Constance

“Constance is a game that’s tragically at odds with itself. Its story feels like a warm blanket, but its boss battles are a trial by fire. Its world is vibrant, but its map is cumbersome. Perhaps that’s the point — that finding solace takes pain, perseverance, and self-determination. I can respect the vision, but I’m just not sure the final product did that vision justice. I admire the effort put into Constance and commend bildundtonfabrik for treating the mental health crisis with the care and compassion it deserves. If ever the team created a sequel, this canvas could really take flight. As is, Constance is a good oeuvre that could’ve been great.”

“Un videojuego entrañable, con alma, sin aspiraciones de convertirse en ningún bombazo, sino de contarnos una historia, hacernos reflexionar, y disfrutar muchísimo con su estilo artístico, sus melodías, sus mecánicas y sus controles por el camino”

“A heartfelt, visually striking Metroidvania with meaningful storytelling and sharp platforming. While its boss encounters and accessibility suite fall short of its strongest ideas, Constance delivers an emotionally rich journey that’s well worth experiencing.”

“But did I enjoy my time with Constance? I did, despite my rageful moments. Constance presents a deeper than surface-level approach to the Metroidvania genre and poses the question “What would our inner world look like in cases of significant anxiety and depression in our external world?” In recent years, I have been someone who struggles more with anxiety. It’s not easy at times, but Constance allowed myself, and hopefully others, to understand this one thing: it’s OK to ask for help.”

“Constance proves itself a heartfelt, visually striking title worth your time. While it doesn’t reinvent the formula, its vibrant hand‑drawn art style and fluid combat make the journey through its diverse biomes engaging. The game’s thematic focus on battling inner demons adds depth to the adventure, tying gameplay progression to the protagonist’s personal growth in a way that resonates beyond the screen.”

“Wielding incredible style, an emotional story, and layered action, Constance strives to be more than just another derivative Metroidvania in a sea of heavy-hitters. It may be overshadowed by some monoliths but this painterly tale has a few strokes of genius.”

“Constance is a beautiful game with a much-needed message. Its movement mechanics place it among this year's best platformers, and its metroidvania essence is the best invitation to thoroughly explore all these great hand-painted locations.”

“Constance, a Metroidvania, manages to blend charm, difficulty, and emotional impact – a combination that’s hard to find in smaller games. The game’s narrative, mechanics, and graphics are expertly crafted together.”

“Constance delivers an enjoyable Metroidvania experience that blends smooth platforming movement with fast-paced combat, offering a delightfully challenging adventure. Despite its simple story and short playtime, the game’s world and level design are excellent, and the sound design and music greatly enhance immersion at every moment. It’s an experience we recommend to anyone seeking a compelling challenge, artistic beauty, and rich audio enjoyment all at once.”

“Constance is a beautiful and challenging action-adventure game that uses metroidvania mechanics to explore the hardships of mental and emotional burnout.”

“Constance is a Metroidvania that is both beautiful and hard, with unique controls, beautiful hand-drawn art, and a quiet emotional core. Constance is a rewarding journey that stands tall in its genre thanks to its depth, creativity, and heart.”

“Visually arresting and mechanically fluid, Constance paints a beautiful picture of mental health via satisfying paintbrush combat. It doesn't reinvent the Metroidvania wheel and stumbles with late-game pacing, but the exquisite art direction and emotive score make this short journey an essential play for genre fans.”

“Constance arrives in a year full of standout releases, reaffirming the indie developer’s strong presence. While classified as a Metroidvania, it stands apart from others with a psychologically impactful story, polished and enjoyable gameplay, and worlds designed like works of art. Its only drawback is the lack of fast travel between save points, and its length is relatively short for the genre.”

“Constance shines with its vibrant 2D art, crisp platforming, and some clever progression ideas, but ultimately plays second fiddle to one of the genre’s greats. It’s far from a bad game—quite the opposite—but its strengths don’t make it easier to choose over a top-tier rival at the same price. Still, it’s enjoyable in its own right and serves as a refreshing break when Silksong has you worn down.”

“The game world is a bit like Constance herself: charming but unsettled.”

“Constance is a fantastic game that I would recommend to anyone who’s a fan of the genre.”

“Constance is a game about confronting your inner darkness. Its hand-drawn cartoony art style won me over initially. Its challenging platforming puzzles and boss fights that required me to fully utilize the plethora of techniques I’d learned throughout the journey kept me engaged and always felt satisfying to complete. This fluid and extremely rewarding gameplay loop alone solidifies Constance as a must-play platformer. The heartfelt story at the core of it all is a welcome added bonus.”

“As far as the story goes, Constance’s is one of relatability. We all work, or have stress in our lives that can be hard to overcome. Sometimes this gets on top of us. Sometimes we want to get away from it all. And this is where the story of Constance lies. Overworked and overtired, the protagonist falls deeper and deeper into her painting until she is absorbed by it. Now, I must be honest here. I didn’t fully grasp the story, and as much as I’m sure it will only develop further, I was only able to observe what I assume is a small sliver. Told to me through cutscenes and small interactive segments, I was shown a world through the eyes of someone who was struggling with the demands of a working life. Something most of us can agree on is hard from time to time, as I say. It’s a touching story and a great premise for a narrative. Connecting with the player on a personal level allows them to relate to their player on a closer level. And from what I’ve seen, it’s a story worth seeing through, especially when combined with the brilliant gameplay.”

“Although it never really does anything we haven’t seen before, Constance is well-made enough to be worthy of your time, and does enough to earn its place in a crowded genre.”