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Crypt Custodian is a new metroidvania style game by developer Kyle Thompson, who also made the game Islets. Metroidvania is a combination of the game titles ‘Metroid‘ and ‘Castlevania‘. It’s used to describe games that are typically non-linear, 2D, and focus on player exploration. Although I don’t think I’ve ever played a metroidvania, after watching the trailer for Crypt Custodian, I knew that was about to change. I mean, who doesn’t want to play as an adorable cat cleaning up the afterlife? While we received the game for free, as always, this Crypt Custodian review is entirely my own, honest opinion.

Crypt Custodian masterfully implements all of the hallmarks of a metroidvania. It’s full of combat, puzzles, upgrades, and places to explore at your own pace. If you’re totally new to this genre, like me, this may sound a bit daunting, but don’t worry! The endearing art style pulled me in despite my lack of skill in these areas, and not to toot my own horn, I’ve done alright. If I can do it, practically anybody can. Read on and allow me to tell you why Crypt Custodian is one of the most fun games I’ve played all year!

Story – Death Is Just the Beginning

In Crypt Custodian, you play as Pluto the cat, who has unfortunately recently met his demise. You wake up to find yourself in the afterlife, where you quickly meet Kendra, who’s the Guardian of the Afterlife. It’s not long before you’re banished from the Palace, forced to be a janitor and clean forevermore! Luckily, it’s not as bad as Kendra would like you to think it is.

As you sweep your way along, you meet all sorts of quirky friends, including Grizz. Grizz has a master plan to break into the Palace. He wants to steal the Crystal Mirror inside, which allows you to visit your loved ones who are still alive. However, you can only join him if you gather up ten friends to come as well. With this, we have our main goal: Find and befriend ten ghosts in order to enter the Palace! If your mission is successful, there’s a good chance you can help Pluto see his owners again. Sadly, the living don’t know when the dead visit them. Still, you can’t tell me that’s not one of the best motivators a game could give you!

Gameplay – Go With the Flow

I’ve always loved games with large maps that you can explore at your own pace, and Crypt Custodian is no exception. For the most part, you can go anywhere you’d like at any time. Of course, some places require upgrades to reach. But I never found myself without some idea of where I should go next, which helped to keep me engaged without being frustrated.

While Crypt Custodian’s map is far larger than I anticipated in the beginning, every area is expertly crafted, and you can fast travel between areas using ‘Shrines.’ You can also use them to save your game and equip upgrades as you move through the world. However, I think the game could’ve benefitted from having them just slightly closer together, or adding a few more. Unfortunately, there were a few times where I had traveled for quite a while, only to die just before reaching the next Shrine. As a result, I was teleported to the last one I’d passed and had to do the exact same journey all over again. Although this wasn’t a frequent occurrence, it was frustrating when it happened.

Combat: Pick Your Battles

Since Crypt Custodian allows you to explore the world at your own pace and in your own way, it can be important to recognize when you’re just not ready for something yet. I only experienced this twice, thankfully, particularly with boss fights. However, because I can be quite stubborn, I didn’t stop trying to beat those bosses until I was on the brink of rage-quitting. Please learn from my mistakes. You’ll save yourself a lot of time and energy. This mindset can be applied to combat throughout the game, not just boss fights. For the most part, if you’d prefer to, you can simply whizz right past regular enemies and into the next area. I was really grateful for this when traveling through places I’d been before to explore a new path or obtain an upgrade point I’d left behind.

Outside of my own shortcomings, however, I found the combat to be very fun and easy to learn. Boss fights were almost perfectly balanced, which felt really refreshing. We’ve all played games where bosses are either designed to ruin your day, or the fight only lasts a few minutes. Neither one is an ideal experience, in my opinion. The bosses in Crypt Custodian were challenging, especially for someone who doesn’t play combat games very often, but they were obviously beatable. I don’t think I managed to beat a single one on the first try. There was something about Crypt Custodian that compelled me to keep trying, though. I was never so frustrated that I shut the game down. When I finally did beat a boss, I was able to bask in the glory of a well-earned victory!

Puzzles Galore

Crypt Custodian has it all, including a wide variety of puzzles throughout the game. You’ll encounter them often, whether it’s to progress to the next area, unlock a new upgrade, or find one of the many collectibles. I find puzzles to generally be a bit daunting as I’m not very good at them. That was hardly an issue in Crypt Custodian, because once again, this aspect of the game is wonderfully balanced. Once I got the general idea of how the puzzles worked, completing them was only a light challenge. I was actually looking forward to coming across them!

One of my favorite puzzles from Crypt Custodian is actually from very early on in the game. You have to knock around a little ghost in order to light up the designated platforms. It was challenging enough to be fun but not frustrating. There are several variations on this type of puzzle throughout the game, but this one stuck out to me because of our charming, derpy little ghost friend. I almost felt bad launching him all over the place!

Audio and Visuals – Two Talented Brothers

When I learned that Crypt Custodian was developed entirely by Kyle Thompson alone, my jaw practically hit the floor. I mean, come on! The game is so polished and beautiful, I genuinely thought there was a small team at work behind the scenes. Kyle Thompson has seriously outdone himself. Movement in all parts of the game, including intense combat scenes, is extremely smooth. The art style is adorable, creating a cohesive thread throughout the entire game while also adapting to all tones and situations.

The adaptability of Thompson’s art is showcased best in the visuals of each new area. Every place has a unique feel to it, almost certainly providing an ideal setting for any player somewhere in the game. For me, that happened to be Mira’s Basement. The use of neon colors and the little bits of art within the water made this area incredibly stunning, in my opinion. Even though it’s supposed to be a dark, damp basement, this was one of the most enjoyable areas for me thanks to Kyle Thompson’s art!

The Other Half

Enter Eric Thompson, Kyle’s brother. Eric is responsible for all of the music within Crypt Custodian, and he did an absolutely fantastic job with it. From ethereal instrumentals to funky beats, it’s clear that Eric put a lot of thought into elevating the player’s experience through sound. Each area within the game has its own unique background music, expertly curated to further immerse the player. In general, the attention to detail within the soundscape of this game is one of the most impressive things about it.

That sentiment is true for the sound effects in Crypt Custodian as well. No stone is left unturned in this aspect of the game. The rain makes a delightful pitter-patter sound, your little kitty paws squelch in the wet grass, and metal makes a satisfying clang when you hit it. Practically every enemy and interactable object has its own unique sound effect based on their attack style or material. Unfortunately, I truly can’t capture how impressive and thorough the sound effects of Crypt Custodian are in words. You’ll just have to play it and hear for yourself!

Verdict

Crypt Custodian has the potential to be one of my favorite games I’ve played all year. I’m so glad that I left my comfort zone to play this game, because it far exceeded my expectations. The story is compelling, the characters are endearing, and it’s all topped off with truly magnificent gameplay. Even though Crypt Custodian was developed by Kyle Thompson alone, I didn’t experience a single bug or glitch in my nearly 20 hours of gameplay.

If you’ve been looking for a unique, engaging game, Crypt Custodian is for you. While I don’t have a reference point for metroidvania games, I feel confident in saying that people who love the genre will love this game. There’s something for everyone whether you’re into combat, puzzling, or collecting. It was genuinely a delight to play from the second I began to the moment I finished the main story, and I can tell you now that I’ll be going back to get all of those collectibles!

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