Quite a few Metroidvania-like games have come out in the last couple of years —evenKirbyhas tried it.Unsighted,though, is a real sleeper hit. The genre classification of “Metroidvania” really only describes these games' method of exploration, andUnsightedputs plenty of spins on these trops that make the game feel unique.
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Each of these games tends to play differently from others in the genre.Unsighted, made by Pixel Punk Games, is different in a good number of ways. And, because of that, there’s a lotthat players need to know going into itthat should save them a lot of time adjusting.
7Parrying Is Mandatory
First and foremost, master the parry timing in this game. There are some combat-oriented roguelikes or Metroidvanias that have a parry mechanic,such asKena: Bridge of Spirits. In most, though. it’s meant to be used sparingly or can be ignored entirely. That’s not the case inUnsighted.
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Often, the most efficient way to win every encounter as quickly as possible is tocounterattack after a parry each time. Thankfully, Master Cecilia’s shop In the Gear Village has the Parry Training exercises to help players master this mechanic without losing any Bolts.
6Get Comfortable With Backtracking
Just like any Metroidvania, especially the actualMetroidgames themselves),Unsightedis a game where players will be backtracking to previous areas constantly. This is the only way to solve puzzles they couldn’t even attempt previously.
This whole genre of games is built around seeing chests or items just out of reach, getting a new method of traversal, and realizing that that previously unreachable item is now obtainable. Thankfully, the map in this game does let players put down a few custom waypoints, but it really is worth it to make note of all important locations.
5The Timer Gets More Forgiving
The Timer system, especially in the early game, seems to be the greatest factor that led to players becoming fed up withUnsighted. Alma herself is on a timer, and so many NPCs seem to have sub-100 hours left before becoming Unsighted when the game starts. It can be disheartening, especially when, at most, players only know about the Meteor Dust system.
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As the game goes on, thougj, there are more methods to make extending the timers for NPCs more bearable. Players discover ways to turn Bolts into Meteor Dust, steal more time for Alma from other NPCs, or increase the number of hours each Dust restores. While it seems rough at first, it gets better and easier to keep this cast of Automatons alive.
4It Takes A Bit To Get Used To The Combat
Another thing that many players wish they knew at the start is likely the intricacies ofUnsighted’scombat system. There are more mechanics to learn than the parrying trick mentioned earlier,and that learning period can be a bit tedious.For example, players should know going in that:
With this knowledge,Unsightedwould likely feel a lot better in the first couple of hours. Currently, it’s a bit janky while people try and adjust to the relatively unorthodox combat systems. Once again, this isn’t saying the combat system is bad.It might not rank among some of the all-time greats,but it’s well-made and works great for the setting. The only issues is that the initial lack of explanation the combat harder to learn than it arguably should be.
3Max Out Chip Slots Before Iris Becomes Unsighted
One ofUnsighted’s most interesting mechanics is the Chip Set system, reminiscent of something out ofNier Automata. Players start with a certain number of “chip slots” which they can fill with any number of chips. These can do anything from increasing Stamina, to reducing reload speed, to even granting more item drops per kill. To make the best of this system, Alma needs to spend her Bolts at any Terminal to increase her maximum Chip Slots.
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What many people didn’t know until too late is that Iris, the Fairy Bot familiar of Alma, is the one who governed that function. Once she becomes Unsighted, that function is locked, off and players can no longer increase their max Chip Slots. So, even if her Bond is already maxed out, try and keep Iris alive until those slots are at maximum capacity.
2There Are Missable Sidequests & Endings
The entirety ofUnsightedfunctions on a clock with day/night cycles, certain events on certain days, and so on. For the most part, these elaborate systems and differentiated endings work incredibly well for the setting of the game.
However, many people don’t know going in that certain events can be missed entirely if Alma takes too long. Understanding this would definitely cause many gamers to shift their playstyle. To give a small hint, a part of the path to the “True” ending has to do with the door leading to the giant scythe above the Cathedral Entrance in the Downtown area.
1The Wallet Chip Is Mandatory
Lastly, there are a few unique Chips that players can equip on Alma, which are worth mentioning. These, along with playstyle preference and weapons, are what dictates a player’s “build” for Alma, with chips arguably impacting it the most. Some turn Alma into a health sponge, some make guns a much more viable option. Others are just plain convenient, such as the Wallet Chip.
This Chip disables one of the game’s functions: Alma dropping all her bolts whenever she dies,similar to other indie hits likeHollow KnightorShovel Knight.With this chip equipped, the only penalty for dying is a small loss of progress and time, rather than all of the player’s bolts. It’s another way to make this relatively challenging game a bit more approachable.
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