This is currently on GamePass if you want to check it out for free. Also, I thought it was out on all consoles when I made this, but it looks like the Switch version is coming January 28th.
@@chadfugate564 Yes, physical copies are available, both for NA and EU regions. I have so far only seen PlayAsia list them. Shipping scheduled for end of this month.
@@chadfugate564 Probably will be, everything is. Weather it’s the best version???? The switch is becoming a bit of a dumping ground for bad ports and versions with a “switch tax”. It’s sometimes understandable, modding so it actually plays on the hardware plays like witcher 3 or touch screen added. Mainly the e shop is a minefield. It’s full of rubbish.
Played this one right after finishing Elden Ring, and it was the perfect palate cleanser! Short, simple, directly into action, and gorgeous! Loved your outfit btw!
I loved this game. Not just as a fan of the charming classic Record of Lodoss War anime. It was a challenging and beautiful game and quite memorable. I was glad to find a Metroidvania that was tough but mostly doable except for the end boss. I probably sunk at least 20 hours into it and had a blast.
Highly recommend getting the anime OAV for anyone who's remotely interested in a traditional Tolkien/D&D inspired fantasy anime without any weird gimmicks like alternate worlds, time travel or the like.
Wow, I watched these on VHS, here in my country there was no anime media at the time and we had to do a crowdfunding among friends who liked anime, to be able to order the tapes at conventions/reunions made by fans to be able to watch! Record of Lodoss War and Berserk were my favorite medieval anime (today there are many others... LOL)!
You sold me when you said how short the game is! I have a poor track record of finishing metroidvanias because I get distracted by other games, then trying to come back to these later always results in getting lost and forgetting mechanics. Perhaps I can whisk through this one and then not regret forgetting about it!
Thank you. Too many people have compared this game to SoTN, and I think people have forgotten just how much content and replayability that game had. It’s a testament to say that a 20 year old game still holds the title of best metroidvania, and although it had its many flaws in balancing, DiWL emulates only those flaws, and a few superficial details. It fails to be as rich in enemy variety or level design, and it’s understandable since Castlevania had nearly a dozen games worth of spritework that they rehashed into SoTN. I’m a fan of Record of Lodoss war when I say this, the game hardly has anything to do with the source material outside of the bosses and NPCS. It’s a fun metroidvania indie that scratches the surface of why we liked Symphony, but it pales in comparison.
some of the reason that it's hard to make a game as good as Symphony of the Night is because this characters have been established and the Dreamcast version of the game the original you could pick the play as Richter the girl I can't remember her name and Alucard right out the gate and I think there was two levels and a cutscene that never made it to the PlayStationbut as far as metroidvanias go it is really hard to beat Super Metroid and Symphony of the NightSymphony of the Night took everything that made Super Metroid amazing redefined it and made it its ownand I'm willing to bet that there are secrets in both of those games even today that we have not foundabout a year ago somebody found a secret in Super Metroidright before you fight the underwater boss that bubble stuff that comes out has a message to say about something about dude loving his wifeanother thing that made Symphony the night so amazing was the downforward weapons like the Rapierthey're actually quite a bit of those and they were all really goodI thought blood stain was a really amazing game too still couldn't catch that bottle lightning that Symphony of the Night wasbut it was really good as well just like this game is pretty amazing too and some people are saying that they like it better than Symphony I just don't see it many games come close to Symphony of the Night but there still has yet to be onethat is better Metroid dread was pretty phenomenal but I still don't think it was better than Super Metroid and I think both of the circle of the Moon games the anti-creates did are way better than anything that Konami is releasedthe last 10 years hands downexcept for both of their collectionswhich were really good too and out of all the Metroid stylegames that Konami released after Symphony of the Nightwe're really good too just not Symphony of the Nightso going forward are they going to be great metroidvania games absolutelyare any of them ever going to surpass Symphony of the Night Only Time Will Tell
Great review, Pam! It looks pretty good, The red dragon boss looks awesome and you introduced me to Astalon and Ender Lilies last year so i think i will check this out too! Oh and congratulations on 80k!
The swapping mechanic is actually giving me Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin vibes more than Symphony of the Night. The mechanic’s not the same (In that game, you switched between a physical attacker and a magic user and certain enemies were weaker against one) but the animation of Deedlit switching elements does heavily remind me of that.
Před 2 lety+3
There's another metroidvania that uses that same mechanic: Outland. The "dark" enemies only hit you if you are in the "light" and viceversa.
Deedlit's sword animations cap, back dash, are all from Alucard's move set in Symphony of the Night though, the sprite even looks like Alucard's in that game
The main reason I'm familiar with Lodoss is that there was a Diablo-esque Dreamcast game that was released in the west, but my primary memory of that game is getting a pair of iron boots and forever hearing CLANG CLANG CLANG whenever you move around!
Thank you for this nuanced and grounded take on this game. The hype has been unreal and I found myself getting caught up. I do have it preordered and plan to play it but I appreciate the tempered expecations.
"You're usually finding things like spells you probably won't use, weapons of which there are too many, and some extra health which can be nice but isn't all that important with the regen mechanic and general lack of difficulty. There are actually a LOT of mechanics going on in this game, but the experience is very smooth and you don't have to think about it too hard." I don't know Pam, that sounds 100% like SotN to me. One of my top 5 desert island games, but yeah.
I don't want to make it seem that I'm only here to feed the algorithm; I do watch the videos and you're one of only two game reviewers I still subscribe to. I just have no productive commentary.
