Ultros

“Ultros is easy enough that you rarely have to fully engage with its most interesting mechanics, and its writing struggles to effectively convey its lofty ideals. But the lines still connect together at the end, turning this metroidvania into a beautiful, circular experience of presence and balance. It’s a game that wants you to see the world differently when you finish it, and the way everything is connected. If nothing else, what other game lets you take a stroll through an umbilical cord?”

“ULTROS is a psychedelic metroidvania where you wake up stranded on The Sarcophagus — a cosmic uterus holding an ancient, demonic being. Trapped in the loop of a black hole, you will have to explore The Sarcophagus and meet its inhabitants to understand the part you play...”

“Psychedelic stylings accompany a game of transformation and discovery.”

“Ultros is a fascinating new Metroidvania where bombs and missiles are replaced with gardening tools.”

“"Just when you thought Ultros couldn't get any more outlandish, it has its own gardening system."”

“Ultros' experimentation with elements from both roguelites and metroidvanias creates an enthralling combination accentuated by a captivating setting.”

“A psychedelic metroidvania game with hints of time loop and roguelike mechanics, the game sees you seemingly having crash landed on a massive structure known as the Sarcophagus, which houses the ominous being known as Ultros. Making use of alien gardens and biology in order to further one's skills, players have to fight their way through to break the loop, or maybe find hidden pacifist solutions along the way instead.”

“Expect to be confused, bewildered, and visually seduced by Ultros, but don't expect to be too surprised by what simmers beneath the surface.”

“A psychedelic trip best appreciated twice.”

“With a gameplay approach that is as psychedelic, disconcerting, and unique as its visual style, Ultros is a constant stimulus for the senses. If you value originality and like different games, don't hesitate to give it a try.”

“Sometimes visuals are enough to carry a game and they certainly take Ultros far, although mediocre combat and some jankiness slightly undermines the unique vision.”

“Ultros is a bold and beautiful artistic vision, but a convoluted Metroidvania.”

“Ultros is a kaleidoscope game. It takes a handful of ordinary things, shakes them up and sticks the pieces together, and then spins it all around. It's just a different version of what we've seen dozens of times before, sure. But it feels special, and it sure does look good.”

“Ultros is ultimately an excellent game, and I loved almost every minute I spent with it exploring what is really a giant work of art. The storytelling, the music, the art, the design and exploration are all wonderful to experience, even if its biggest puzzle mechanic is also its biggest frustration. But those frustrations don't overshadow the things that make Ultros shine, and they are all why it is a must-play game for Metroidvania fans, or anyone that just wants to be awed by what they're looking at every five minutes.”

“Ultros is a passionate and addictive Metroidvania, with excellent art design and level design, strong in impactful graphics and an art direction of absolute value. It is a long-lived and detailed video game, very original and multifaceted, with a game design that explores its every potential in a peculiar way. A must have if you are a fan of the genre, and if you are a beginner. It is also particularly suitable for beginners.”

“Further and further in, Ultros’ world seems one of creative, chaotic malleability instead of precision, opening up to sequence-breaking and weird shortcuts through experimentation. It’s a game about amassing the tools and time to carve a connective path with nature, learning the layout of the land, and collaborating with it to continue on. Ultros takes the common ingredients of the modern metroidvania, then transplants them into an utterly original DMT-infused Metroid fever dream, in the very best way.”

“Ultros boasts a visual identity that deserves real recognition, a stunning vision of alien colour with design ideas that live long in the memory. Its platforming and combat can't quite match that vigorous success, sadly. Still, if you're on the hunt for a unique-looking Metroidvania game that comes bursting with ideas and a modest 10-hour runtime with the option of more if you love it, few games can match it for style.”

“Ultros is a game with a very strong visual identity, trippy theme and a few unique mechanics, like its gardening system for upgrades and abilities. Strip away the psychedelic art and gauzy narrative, however, and you’re left with a somewhat familiar-playing 2D Metroidvania. That isn’t necessarily bad, but I wish the game’s combat and exploration matched the imagination of its art.”