In a genre space as crowded as Metroidvanias, it’s always nice to see a game come along that attempts to push the envelope and offer something new. Brainwash Gang’sLaika: Aged Through Bloodis just that kind of game, a self-described “Motovania” that mixes the traditional elements of a Metroidvania with physics-based, motorcycle-dependent traversal akin toExcitebikeor theTrialsseries. It’s a compelling left-field genre experiment that, for the players it clicked with, delivered one of the more memorable and exciting takes on the Metroidvania formula in years at the time of its release. After making its way to PC and other consoles in 2023,Laikahas now officially landed on theNintendo Switch, which raises the question of whether Switch owners should add the game to their library given how many other Metroidvanias players have access to on the platform.
Unfortunately, whileLaika: Aged Through Blood’s general design and mechanics are near-flawless and bolstered by incredible art direction, a poignant, heart-wrenching narrative, and a beautifully melancholic soundtrack, recommending the title comes with some substantial caveats. For those who can wrap their mind around the game’s unique approach to traversal,Laika: Aged Through Bloodoffers some zen-like “flow-state” moments that fully deliver on the game’s full-throttled power fantasy. For others, attempting the same sections over and over again will be an exercise in frustration that dilutes the experience’s high points. And, unfortunately, the game’s performance on the Switch leaves a lot to be desired, especially in a title where one-hit kills give way to a need to jump right back into the action.
Laika: Aged Through Blood Excels In an Area Where Many Metroidvania Titles Fall Flat
Unlike a lot ofMetroidvania titles, which either emphasize gameplay over narrative or use more indirect methods of storytelling,Laika: Aged Through Blood’s tale of survival in a bleak and unforgiving world is one of the game’s strongest pulls. Players are quickly introduced to Laika and her world, a place inhabited by anthropomorphic animals on the brink of extinction thanks to an imperialistic army of birds. The Birds are a malicious and diabolical presence that has committed genocide against the other species inLaika’s world, and the game does not hold back when it comes to exposing the horrors of war and the cost of seeking revenge.Laikadoesn’t just include its plot as a reason to make the game violent (which, it most definitely is) but instead confronts the broader philosophical quandaries about war and the fruitless quest for vengeance, examining what happens when people are pushed to the edge and become the monsters they’ve been wronged by.
The game does a great job of delivering this story through narrative devices both direct and indirect. As Laika travels through the world and meets other survivors, she can take on side quests that flesh out details regarding both the characters and the world they inhabit, and each one is almost always worth doing simply for the story payoff, regardless of what rewards they provide. Dialogue is smartly written and doesn’t pull any punches when it comes to exposing the hopelessness and fatalistic views of the world’s inhabitants, but there are also some moments of levity and heart that showcaseLaika’s world as being one worth fighting for. The closest analog would be something likeMad MaxmeetsAnimal Farm, and Brainwash Gang has done a commendable job crafting and delivering what could have otherwise been a trite revenge tale. It’s not an exaggeration to say that there are moments inLaikathat are genuinely affecting and will hit like an emotional gut punch, especially after spending so much time getting to know these characters and their struggles, both collective and individual.
Laika’s Motorcycle Completely Transforms Traditional Metroidvania Gameplay
The twin pillars of any Metroidvania are combat and traversal, and the use of a motorcycle as the primary means of transportation results inLaika: Aged Through Bloodbeing completely unlike any other game in the genre. Laika’s dependency on her motorcycle each time she ventures out gives the developers license to get very creative with world design and platforming, especially when common abilities like jumping or descending through platforms are impossible. Instead, players have to make careful use of ramps, loop-de-loops, and a midair shotgun blast to reach previously inaccessible areas. Not only are environments fun to traverse, with each one acting as its own miniatureTrialscourse, butLaika’s unique traversal and platforming elements transform the traditional ability-gating andprogression systemsone might expect to find in a Metroidvania.
