Adventure of Samsara Review – A Slow-Burn Worth the Climb

Adventure of Samsara Review

The first thing that stood out to me about Adventure of Samsara was its visual style, but in two ways. First, the 2D pixel art was animated beautifully. Second, the wider camera setting felt really unique for a 2D action-adventure side-scrolling title. After diving into the game, various other aspects of the title help set it apart. If you’re looking for a robust Metroidvania title that does things a little differently, look no further than Adventure of Samsara.

Adventure of Samsara puts you in the role of the Solar Champion, a dead Plutonian resurrected by the primordial light of the Sun to restore balance to the multiverse. As players navigate through the game’s ten different biomes, they will uncover different aspects of the narrative and worldbuilding. The game’s story does enough to get the ball rolling, and the continued narrative plays a strong role in the game. Based on the character design it was hard not to feel like someone known for praising the sun. A bonus of sorts.

As a 2D side-scrolling action-adventure Metroidvania, there isn’t much to describe about this game that you likely haven’t heard already. These types of games have saturated the gaming landscape in recent years, but for a good reason… a lot of them are really good games. Players will fight enemies, climb ledges, make jumps, and unlock skills and upgrades en route to completing various objectives. Where Adventure of Samsara sets itself apart from the games typically in this genre are its combat and climbing.

A Different Feel

I haven’t personally experienced every single Metroidvania game in existence, but Adventure of Samsara’s platforming element felt different from others, as it employs a grab mechanic to grab onto ledges. While not a completely groundbreaking feature, it was a nice touch to demonstrate how not all jumps are easily made, but it also allows for a bit of variety in the platforming. As for its combat, Adventure of Samsara is notably slower and more deliberate than its contemporaries. This slower pace of combat results in uncancellable attacks and an overall more strategic approach to combat. Both of these aspects allow the game to be what it sets out to be rather than simply another game in the genre.

Overall, the gameplay of Adventure of Samsara is right up there with other titles within the genre. Its overall experience is enhanced by the little aspects that set it apart from its peers. However, with these aspects, particularly with its combat, there are some equivalent downsides. The combat feels more strategic and deliberate, which also means that the game is relatively challenging as players get used to the subtle differences. This personally had me struggling already early on in the game, and that could put some people off.

Solid Where it Counts

The game has solid visuals and audio. As alluded to in the opening of this review, the game has a camera perspective that shows off more of the environment. This was a welcome change and allows players to enjoy the scenery a bit more. Likewise, the audio of the game was on point and helped to enhance the overall gameplay. Where the audio and visual aspects of the game really shone was in conjunction with the story. The game felt like a retro title… pixel graphics, relatively wild story. It honestly felt like I was playing some sort of sci-fi fantasy cartoon back in the ’80s or ‘90s, and for that, I quite enjoyed the experiential side of Adventure of Samsara.

Overall, Adventure of Samsara is a solid 2D side-scrolling action-adventure game with Metroidvania roots. Its strengths lie in its deliberate combat, immaculate vibes, and unique camera perspective. It’s held back from greatness due to its challenging nature and decisions, which may hinder it from gaining mainstream attraction, not limited to its release timing. For anyone with an interest in Metroidvania titles, Adventure of Samsara is worth a look, whether in the immediate or distant future.

*** A review code was provided by the publisher ***