Though I am quite fond of Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth, I agree with how you criticize the comparison to Symphony of the Night when it comes to design. Deedlit is a much simpler game than Symphony, the latter of which I consider to be one of the best designed games I've ever played. I also agree that the game is rather easy, especially if you bother to grind at all. On my first playthrough I got up to level 56 and became an unstoppable killing machine. Though I tend to compulsively grind in games with leveling systems because I like to see just how powerful a character can become. The tendency to not use magic aside from the first spell is something I can also relate to as that was also my strategy on my first playthrough. However, on later playthroughs I became fond of spamming the Shade spell on bosses because it grants temporary invincibility. You'll be overpowered with that spell even against bosses who are immune to it because you can rush in and get in large numbers of hits with your weapon while invulnerable, even the final boss' bullet hell attacks are relatively weak against this tactic. Also, I agree that the bosses are the most fun part of the game and they seem to be better designed than the level areas themselves. My main complaint about the game is that the polarity and arrow puzzles are a bit overdone, but that is just a minor complaint and it's far from being game breaking for me. It's still a solid game in my eyes and I got carried away playing through it all three times I played through it last year, twice on the PC version and once on the Switch version. Overall, while I do like the game more than you, I found your commentary and criticism to be reasonable and your conclusion to be a fair opinion of the game. This is an excellent review.
I think I finished the game at level 40. I didn't realize that Shade made you immune to everything. I used that on the winged lady boss with the dark attack, but I assumed it was just a dark magic absorb.
This game is so awesome, i had bought it on steam, but my pc had a problem and i ended up playing it on xbox. I was really sad because it left gamepass another day and i almost missed it! It's shorter than Castlevania Symphony of the Night and Bloodstained, but is almost as good as them! I wish there were more well-made games like these in metroidvania style!
You're definitely one of the best game reviewing CZcams artists out there, keep at it. Journalism, Culture & the Arts. I'm sure you're well acquainted with. 😉
EDIT: Sorry! i forgot to thank you for this video, was a really good review! Watching now, i think if you ever need something that in my eyes has a close SOTN (maybe more Aria of Sorrow? i dunno) there is Timespinner, one of the major mechanics is going back and forth to places in the same time to deal with stuff, there are way less weapons but each one does something different, and i think the history is really good, the path towards the endings really hyped me up! i think the only thing that i might disliked was that the "dodge back" didn't felt good like in Dedlit and some quests are "collect items" but i think personally doing those sidequests was rewarding for the dialogue as far i remember. is not as gothic though there are different scenarios comparing to SOTN so that is why i am not that sure in my recommendation towards that. tell the truth before playing Deedlit i decided to watch the first anime just to khow who the characters is, and like... i maybe if i didn't watched, i would liked more the ending because... whoa their relationship is so bland and boring. maybe in those mangas later it gets more developed but i didn't went to check on them
Great graphics & sprite work but the level design is very simplistic. Just long hallways, a few small staircases, jump to reach a ledge, that’s basically it.
I feel like it took from Aria of Sorrow as well. Shooting the bag to unlock the path is similar to hitting the wrecking balls to break walls to progress in AoS. Thats all I remember from the video tbh but I feel like it takes a little from that game
Thanks for the research on this series, I honestly had no idea about it. The game is pretty decent, nowhere near the quality of SotN but worth playing nonetheless. It has its own unique mechanics which are fun in their own right.
dude it actually is way harder than symphony of the night, the lack of secrets was kind of a let down but I think it had the most fun combat i've experienced recently in a metroidvania. It doesn't offer much on story because its kind of an epilogue for the fans of the manga and anime by the middle of the game is almost predictable what is really going on, but by the end it hits you because it makes sense, since she's an elf that lives forever. It got me interested on the show and its pretty fun for a 90s anime showed on tv.
this wasn't made for metroidvania fans, among which i count myself - this was made for fans of record of lodoss war, among which i count myself. sotn being one of my all time favorite games and rolw being one of my favorite anime....whether it's nostalgia, sentiment, or bias i simply love this game.
You are right, SOTN is the best. However, this game did justice. I have not played another game like SOTN forever, so this was a fun game that made me feel like the first time I played SOTN. So yes, not as good but best game since.
Haven't played the game in several months but just got an update for it on steam. Wil have to check it out since I wasn't aware the product was finished yet.
I backed the Kickstarter and overall I'm satisfied with it. Being familiar with the Anime is not necessary to enjoy the game, but it can give a little bit of supplementary nostalgia that you'd otherwise miss out on if this is the first time you've encountered the Lodoss War universe. Overall, I'd definitely put it in the "good" list. Not quite as good as Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon, but still quite good for an Indie Metroidvania.
One gripe I have with the levels are the lack of names. "Stage" 1,2,3,4,5.. just isn't memorable. But, I did find the look of the levels fairly distinct. Better than Metroid Dread and Hollow Knight. But, out of those 3 games, Hollow Knight was somehow the easiest to remember the layout of the world. Where as the world layout in Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth is mostly a blur. But it might be that I relied on the map and teleporters too much to memorize the layout. While in SOTN I have the whole map memorized, but that's a game I have played many times.
I agree with almost all of what you said, except the different spells are very useful against bosses with different weaknesses. Overall beautiful pixel art and a neat central mechanic, but really easy, short, and unmemorable outside of the bosses.
I know this is a small thing, but I’m surprised such a visually attractive game went with such bland, mobile-esque looking text. It’s actually kinda jarring juxtaposed to the gorgeous sprite work.
They actually have several fonts in the UI, but they might just be specially made for the UI and not full Roman-character fonts. I'm guessing they put a lot of effort into translation and localization and when they went to decide on a font for dialogue and item notifications they were just like "Arial is pretty readable, let's go with that".
Yay! New Pam Video! I have seen this game on Game Pass and heard you discuss it briefly on other videos so I was pretty curious about it. Always glad to get the perspective of the resident Metroidvania guru! I finished up Carrion and played through The Artful Escape (both discovered through your channel) over the long weekend in the US, so to hear this was another decent, but short one is music to my ears. Thanks again, Pam!
