Elsie [Review]
Knight Shift Games’ Elsie is an underbaked retro platformer roguelike that could have been so much more.
Elsie. Credit: Knight Shift Games / Playtonic
Elsie is a roguelike platformer from Knight Shift Games and Playtonic. It features run-and-gun gameplay with tons of unlockable weapons over semi-procedurally generated levels. The best way I can describe it is that it’s a cross between Dead Cells and Mega Man. I loved the game conceptually, but its execution was disappointing.
The planet Ekis is beset with natural disasters. Dr. Grey builds a team of androids to manage the disasters and save the world, but they’ve suddenly gone rogue. Her last android, Elsie, is their final hope. As Elsie, you set off to rein in the rebellious androids and get to the root of the cause.
Elsie. Credit: Knight Shift Games / Playtonic
Elsie controls much like Mega Man, with the ability to shoot, jump, dash, and wall-jump. She can also bounce off floating orbs to get a second high jump. However, a big difference in her abilities is that she can parry attacks. This adds an interesting extra dimension to combat, but I'm not fond of the execution. Parrying an attack requires you to time two separate button presses, once to initiate the parry as you’re about to be hit and then again to launch your counterattack when a circular indicator around Elsie reaches the optimal point. This struck me as counterintuitive. It’s fine to have the player push the button again to attack, but needing to hit perfect timing a second time to hit back is too much.
The level structure and the game’s roguelike mechanics function much like Dead Cells. Levels are built from pre-designed room layouts organized in a randomized sequence, and at the end, you can choose a couple of different paths for the next level. Over the course of a level, you earn perks that affect your combat abilities, with the ability to choose from an assortment of three. You can also find vending machines that let you buy these upgrades. You’ll also find weapons you’ve unlocked permanently.
Elsie. Credit: Knight Shift Games / Playtonic
At the end of a run or when you die, you’ll return to town, where you can permanently unlock new weapons, facilities, and more using currency you’ve earned. There’s plenty to unlock here, though I was initially confused because I didn’t understand that I needed to unlock the facilities to do so first, even if I had already rescued the characters that offer the upgrades.
Another point of confusion for me was that at a certain point in the game, after completing a few runs, the story dialogue said something along the lines of, “You’ve done all you can do, come back to base, and we’ll talk about what’s next.” Then, when I was back in the town, none of the characters had anything to say about what to do. It turns out that the boss encounters at the end of a level are randomized, and you can only progress further if you happen to meet the right one. There wasn’t any indication that this was what was going on. I started getting bored of repeating the same levels without seeming to make extra progress.
Elsie. Credit: Knight Shift Games / Playtonic
The game’s pixel art is colorful, and the character and enemy designs are cool. However, the execution felt sloppy, with renderings that looked unpolished, with chunky, blocky, jaggy lines and outlines. The visuals could have used more work. I enjoyed the game’s music, which was no doubt inspired by the sound of the Mega Man games.
Elsie has some serious balance issues. Under certain circumstances, I could breeze through levels and bosses without feeling challenged. Sometimes, bosses would fall after just a handful of hits thanks to achieving a vastly overpowered build for the time I’d been playing the game, considering I hadn’t unlocked that many upgrades and options yet. At first, it felt great, but then it quickly contributed to my boredom from being stuck in a level loop that felt futile.
Elsie. Credit: Knight Shift Games / Playtonic
Elsie feels like an Early Access title rather than a 1.0 release. A lack of visual polish, player direction, and balance gives the impression that the game isn’t finished. I was truly excited to play the game, as it combines elements from games and series that I love. I hope that the developers update the title so it lives up to its potential.
Elsie is available now on PC (Steam), PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch.
Overall Score: 6/10
Played on: PS5
