Review of Morkull Ragast’s Rage for Nintendo Switch

Morkull Ragast’s Rage comes from the creative minds at Selecta Play, Astrolabe Games, and Disaster Games, offering players a unique 2D hand-drawn Metroidvania experience where you embrace the role of the villain. Let’s dive into our review of Morkull Ragast’s Rage!

This intriguing title lets you step into the shoes of Morkull, a character fully aware of his existence in a virtual world, realizing that it’s you pulling the strings and acknowledging his creators—the game developers. Your mission? Lead Morkull out of Ragast so he can achieve his ultimate goal: ascend as the God of Death and Darkness to rule the world. The game nods to classic and modern Metroidvania releases, drawing inspiration from hits like Hollow Knight.

When you start, you control Morkull using either the left analog stick or the D-Pad, jumping with the B button, and interacting with others via the A button. Basic and heavy attacks are performed using the Y and X buttons, respectively. For protection, use the R button to activate a bone shield, which can deflect enemy projectiles if timed right.

Healing is straightforward: press the L button to use a potion. Tactical movement options include dashing with the ZR button to dodge threats or clear longer gaps than a regular jump can handle. You can also look around using the right analog stick, which is crucial before attempting risky jumps. Being a Metroidvania, don’t forget to frequently check your map using the – button to navigate effectively.

Defeating foes rewards you with Anima, which can be traded at save points for new abilities or enhancements. Unlocking additional combos simplifies battles, and quirky upgrades such as the ‘Power of Friendship’ can be added—this feature kicks in when health drops below 15%, granting brief invincibility. Other upgrades include enemy health bars, extra potion uses, and more.

As you progress, new skills will unlock, opening new exploration areas at the cost of some energy from the purple bar. The Noob Crusher skill is particularly handy—it allows you to break through certain floors by pressing down on the left analog stick/D-Pad while hitting Y and X simultaneously. Mastering this skill will set you on the path to your first boss encounter.

Morkull Ragast’s Rage aims to stand out with its art and concept, but it stumbles in execution. Despite its creative premise, the game’s map struggles to accurately guide players, often misplacing the marker in larger rooms and failing to highlight areas unlocked by new skills—essential features in Metroidvania games. The controls feel stiff, combat lacks variation, and levels suffer from repetitive design, revolving too much around switches, barriers, and keys. Graphical bugs exist, like flickering seams and invisible barriers that hinder your progress unless you dash to break free. The game is priced at $17.99 and is available now on Nintendo Switch.

In summary, while Morkull Ragast’s Rage attempts to offer a fresh twist as a villainous protagonist in a Metroidvania adventure, it ultimately falls short of its ambitious potential.

This review is based on a Nintendo Switch copy provided by Selecta Play.