I love Wonder Labyrinth and while it isn't as deep as SotN, if anything you do not have to constantly whack candles with your weapon to collect hearts.
Thanks for the recommendation!! I'll be picking up the physical copy for ps4 tomorrow... I can't wait to play it!! So far every metroidvania you've recommended I've totally dug!!
the boss rush really taught me how to use the elemental weaknesses because I'm the type of player that never thinks I have enough money to buy any healing items. I would alway find myself pausing on a boss to check their weaknesses and switching to the right spell.
Switching the two elements back and forth is just like Giana Sisters Twisted Dreams. In that game it is also annoying in stages but very clever during boss fights.
Great video! Dang, the game looks beautiful and the gameplay seems to have so much potential. I'm still tempted to give it a try for those boss fights though! But it also sounds like I should probably play Symphony first lol
Spot on video with a really grounded approach when talking about the SoTN comparions. Liked and subscribed, looking forward to watching more of your content.
Each time I get my hand on some not so popular metroidvania you haven't already mentioned I think: "maybe I should leave a comment to tell Pam about this one" then I forget until you make a video on it ^^. Anyway I'm sure you probably know about every new 'vanias long before me. I don't remember for how long Deedlit was in my wishlist, but when I saw it on sale for less than 10€ one year ago, I decided to take the bet. I had some good hope but not too much, so I finally played it six months later, fully released and patched. It never came to my mind to compare it with SotN, not after five minutes and the little imps at the beginning. I think it's clearly a tribute, but certainly not a copy or a copy attempt. During my playtime, I felt the same as you, about movement, platforming, spirits mechanic (have Ikaruga in my librairy, never played it yet, but it also remind me the final battle in Lord of Shadow Mirrors of Fate). Boss fights were also definitely my favorite part. My only (minor) disapointment, in addition to the relative lack of memorable places and backgrounds, was the level design, which I found a bit too linear (difficult to get lost in that labyrinth). Beside the occasional back to the nearest warp room, teleport, use new skill or key, enter unexplored single room, get new weapon, I was surpised they added a few useless layouts/shortcuts between some zones or levels: it's like you go to unlock them to uncover the map, then you make a u-turn and keep moving forward because you already explored the totality of the other side and you'll never take that way again, even if you need to go back or farm a monster. I mean... they did a great job overall but that little detail make me think they realised the map was too straight forward so they added some shortcut here and there... what the point if the player has nothing to gain by going through it? Globally I had a pretty good time playing Deedlit, I even completed it two times: one long run collecting everything and another level 1 capped, which was even better because it makes the weapons and spells more valuable, especially bows. With a good use of spirits it wasn't too challenging beside the few "deadly combo of ennemies" rooms/corridors and since I particulary enjoyed the bosses, I went for the good old castlevania challenge of beating them without taking damage, with a lot of retry lol
I’m sure others have mentioned this, but my thoughts go to Outland when I think Metroidvania with Ikaruga element-swapping. Of course, Outland put much more emphasis on bullet-hell platforming challenges and lacked a lot of the SOTN-inspired elements here. Still, it’s interesting that someone else thought to do that; I haven’t thought of Outland in years.
I enjoyed this game, it's a simple metroidvaina but enjoyable. Big SOTN vibes. I actually started a sotn playthrough after playing this and this game actually feels better to control imo. The ikaruga mechanics worked for me in this game, but the level design is just ok. So uh, guess I agree with you on everything again. I would play this over metroid dread any day, even though both games are pretty linear, lodoss has less annoying mechanics. But I think games like Bloodstained and SOTN are just a lot better overall still.
I just got the Japanese import with the soundtrack and art book. I’ve only played about an hour so far. I am still finishing up Shinsekai at the moment, which after just beating the final boss a few days ago, I can say is truly one of the most unique, beautiful and enjoyable games I’ve played recently.
I am going to hold off on fully watching this until I can get this on Switch. You look beautuful in this video. I hope that is not awkward, I just believe in complimenting people.
I thought of your channel the moment I saw this game in the shop the other day. So glad to see you review this game! Your reviews are always great and admire the little details of going the extra mile to wear outfits that match the aesthetic of the game. Your necklace definitely fits the Elvish look. Love the honest review, I might use a Game Pass trial to give this game a try. Great review Pam!
I think context needs to be applied regarding this game. This game is more of a promotional material to the new Novel/Manga for Record of Lodoss War. It's a clever way of tying the 'old' generation and the 'new' one, with Deedlit being the link in both. Having said this, boss fights will be more or less memorable depending on how familiar you are with the franchise. I felt the game it's kind of a 'recap episode' of the highlights of the story before Deedlit embarks in the new adventure covered in the new novel/manga (and referenced directly in the game's ending). You get to fight all the plot relevant enemies of the story + some plot interesting (spoilery) choices. The fact that Pirotess (the dark elf antagonist) is also kind of going through the same as the protagonist is a nice touch considering their parallelisms in the main story (Deedlit/Parn vs Pirotess/Ashram). So even in a game with so few words, you can draw more meaning out of it with previous context. Would say this game is more aimed at Record of Lodoss fans than metroidvania fans.
understanding a record of war of lodoss Is unfortunately a requirement for being able to play this entire game and understand and enjoy it Personally I do not understand Why They didn't Include The Anime With the game It would explain a lot
I agree 100% with this review, I definitely enjoyed my time with Deedlit though, and I'm really looking forward to an expanded sequel. I hope you get a chance to try Valdis Story: Abysal City. The combat and the replay value is amazing!
