Finally finished my first game from 2024 and it was something special. This is the best game I've played in years, and might be the best thing Ubisoft has put out since.... Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory?

This is the first game in a long time that made an immediate impact with how satisfying its gameplay is. The opening sequence is a lengthy gauntlet of combat setpieces that teach you the basics. Even before you've unlocked any new abilities you have a host of combos that are immensely fun to pull off, and despite being a Metroidvania, the Lost Crown's combat outshines most beat-em-ups.

Then there's the platforming which starts out good and gets better with a host of new traversal abilities, and loads of platforming gauntlets to put your skills to the test. Along with the challenging combat and platforming sequences there are numerous boss encounters that were consistently some of the most delightful I've experienced in years. They make great use of the game's parry mechanic which evokes Sekiro in its risk/reward thrills.

My biggest complaint is a staple of a lot of Metroidvanias and action adventure games in general: Crappy unlocks. The worst offender I can recall was Jedi Survivor, where I would spend hours hunting down collectibles hoping for some health upgrades or something else useful, only to unlock costumes I would never use, or lightsaber cosmetics I wouldn't even notice if I did use them. Lost Crown isn't quite so egregious in this regard, but often your reward for exploring are the crystals used as currency that can also be farmed from enemies. Then there are amulets that function like Hollow Knight's charms, most of which have their uses but you will inevitably wind up using your limited slots on your favorites. And once again, there are cosmetics, none of which are as cool as the Warrior Within costume I unlocked with the code that came in the game box. At one point I completed what is arguably the most challenging platforming sequence in the game, sweating bullets by the end, only to be rewarded with another gaudy character skin. 30+ attempts for something I would have ignored had I known what disappointment I was in for. But there are enough legitimate upgrades like health and amulet slots to keep the rewards interesting. It simply could have been done better.

Overall this is in my Top 3 Metroidvanias, and now I don't know what to feel about the future of Ubisoft. It was much easier to write them off entirely when I was confident they no longer had anything of value to offer. Hopefully this is a sign they are considering making more quality single-player campaigns that don't force in insipid live service mechanics.