Gestalt: Steam & Cinder Review

I first played the demo for Gestalt: Steam & Cinder way back in 2020. Since then, my taste in games has changed. Not drastically or anything, but enough that I wondered if this game would be as fun as I remembered it being. Good news – the graphics and the level design are still excellent. Plus it turns out this is a metroidvania! Imagine my surprise. Seriously, I can barely remember anything about the demo. Even if you also forget this game existed until now, I promise you won’t forget the full release anytime soon.

Gestalt is a 2D metroidvania set in a steampunk city teetering on the brink of war. You play a Soldner named Aletheia doing odd jobs for decent pay. You’re slowly drawn into the various nasty messes at the heart of this mechanical kingdom. The story is okay, though it feels like everyone is just treading water until the major conflict spins up. Oh, you’re reluctant to start killing your sworn enemy again? The ones you can’t stop grinding your teeth over? I super believe you. The writing is decent enough otherwise, though it’s nothing compared to the visuals.

Truly Gorgeous Pixel Art

Yes, we’re being flooded with 2D pixel art masterpieces but look at this game. Look at it. The animation is downright hypnotic, the character models are gorgeous, and the backgrounds! Every level feels like it was crafted by an artisan in a dusty workshop with a tiny chisel and a jeweler’s lens. I love Aletheia’s design in particular. She feels like a high-concept badass, like Roland (the gunslinger) or Anne Bonny (actual pirate). Long red hair and a sword/shot combo? Hell yes, sign me right up. More or less every major character you meet is equally cool in their own way. Gestalt is just dripping with visual charisma.

Combat is pretty good! By that I mean the regular battles are engaging and exciting, while the boss fights are a deadly slog. They just take ages for what feels like no good reason. It’s like they took the standard battles and stretched them, accordion style, to an almost comical degree. On the other hand, those standard fights are quite well crafted. You feel pressed, but not overwhelmed. Mistakes are costly and dangerous, but you’re allowed to make them. The enemy variety is decent, though it still repeats enough to get you trained up for the bosses.

Daily Dodge Rations

My one major roadblock was the dodge roll. Every other input was smooth and seamless, but executing that one got clumsy at times. You see, the dodge is connected to a recharging energy meter. So if you try and execute two in a row, you just sort of hang out while the enemy skewers and/or smashes into you. It’s a second set of timings I had to master, along with backsteps, shots, and slashes. I just wish you could, you know, dodge all the time. Why is it linked to such a tiny stamina meter? On the other hand, you’ve got a massive upgrade tree and many chances to fill it out. So you can compensate for your limited dodge if nothing else.

Gestalt being a metroidvania is either an inherent flaw or a feature, depending on your leanings. Personally, I love the genre, so long as you’re slowly building power along with your map. Said map is an important element as well. Thankfully, this one points out unopened doors, which is so critical. Otherwise, you go from occasionally lost to constantly lost. I didn’t mind a bit of backtracking, since it let me do some level grinding along the way. It takes a few hours, but once you cross the double-jump boundary, the whole game opens up. Metroidvanias just don’t feel right without it, you know?

Double Jump Countdown

Since this is a pixel art game, it runs like a marathon on most PCs. My Stealth 16 Studio A13V got a little hot, but there is a heat wave happening right now. The actual game is flawlessly executed.

It turns out I’m an absolute sucker for a well-crafted metroidvania. Crunchy combat, smooth progression, and gorgeous aesthetics all keep me locked in place for a complete playthrough. It took ages to get a grip on that bloody dodge-roll, but I eventually got there. Also, the bosses too often felt either padded out or pointlessly dense. It never felt like they hit that balance. But the rest of the experience was so compelling, I didn’t mind that much. If you’re in the market for a pretty excellent metroidvania, Gestalt: Steam & Cinder has got your number.

***A Steam key was provided by the publisher***