I bought this on Steam a while back but haven't gotten around to it yet. It's weird. Never read or watched the Manga/Anime, never played a game (though I own the Dreamcast game), but I know a little bit about the games somehow for reasons even I don't understand. It's interesting because they're clones of more popular games but they do them well. The Super Famicom game is kind of like Tactics Ogre meets Dragon Quest with adventuring around a world map and going to town to town but with grid based battles, but also it's own thing. The Mega CD game is like Shining Force, but also it's own thing. The Dreamcast one is a Diablo clone, but it's own thing and this one is a Symphony of the Night clone, but it's own thing. It's like they're not shy at all about what they're ripping off but they do make an attempt to make the games good instead of thinking the I.P. and it looking like another popular game is all they need to do.
That's really cool for me to learn that record of loddus war started as a tabletop RPG. I was a fan of the anime and always assumed it started there or as a manga.
Solid and very accurate review. Fun game, short and easy. Boss fights were cool, with the exception of the final boss fight for me. Overall a really fun game.
I would love if this engine got a second chance. Another setting with a better map designer. Some areas had nice art, and some had cool puzzle elements, but most was bland and boring. Either they had been rushed, the designers lost their mojo, or they got the boss made em do things differently than they wanted to (which could lead to the 2nd point) 99% of SotNs areas show signs of designers taking their time and putting their heart into it. And then the 2nd castle which was a quick asset flip (lol) is kinda how I feel toward this. No heart, just more. Wasn't so bad In SotN, since it took the same beautiful work of art and made you traverse it in a new way it wasn't necessarily built for, coupled with a new tint and a new music which gave an uneasy feeling of dread. Wasnt so bad but still wasn't perfect.
I'm pretty sure the same engine is used for Touhou Luna Nights. I can't say that map is all that much more interesting, but I do like the mechanics more.
The original Record of Lodoss War is still in my top 5 favorite anime of all time. It was true art!
It is very enjoyable and still holds up as one of the go-to titles in fantasy anime.
I have only watched the first 6 episodes of Deedlit and while the art is really the story and characters are nowhere near masterpiece level.
I was going to say the same thing: Record of Lodoss War is a great anime.
@@knightofvirtue613 except parn was a bit too whiney
How do you even watch it? I tried watching it before this came out but couldn't find it despite having all the streaming services
This is currently on GamePass if you want to check it out for free. Also, I thought it was out on all consoles when I made this, but it looks like the Switch version is coming January 28th.
do you know if it's going to be released on the Nintendo eShop or physical release for Switch (English version)
GamePass is not free :)
@@chadfugate564 Yes, physical copies are available, both for NA and EU regions. I have so far only seen PlayAsia list them. Shipping scheduled for end of this month.
Only reason I tried it. Interesting game, but the flow felt off for me and the story was not compelling. Maybe sotn just hooked me in better.
@@chadfugate564 Probably will be, everything is.
Weather it’s the best version????
The switch is becoming a bit of a dumping ground for bad ports and versions with a “switch tax”.
It’s sometimes understandable, modding so it actually plays on the hardware plays like witcher 3 or touch screen added.
Mainly the e shop is a minefield. It’s full of rubbish.
I really hope Konami releases a Castlevania DS collection. I loved those games!
I would definitely play Portrait of Ruin again
@@_Gilles_ the games are pretty good however i did not like the anime art style in portrait of ruin and dawn of sorrow.
@@tomclancy9574 i agree but the levels were fun and the game mechanics quite interesting
Obligatory romhack mention!
I think that's a safe bet.
Played this one right after finishing Elden Ring, and it was the perfect palate cleanser! Short, simple, directly into action, and gorgeous!
Loved your outfit btw!
OMG! I’m doing exactly the same! Hahahaha
I loved this game. Not just as a fan of the charming classic Record of Lodoss War anime. It was a challenging and beautiful game and quite memorable. I was glad to find a Metroidvania that was tough but mostly doable except for the end boss. I probably sunk at least 20 hours into it and had a blast.
I haven't touched symphony of the night in many years and watching the animations of the character, that was the first thing that came to mind.
Highly recommend getting the anime OAV for anyone who's remotely interested in a traditional Tolkien/D&D inspired fantasy anime without any weird gimmicks like alternate worlds, time travel or the like.
It still holds up.
Wow, I watched these on VHS, here in my country there was no anime media at the time and we had to do a crowdfunding among friends who liked anime, to be able to order the tapes at conventions/reunions made by fans to be able to watch! Record of Lodoss War and Berserk were my favorite medieval anime (today there are many others... LOL)!
You sold me when you said how short the game is! I have a poor track record of finishing metroidvanias because I get distracted by other games, then trying to come back to these later always results in getting lost and forgetting mechanics. Perhaps I can whisk through this one and then not regret forgetting about it!
It is nice to have something that can be finished in a few sittings.
@@Cannotbetamed1 Alexander the Great was said to never need to carry money.
He was so famous that being in his presence was classed as currency.
The anime was a big deal in the 90's! It's a surprise to see it return in this way. Thanks for mentioning the Ikaruga element, which others haven't!
Thank you. Too many people have compared this game to SoTN, and I think people have forgotten just how much content and replayability that game had. It’s a testament to say that a 20 year old game still holds the title of best metroidvania, and although it had its many flaws in balancing, DiWL emulates only those flaws, and a few superficial details. It fails to be as rich in enemy variety or level design, and it’s understandable since Castlevania had nearly a dozen games worth of spritework that they rehashed into SoTN.
