on a quest to clear out dungeons and defeat each boss at the end. In the beginning you can choose from two characters and unlock two more by completing specific conditions. Each one has unique stats, abilities and skills. The first character has better health but no skills, while the second can do a really handy dodge roll but has less health. When traversing the Multiverse, you will come across many items and weapons. If you played The Binding of Isaac, you will notice that most mechanics are exactly the same and the game immediately feels familiar. Some changes are a variable health bar and shield. Your shield will take the first hits and will always regenerate when leaving the room. Although you might think that this will make the game too simple, you will quickly notice why this is done.

Unlike Isaac, you are more exposed to close-ranged combat and only a few weapons allow for long-ranged strikes. During your missions, you will find various weapons that all have different stats and unique special attacks. These generate over time and will give you a good edge in some situations. Items are replaced by booster chips that will give you bonuses during the raid and can be bought with experience at vendors. Your mission is to clear the dungeons, find out the whereabouts of the boss, eliminate them and progress to the next dungeon. When destroying a boss, you acquire music tapes that are used to buy permanent upgrades or skills for your character. These will eventually make running the levels a bit easier but not that it is going to hold your hand. The game focuses on learning patterns of enemies and finding the right weapons for your playing style. There is a great amount of RNG in place to make every raid unique but you will find out that the weapons and items are nicely balanced. With a stronger focus on weapons, there aren’t that much ability items to use and instead of magic these will use essence that is gathered from destroying generators and killing enemies.

The game controls really smoothly, in heated battles the buttons are responsive and your character does what you command it to do. The only thing that you need to get used to is the timing to parry attacks with the sword/shield combo.

Conclusion

Metaverse Keeper is a beautiful game that combines the right atmosphere with good music and firm gameplay to keep you playing. Due to the roguelike nature-, you will find yourself trying over and over again but the good controls and fun RNG makes each raid unique. Everything is randomized and because you can invest into permanent upgrades, the game is quite doable with enough training.

VN:F [1.9.22_1171]
Rating: 8.5/10 (2 votes cast)
VN:F [1.9.22_1171]
Rating: 0 (from 0 votes)
Metaverse Keeper - Review, 8.5 out of 10 based on 2 ratings
MC_JP


Never give up on a dream. It might be a long nightmare, but one day it will change into a beautiful reality - MC_JP 2014

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