While there are some bespoke upgrades Laika can either find or purchase (such as a hook, a turbo-jump, and other expansions to her combat and platforming toolkits), most of the progression inLaikacomes about via upgrades and collecting resources. There are resource deposits for roughly two dozen different kinds of materials, which Laika can shoot and collect each time she revisits an area. Exchanging these parts with the blacksmith (along with the game’s currency, the Birds' viscera) rewards new weapons or upgrades to existing ones, opening up new avenues of player expression in how they tackle the game’s thrilling combat.
While riding her motorcycle, Laika is practically an unstoppable force of destruction, careening straight for any unsuspecting birds in her way, and getting to dole out punishment to these avian oppressors is undoubtedlyLaika’s high point. The physics that govern how the motorcycle handles allow players to pull off midair flips that are essential in the midst of combat. A backflip reloads Laika’s current weapon, while a front flip canparrybullets back toward enemies when executed perfectly. Parrying is also possible while on the ground thanks to a quick 180-degree pivot of the motorcycle with the press of a button, which is an essential technique not just for combat but for quickly navigating some of the more perilous platforming challengesLaikahas in store.
When it all clicks, there is simply nothing else inthe Metroidvania genrelikeLaika: Aged Through Blood. That said, the learning curve to get there is incredibly steep and continually punishing. Everything inLaikawill kill the player in a single hit, making each pass through an area a brush with death that has a razor-thin margin for error. Dying inLaikais frequent, especially early on, and the use of “corpse running” to retrieve lost supplies at the point of death means players might get stuck repeating the same areas to hang on to valuable currency. Ultimately, though, the satisfaction of clearing these challenging sections is tantamount to the feeling of defeating a challenging boss in a Soulslike game, making the juice mostly worth the squeeze.
This especially holds true for the game’s bosses, each of which is mechanically well-designed but only surmountable through copioustrial and error. Every one of these fights makes great use of the tools at Laika’s disposal and requires players to put every skill they’ve learned into practice, providing a substantial payoff when you solve the “puzzle” of how exactly each one is supposed to be fought. But, again, the one-hit kills that are a core component ofLaika’s combat loop require players to tackle each boss in a “perfect” run, which makes what would otherwise be a minor misstep a fatal mistake.
Some Minor Issues Hold Laika: Aged Through Blood Back From Greatness
WhenLaika: Aged Through Bloodis firing on all cylinders, it’s not uncommon to achieve a blissful zen-like flow in how you move from one screen to the next, eliminating enemies with ease and backflipping through the air in a graceful display of deadly acrobatics. But, eventually, mistakes will be made that result in death and a restart. Games that feature death as a frequent occurrence are usually able to sidestep frustrating players by allowing them to quickly get right back into the action. WhileLaika: Aged Through Blooddoes allow for quick respawns on other platforms, extended loading times on the Switch version result in each death significantly drawing the experience out. And in agame where death occursas often as it does inLaika, long loading times to get back in the action completely kills any sense of momentum that the experience would otherwise provide.
Certain areas also struggle to maintain smooth framerates on the Switch version ofLaika, especially during tense segments where there are plenty of enemies present or a giant boss to take down. During the times whenLaikademands the most from the player, the Switch often struggles to keep up, resulting in some choppy performance and stuttering that can often mean the difference between life and death. These sections of the game aren’t frequent enough to ruin the experience, but they do detract from what’s otherwise a smartly designed andunique Metroidvania.
My experience playing throughLaika: Aged Through Bloodon the Switch took a total of 26 hours, which is substantially longer than the 18-hour average most players report. It’s worth noting that I took my time when approaching encounters, choosing to tackle each section methodically with lots of starting and stopping rather than going in with guns blazing.
The Switch has no shortage of excellentMetroidvania titles, andLaika: Aged Through Bloodis well worth the time of any Switch owner who is a fan of the genre. But just becauseLaikais an easy recommendation doesn’t mean that it will be to everyone’s tastes, and it certainly requires a lot from the player to get the most out of the experience. For those who don’t mind a steep challenge and a unique approach to the classic elements of a Metroidvania,Laika: Aged Through Bloodis a worthwhile experience that immediately earns its place as one of the great modern titles in the genre.
WHERE TO PLAY
Laika: Aged Through Bloodis out now PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. Game Rant was provided a Switch code for this review.