I’m a fan of Record of Lodoss war when I say this, the game hardly has anything to do with the source material outside of the bosses and NPCS. It’s a fun metroidvania indie that scratches the surface of why we liked Symphony, but it pales in comparison.
some of the reason that it's hard to make a game as good as Symphony of the Night is because this characters have been established and the Dreamcast version of the game the original you could pick the play as Richter the girl I can't remember her name and Alucard right out the gate and I think there was two levels and a cutscene that never made it to the PlayStationbut as far as metroidvanias go it is really hard to beat Super Metroid and Symphony of the NightSymphony of the Night took everything that made Super Metroid amazing redefined it and made it its ownand I'm willing to bet that there are secrets in both of those games even today that we have not foundabout a year ago somebody found a secret in Super Metroidright before you fight the underwater boss that bubble stuff that comes out has a message to say about something about dude loving his wifeanother thing that made Symphony the night so amazing was the downforward weapons like the Rapierthey're actually quite a bit of those and they were all really goodI thought blood stain was a really amazing game too still couldn't catch that bottle lightning that Symphony of the Night wasbut it was really good as well just like this game is pretty amazing too and some people are saying that they like it better than Symphony I just don't see it many games come close to Symphony of the Night but there still has yet to be onethat is better Metroid dread was pretty phenomenal but I still don't think it was better than Super Metroid and I think both of the circle of the Moon games the anti-creates did are way better than anything that Konami is releasedthe last 10 years hands downexcept for both of their collectionswhich were really good too and out of all the Metroid stylegames that Konami released after Symphony of the Nightwe're really good too just not Symphony of the Nightso going forward are they going to be great metroidvania games absolutelyare any of them ever going to surpass Symphony of the Night Only Time Will Tell
Great review, Pam! It looks pretty good, The red dragon boss looks awesome and you introduced me to Astalon and Ender Lilies last year so i think i will check this out too! Oh and congratulations on 80k!
Thank you!
The swapping mechanic is actually giving me Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin vibes more than Symphony of the Night. The mechanic’s not the same (In that game, you switched between a physical attacker and a magic user and certain enemies were weaker against one) but the animation of Deedlit switching elements does heavily remind me of that.
There's another metroidvania that uses that same mechanic: Outland. The "dark" enemies only hit you if you are in the "light" and viceversa.
@ Interesting
Not enough love for portrait of ruin.
The mechanic is very similar to Giana Sisters Twisted Dreams.
Deedlit's sword animations cap, back dash, are all from Alucard's move set in Symphony of the Night though, the sprite even looks like Alucard's in that game
Not difficult, and about five hours? I'm sold. Thanks for the review!
The main reason I'm familiar with Lodoss is that there was a Diablo-esque Dreamcast game that was released in the west, but my primary memory of that game is getting a pair of iron boots and forever hearing CLANG CLANG CLANG whenever you move around!
I just finished this last week.. loved every moment.. I may have been a bit overleveled for the final encounter.
Yeah, this game wasn't terrible by any stretch, but after I beat it I knew I wasn't coming back to it again.
Yep. I tried the boss rush (mostly because I needed more footage for the video), but I don't feel the need to play anymore of this.
This looks pretty fun to play. Can’t wait to get it for Switch. Thanks for the review. You look great by the way.
Thank you!
Can confirm it is a fantastic game.
Thank you for this nuanced and grounded take on this game. The hype has been unreal and I found myself getting caught up. I do have it preordered and plan to play it but I appreciate the tempered expecations.
Hope you enjoy it!
"You're usually finding things like spells you probably won't use, weapons of which there are too many, and some extra health which can be nice but isn't all that important with the regen mechanic and general lack of difficulty. There are actually a LOT of mechanics going on in this game, but the experience is very smooth and you don't have to think about it too hard."
I don't know Pam, that sounds 100% like SotN to me. One of my top 5 desert island games, but yeah.
I was pretty excited for every secret I found in SotN.
Your editing just keeps getting better & better!
This looks like a fun afternoon game with the grandkids.
Thank you!
I don't want to make it seem that I'm only here to feed the algorithm; I do watch the videos and you're one of only two game reviewers I still subscribe to. I just have no productive commentary.
That's okay. Algorithm appeasement is always appreciated.
Though I am quite fond of Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth, I agree with how you criticize the comparison to Symphony of the Night when it comes to design. Deedlit is a much simpler game than Symphony, the latter of which I consider to be one of the best designed games I've ever played. I also agree that the game is rather easy, especially if you bother to grind at all. On my first playthrough I got up to level 56 and became an unstoppable killing machine. Though I tend to compulsively grind in games with leveling systems because I like to see just how powerful a character can become.
The tendency to not use magic aside from the first spell is something I can also relate to as that was also my strategy on my first playthrough. However, on later playthroughs I became fond of spamming the Shade spell on bosses because it grants temporary invincibility. You'll be overpowered with that spell even against bosses who are immune to it because you can rush in and get in large numbers of hits with your weapon while invulnerable, even the final boss' bullet hell attacks are relatively weak against this tactic. Also, I agree that the bosses are the most fun part of the game and they seem to be better designed than the level areas themselves.
My main complaint about the game is that the polarity and arrow puzzles are a bit overdone, but that is just a minor complaint and it's far from being game breaking for me. It's still a solid game in my eyes and I got carried away playing through it all three times I played through it last year, twice on the PC version and once on the Switch version.
Overall, while I do like the game more than you, I found your commentary and criticism to be reasonable and your conclusion to be a fair opinion of the game. This is an excellent review.
I think I finished the game at level 40. I didn't realize that Shade made you immune to everything. I used that on the winged lady boss with the dark attack, but I assumed it was just a dark magic absorb.
I really enjoyed the game, and hope it does well enough to get a larger sequel.
That would be cool
This game is so awesome, i had bought it on steam, but my pc had a problem and i ended up playing it on xbox. I was really sad because it left gamepass another day and i almost missed it! It's shorter than Castlevania Symphony of the Night and Bloodstained, but is almost as good as them! I wish there were more well-made games like these in metroidvania style!
I can't believe that deadcells and hollow knight is more famous than this. Just at look at this art!
