NEO TITAN is an upcoming bullet hell metroidvania from the team that created Archvale. We tried an exhilarating demo of what’s to come.
During the summer of 2022, I randomly picked up an unassuming bullet hell called Archvale with a roommate. Its box art of a knight with a silly grimace intrigued me. Over the next couple of days, we could not put it down. We were in complete awe of its challenging bullet patterns. So much so, I have not stopped thinking about its snappy gameplay since. In the interim, developer idoz & phops have been cooking an improved formula called NEO TITAN. If its fantastic demo is any indication, it is that they learned all the right lessons.
Atmosphere is not discussed enough. The first cutscene shows a robot with a blade for an arm going up an elevator. Dropped into an alien atmosphere, there are plenty of hostile enemies to make short work of. In this sizable demo that is not available to the public (yet), I got to see a taste of NEO TITAN. And I can say right out of the gate that I am eagerly awaiting the full release. Exploring wondrous forests, venomous lakes, and dangerous caves, it is an extremely fun and intense video game.
Best of Both Worlds
As a bullet hell metroidvania, it marries the best of both worlds. It all boils down to movement. Armed with a dash, your combat automaton has precise control of each move. Because every projectile coming your way has you swiftly avoiding them, it is required. The fact that the game throws at you various attacks means being on the edge of your seat at all times. There are fast and slow projectiles, ones that chase you while enemies drop from the ceiling, and some even cover almost the whole arena. This is an intense, combat-heavy adventure that will only reward you if you are wired in.
Did you ever hear how in Super Mario Bros. there were invisible platforms just before jumping off ledges to create the illusion of pulling it off just right? I believe NEO TITAN took a page from that design school. Swinging a slick blade, it looks like it does not have that much reach. Luckily enough, and especially against fast-moving bosses, it actually reaches farther than what it looks. This makes its three-hit combo particularly satisfying to pull off, briefly stunning enemies when nailing that final attack.
To keep things interesting, there is the addition of a firearm. Its ammo can only be generated by hitting enemies. Once filled, unloading the weapon on an unsuspecting foe feels so good. NEO TITAN is a game that rewards aggression. After defeating a tough boss underground, I obtained a repair orb, once again asking me to hit enemies to charge it and fill it up. Implementing the several upgrades available in the town’s shop enhanced certain abilities, like charging the repair orb faster. These design choices ended up making me risk life and limb more often than not. And then there’s exploration.
Every Nook And Cranny
As an avid fan of their previous work, this veritably is the evolution of their platforming mechanics. From a top-down perspective, it would seem there is not much flexibility to traverse. Leave it to idoz & phops to unquestionably figure it out. There are bouncy surfaces to jump from, an orb that you attack and propels you forward, or a pole or stem to hold on to. Using the dash with each of these moves opens up the possibilities that will test you in challenge rooms to see how well you know the mechanics.
From what I played, this demo has all the hallmarks of a stellar adventure. All in all, Idoz & phops seem bursting with creative ideas eager to apply them on NEO TITAN. It is clearly a step up in pixel art animation, movement responsiveness, bullet hell patterns, and atmosphere. Exploring its secret-ridden alien ecosystems to its last corners is something I will be impatiently waiting for until its launch.
NEO TITAN is available to wishlist on Steam.
