GIGASWORD blends Metroidvania with Zelda in this action, puzzle-platformer where your giant sword is as much a means for vanquishing foes as it is for solving puzzles. A gorgeous pixelated adventure where you need to solve puzzles and slash your way through diverging paths is usually enough to get me to take a look at what’s going on but with the short time we spent with GIGASWORD it seemed like there was more depth to the world we had fallen into than it seemed at first glance.
Most enemy encounters were more than just mashing sword swings to progress but required more nuanced timing to dodging and attacking. With the sword also having its own skill tree to open up new abilities and mechanics as the game progresses I can see the combat evolving with it. But what really stood out to us with what Dom and I played of GIGASWORD were the puzzle mechanics. While holding the sword your mobility and jumping height is more limited but certain doors or other obstacles can only be conquered by having your sword in tow. So knowing when and where to leave your sword or how to use it to interact with other objects to create pathways or unlock doors was an interesting form of friction that continued to delight with each puzzle we encountered. This use of the sword is what really took it the next level for us in regards to being a solid game worth keeping our eyes on. I’m looking forward to seeing how those puzzle mechanics continue to build upon that core design when GIGASWORD drops in the future as that was the major highlight for me in what seemed like a promising Metroidvania otherwise. Until then you can wishlist it on Steam and wait patiently with me.
Pass The Controller 