Because they're way more fun.
was gonna pick that up but now... i don't know. thanks for the review
No problem!
You're definitely one of the best game reviewing CZcams artists out there, keep at it. Journalism, Culture & the Arts. I'm sure you're well acquainted with. 😉
EDIT: Sorry! i forgot to thank you for this video, was a really good review!
Watching now, i think if you ever need something that in my eyes has a close SOTN (maybe more Aria of Sorrow? i dunno) there is Timespinner, one of the major mechanics is going back and forth to places in the same time to deal with stuff, there are way less weapons but each one does something different, and i think the history is really good, the path towards the endings really hyped me up!
i think the only thing that i might disliked was that the "dodge back" didn't felt good like in Dedlit and some quests are "collect items" but i think personally doing those sidequests was rewarding for the dialogue as far i remember.
is not as gothic though there are different scenarios comparing to SOTN so that is why i am not that sure in my recommendation towards that.
tell the truth before playing Deedlit i decided to watch the first anime just to khow who the characters is, and like... i maybe if i didn't watched, i would liked more the ending because... whoa their relationship is so bland and boring.
maybe in those mangas later it gets more developed but i didn't went to check on them
Thanks! Timespinner is a really good game, I liked that.
Super cool review Pam, thanks for showing us!
Thanks for watching!
Great graphics & sprite work but the level design is very simplistic. Just long hallways, a few small staircases, jump to reach a ledge, that’s basically it.
I feel like it took from Aria of Sorrow as well. Shooting the bag to unlock the path is similar to hitting the wrecking balls to break walls to progress in AoS. Thats all I remember from the video tbh but I feel like it takes a little from that game
Thanks for the research on this series, I honestly had no idea about it. The game is pretty decent, nowhere near the quality of SotN but worth playing nonetheless. It has its own unique mechanics which are fun in their own right.
dude it actually is way harder than symphony of the night, the lack of secrets was kind of a let down but I think it had the most fun combat i've experienced recently in a metroidvania. It doesn't offer much on story because its kind of an epilogue for the fans of the manga and anime by the middle of the game is almost predictable what is really going on, but by the end it hits you because it makes sense, since she's an elf that lives forever. It got me interested on the show and its pretty fun for a 90s anime showed on tv.
There are secrets tho
@@Russian_engineer_bmstu secrets? :o on what?
@@Jynskater did you 100% the map and bestiary?
@@Russian_engineer_bmstu I don't remember, most probably no. the only secrets I found were those breakable walls
@@Jynskater and the floor you jump on with qr code? Attacking gimly? Cat statues? F-ing annoying rat?
The Boss Rush Mode is pretty cool, oh, plus the archery challenge and gambling room.
this wasn't made for metroidvania fans, among which i count myself - this was made for fans of record of lodoss war, among which i count myself. sotn being one of my all time favorite games and rolw being one of my favorite anime....whether it's nostalgia, sentiment, or bias i simply love this game.
oh i also love ikaruga too
It looks beautiful I´m a sucker for those aesthetics! I would have called it Deedlit in WonderMaze, shorter and better sounding haha
Honestly it looks uninspiring.
@@Beastmode-hk3fj Nah. Looks damn good
WonderMaze does sound better.
Weird coincidence that this game comes out right after I just marathon the 90s anime
You are right, SOTN is the best. However, this game did justice. I have not played another game like SOTN forever, so this was a fun game that made me feel like the first time I played SOTN. So yes, not as good but best game since.
Haven't played the game in several months but just got an update for it on steam. Wil have to check it out since I wasn't aware the product was finished yet.
I backed the Kickstarter and overall I'm satisfied with it. Being familiar with the Anime is not necessary to enjoy the game, but it can give a little bit of supplementary nostalgia that you'd otherwise miss out on if this is the first time you've encountered the Lodoss War universe. Overall, I'd definitely put it in the "good" list. Not quite as good as Bloodstained: Curse of the Moon, but still quite good for an Indie Metroidvania.
I'm surprised you didn't mention the end-boss rush. That was too much frustration for me, and I quit.
Another Metroidvania with the Ikaruga style mechanics is that free Shin Megami Tensei one that Atlus released temporarily a few years back
Didnt know this existed. Thanks to your video I picked it up and am enjoying it. Love that you do reviews of games off the beaten path.
Glad you're enjoying it!
One gripe I have with the levels are the lack of names. "Stage" 1,2,3,4,5.. just isn't memorable. But, I did find the look of the levels fairly distinct. Better than Metroid Dread and Hollow Knight. But, out of those 3 games, Hollow Knight was somehow the easiest to remember the layout of the world. Where as the world layout in Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth is mostly a blur. But it might be that I relied on the map and teleporters too much to memorize the layout. While in SOTN I have the whole map memorized, but that's a game I have played many times.
I agree with almost all of what you said, except the different spells are very useful against bosses with different weaknesses. Overall beautiful pixel art and a neat central mechanic, but really easy, short, and unmemorable outside of the bosses.
Great video! Thanks for the impressions. Deelit is my next Metroidvania. Love the channel and your content is amazing. Keep up the great work Pam :)
Thank you :)
Pam calls it "easy" but I couldn't get past the first boss.
I might need to call it a career and take up crocheting.
I can't agree more, you hit all the notes that I was thinking when I played through it
I know this is a small thing, but I’m surprised such a visually attractive game went with such bland,
mobile-esque looking text. It’s actually kinda jarring juxtaposed to the gorgeous sprite work.
They actually have several fonts in the UI, but they might just be specially made for the UI and not full Roman-character fonts. I'm guessing they put a lot of effort into translation and localization and when they went to decide on a font for dialogue and item notifications they were just like "Arial is pretty readable, let's go with that".
