DaRmaZat 
Ultros. As concise as the game’s title sounds, it might need an explanation first. The game takes place in a vast, mysterious space station in the far reaches of the galaxy. The player, as an insect-like heroine, needs to find the location of a hostile alien demon, to confront him with his vile deeds. His name is Ultros, and he is trapping everyone in his never-ending time loop. As the main mission involves deciphering the enigmatic narrative, it’s very easy to get immersed, even without knowing what the story really is about.
Vibrant, Mystic, Psychedelic … Unique
However, what is immediately clear, is that Ultros presents a refreshing and distinctive approach to a merge of two genres. The result is something truly unique, with mechanics leaning more towards roguelite than those of a traditional metroidvania. The unique art style stands out as a sensory feast with a vivid tapestry of colors, often bizarre yet captivating. With its artistically pleasing, jungle-like environments and vibrant color patterns, Ultros creates a mystic and psychedelic atmosphere, abundant with exotic fruits and unpredictable vegetation. Centered around the cultivation of various plants, the player must discover the function of all the different seeds. Nurturing these seeds leads to the opening of alternate pathways, as well as the growth of otherworldly species, and even the discovery of new travel methods.
Exploring the world definitely often feels as alienated as intended, with its labyrinthine corridors, ethereal vistas as if viewed from a kaleidoscope, and multicolored dreamscapes filled with exotic plants and weird creatures. The gameplay accelerates this trance-like experience even more by unexpectedly revealing new pathways, abilities, and secrets in the gratifying cycle of progression. In combination with the painterly environments, the ambient soundtrack impressively expresses mystery as the main theme, featuring deep violin tunes alongside various synth instruments.
Reap the Benefits, in a Later Cycle!
At the same time, the concept of a Metroidvania is never far off, as the labyrinth structure persists in replicating itself into separate sections by means of the many one-way breakable walls and unreachable heights. It’s no eighth world wonder the game offers numerous secrets and temporary perks, which can be unlocked in your resting capsule. Eating specific fruits fills required gauges, and planting seeds in the right spots yields healing items, upgrades, or new paths in later cycles. As a rule, patience is a virtue in this game as well.
Even though the enemies and bosses are rather easy to overcome, the combat gameplay still does not disappoint. The attacking repertoire of our heroine namely does not only involve timing-based actions, such as rolling through enemies or breaking defenses with a charged attack. No, the combat goes more than one step further, as it encourages experimentation with different approaches. Diversifying the attacking moves unlocks tastier rewards, while relying on the more basic hits, results in lesser benefits. Consuming the collected fruit morsels grants access to unlockable upgrades which are wiped on each time loop, but some items found in subsequent cycles can be set as preservable, as these can be memory-locked. Each defeated boss also initiates a new cycle, urging players to first retrieve their sword, reclaim the double jump move at the map’s center, and thereafter to find a new way to proceed.
So, one last question remains, is Ultros perfect? Unfortunately not, as it does have some drawbacks, like forcing the player to re-do the combat training tutorial every new cycle. For some, the enemies may appear too easy. The level design, too, can feel too rudimentary for some, with areas looking too similar which makes it harder to differentiate the already visited spots. As a last point of criticism, the game may appear somewhat blurry due to the 1080p maximum resolution. But at the same time, that’s about it regarding the negatives, as Ultros tastes so juicy, offering a truly unique and impressive experience.
Reviewed on PC.
Download code provided by the publisher.