Didn't even notice.
The after image effect was neat for like a minute then I turned it off in the options. Made gameplay a little easier on the eyes.
Stands up with the likes of Bloodstained Ritual of the night. A game that is actually finished! No crap online purchases. A real game.
Yay! New Pam Video! I have seen this game on Game Pass and heard you discuss it briefly on other videos so I was pretty curious about it. Always glad to get the perspective of the resident Metroidvania guru! I finished up Carrion and played through The Artful Escape (both discovered through your channel) over the long weekend in the US, so to hear this was another decent, but short one is music to my ears. Thanks again, Pam!
No problem!
I love Wonder Labyrinth and while it isn't as deep as SotN, if anything you do not have to constantly whack candles with your weapon to collect hearts.
Thanks for the recommendation!! I'll be picking up the physical copy for ps4 tomorrow... I can't wait to play it!! So far every metroidvania you've recommended I've totally dug!!
Have fun!
I'm playing this right now before it leaves gamepass and wow it's a lot better than I expected, great game
the boss rush really taught me how to use the elemental weaknesses because I'm the type of player that never thinks I have enough money to buy any healing items. I would alway find myself pausing on a boss to check their weaknesses and switching to the right spell.
I have to say, with all the so-called AAA shinanigans out these days, I think a solid-bight-sized Metroidvania is just what I need right now.
It is nice to have something that can be finished in a few sittings.
Gonna get this on switch physical, just wanted a preview first. Thank you!!
No problem :)
I was thinking the same about Ikaruga! This game looks like SOTN, but doesn't play like SOTN. However it's a solid metroidvania with good mechanics.
Switching the two elements back and forth is just like Giana Sisters Twisted Dreams. In that game it is also annoying in stages but very clever during boss fights.
In the anime, Deedlit is a natural blonde.
I literally stumbled on your video just after finishing this game. So weird! Well, you have a new subscriber!
Welcome to the channel!
I just got this game yesterday....It is pretty good so far!
oh this is so helpful, I was curious about this game because I heard nothing about it. Thanks.
No problem, glad it was helpful
You're my go-to for games I never heard of but should give a go. I can always count on you to not blow smoke up a game's skirt.
Great video! Dang, the game looks beautiful and the gameplay seems to have so much potential. I'm still tempted to give it a try for those boss fights though! But it also sounds like I should probably play Symphony first lol
It’s a fun game, just not really comparable to SotN in any way other than appearance.
Spot on video with a really grounded approach when talking about the SoTN comparions. Liked and subscribed, looking forward to watching more of your content.
Welcome to the channel!
Each time I get my hand on some not so popular metroidvania you haven't already mentioned I think: "maybe I should leave a comment to tell Pam about this one" then I forget until you make a video on it ^^. Anyway I'm sure you probably know about every new 'vanias long before me.
I don't remember for how long Deedlit was in my wishlist, but when I saw it on sale for less than 10€ one year ago, I decided to take the bet. I had some good hope but not too much, so I finally played it six months later, fully released and patched.
It never came to my mind to compare it with SotN, not after five minutes and the little imps at the beginning. I think it's clearly a tribute, but certainly not a copy or a copy attempt.
During my playtime, I felt the same as you, about movement, platforming, spirits mechanic (have Ikaruga in my librairy, never played it yet, but it also remind me the final battle in Lord of Shadow Mirrors of Fate). Boss fights were also definitely my favorite part.
My only (minor) disapointment, in addition to the relative lack of memorable places and backgrounds, was the level design, which I found a bit too linear (difficult to get lost in that labyrinth). Beside the occasional back to the nearest warp room, teleport, use new skill or key, enter unexplored single room, get new weapon, I was surpised they added a few useless layouts/shortcuts between some zones or levels: it's like you go to unlock them to uncover the map, then you make a u-turn and keep moving forward because you already explored the totality of the other side and you'll never take that way again, even if you need to go back or farm a monster. I mean... they did a great job overall but that little detail make me think they realised the map was too straight forward so they added some shortcut here and there... what the point if the player has nothing to gain by going through it?
Globally I had a pretty good time playing Deedlit, I even completed it two times: one long run collecting everything and another level 1 capped, which was even better because it makes the weapons and spells more valuable, especially bows. With a good use of spirits it wasn't too challenging beside the few "deadly combo of ennemies" rooms/corridors and since I particulary enjoyed the bosses, I went for the good old castlevania challenge of beating them without taking damage, with a lot of retry lol
I’m sure others have mentioned this, but my thoughts go to Outland when I think Metroidvania with Ikaruga element-swapping. Of course, Outland put much more emphasis on bullet-hell platforming challenges and lacked a lot of the SOTN-inspired elements here. Still, it’s interesting that someone else thought to do that; I haven’t thought of Outland in years.
Looks like a sharp and polished game. Great review! 👍
Really curious to hear what you make of Aeterna Noctis?
I didn't love it when I played it pre-release. I do plan to stream it on Thursday though.
@@Cannotbetamed1 Ooh great to know! 😊
I enjoyed this game, it's a simple metroidvaina but enjoyable. Big SOTN vibes. I actually started a sotn playthrough after playing this and this game actually feels better to control imo. The ikaruga mechanics worked for me in this game, but the level design is just ok. So uh, guess I agree with you on everything again.
I would play this over metroid dread any day, even though both games are pretty linear, lodoss has less annoying mechanics. But I think games like Bloodstained and SOTN are just a lot better overall still.
Dread is vastly over rated. But it's a drip fed Nintendo franchise so it automatically gets a plus 9 to any 1 out of 10 review.
I just downloaded this on Game Pass but haven't played it yet. I may have to dive into it now!
Oh cool, Ive been playing this game the last few days! Dropping everything to watch right now
Nice review! And congrats on 80k, I hope this year you'll reach 200k!
200k! That's quite the lofty goal.
@@Cannotbetamed1 You deserve that and much more! This channel is such a hidden gem, I'll keep sharing it whenever I can
I just got the Japanese import with the soundtrack and art book. I’ve only played about an hour so far. I am still finishing up Shinsekai at the moment, which after just beating the final boss a few days ago, I can say is truly one of the most unique, beautiful and enjoyable games I’ve played recently.
Re: Equip Item Variety - does it have anything near SOTN's huge amount?
No, it's not quite as much as SotN
Congrats on hitting 80,000 subscribers!!!
Thank you
I am going to hold off on fully watching this until I can get this on Switch.
You look beautuful in this video. I hope that is not awkward, I just believe in complimenting people.
Hopefully its on Switch soon.
I think it's coming January 28th.
@@Cannotbetamed1 Any idea if it is physical and digital? I think I am going to have to buy a new Micro SD card.
I thought of your channel the moment I saw this game in the shop the other day. So glad to see you review this game! Your reviews are always great and admire the little details of going the extra mile to wear outfits that match the aesthetic of the game. Your necklace definitely fits the Elvish look. Love the honest review, I might use a Game Pass trial to give this game a try. Great review Pam!
Thank you!
Very nice! I'll be checking it out. Thanks Pam!
No problem.
Picked this up physically yesterday. It's a nice palette cleanser from elden ring
Was a great game. A little short. Each boss I beat in 1-2 attempts, but very fun without ever feeling frustrating
Looks like a fun one, I’ll have to make this my next metroidvania after I finish Blasphemous
How's Blasphemous going for you?
@@Cannotbetamed1 I’m obsessed, it took about an hour for the combat to click but once it did I fell in love
Deedlit, now that’s a name I haven’t heard for a long time.
I'm TheMultiGunMan and I'm here to watch videos of people talking about video games. :-)
Your eyeliner game is on point 💁♀
Thank you! Thought I'd try something new.
This was great, thanks. Was interested to know more about the title and hope to play soon.
Glad it was helpful!
I think context needs to be applied regarding this game. This game is more of a promotional material to the new Novel/Manga for Record of Lodoss War. It's a clever way of tying the 'old' generation and the 'new' one, with Deedlit being the link in both.
Having said this, boss fights will be more or less memorable depending on how familiar you are with the franchise. I felt the game it's kind of a 'recap episode' of the highlights of the story before Deedlit embarks in the new adventure covered in the new novel/manga (and referenced directly in the game's ending). You get to fight all the plot relevant enemies of the story + some plot interesting (spoilery) choices.
The fact that Pirotess (the dark elf antagonist) is also kind of going through the same as the protagonist is a nice touch considering their parallelisms in the main story (Deedlit/Parn vs Pirotess/Ashram). So even in a game with so few words, you can draw more meaning out of it with previous context. Would say this game is more aimed at Record of Lodoss fans than metroidvania fans.
understanding a record of war of lodoss Is unfortunately a requirement for being able to play this entire game and understand and enjoy it Personally I do not understand Why They didn't Include The Anime With the game It would explain a lot
A Record of Lodoss War game? In 2022? Yes please.
I agree 100% with this review, I definitely enjoyed my time with Deedlit though, and I'm really looking forward to an expanded sequel.
I hope you get a chance to try Valdis Story: Abysal City. The combat and the replay value is amazing!
I have Valdis Story, haven't gotten around to it yet though. Wish it was on console.
I bought this on Steam a while back but haven't gotten around to it yet. It's weird. Never read or watched the Manga/Anime, never played a game (though I own the Dreamcast game), but I know a little bit about the games somehow for reasons even I don't understand. It's interesting because they're clones of more popular games but they do them well. The Super Famicom game is kind of like Tactics Ogre meets Dragon Quest with adventuring around a world map and going to town to town but with grid based battles, but also it's own thing. The Mega CD game is like Shining Force, but also it's own thing. The Dreamcast one is a Diablo clone, but it's own thing and this one is a Symphony of the Night clone, but it's own thing. It's like they're not shy at all about what they're ripping off but they do make an attempt to make the games good instead of thinking the I.P. and it looking like another popular game is all they need to do.
I have enough Metroidvanias in my backlog so I think I'll be removing this from my wishlist. Thanks for the honest review
That's really cool for me to learn that record of loddus war started as a tabletop RPG. I was a fan of the anime and always assumed it started there or as a manga.
Solid and very accurate review. Fun game, short and easy. Boss fights were cool, with the exception of the final boss fight for me. Overall a really fun game.
Thank you for your time. That was an excellent review. I will have to try this one out.
Hope you enjoy it!
looking gorgeous x and such a great voice, I played a little of wonder, i liked it.
I would love if this engine got a second chance. Another setting with a better map designer.
Some areas had nice art, and some had cool puzzle elements, but most was bland and boring. Either they had been rushed, the designers lost their mojo, or they got the boss made em do things differently than they wanted to (which could lead to the 2nd point)
99% of SotNs areas show signs of designers taking their time and putting their heart into it. And then the 2nd castle which was a quick asset flip (lol) is kinda how I feel toward this. No heart, just more.
Wasn't so bad In SotN, since it took the same beautiful work of art and made you traverse it in a new way it wasn't necessarily built for, coupled with a new tint and a new music which gave an uneasy feeling of dread. Wasnt so bad but still wasn't perfect.
I'm pretty sure the same engine is used for Touhou Luna Nights. I can't say that map is all that much more interesting, but I do like the mechanics more.
The story adds to the lore and story of RoLW so yes, it won't make much sense to someone who never watched the OVAs or the TV series.
I don't think I've heard about this game before. It does look good in the art and animation department.