Every year, it's a bit the same thing, the industry unveils its mass of Metroidvania among which only a handful of chosen ones manage to stand out from the crowd. The project Gestalt: Steam & Cinder teams of Metamorphosis Games intends to leave its mark. In addition to its ultimately underrepresented steampunk universe, it is by emphasizing narration that the software will stand out
To the point of departing from elements that are intrinsically linked to the genre. Inspired by various well-known licenses from the 16 and 32-bit periods, Gestalt draws here and there while bringing a certain radicalism, we would say.
Test conditions: We played on PC via Steam for 11 hours. Enough time to reach the end of the adventure and take the time to complete several side quests, as well as find chests and secrets.
The City of Lost Dogs
The Metroidvania label may make a minimum of sense here, skills to unlock to reach inaccessible areas of previously crossed places and gaining experience are indeed on the menu, nevertheless, in reality Gestalt: Steam & Cinder is not entirely. Unlike many games of the genre, Metamorphosis Games' software focuses more on its plot and narration. The result is a more linear and structured experience than what we are used to.
The adventure will thus be regularly interrupted in favor of a short narrative sequence featuring people of power and defining the issues at work in the world of Gestatl: Steam & Cinder. Sequences which, moreover, take place quite far from the considerations of our heroine, Aletheia. Which can be disconcerting, especially knowing that during most of the game our protagonist has very little interest in the plot and what is happening.
However, this seems to be desired by the developers. Aletheia, whom we play, is a strong-willed, stubborn and self-confident woman who, until “destiny” intervenes, will be content to follow her own interests. She keeps refusing this call, but the adventure comes to get her. This narrative choice can leave a strange feeling while browsing Gestaltthe impression that two separate plots are evolving in parallel. Aletheia will fortunately develop a minimum over the course of the meetings, especially via the discussions that she fuels.
This is just our opinion, but we felt a lack of emotional closeness with our heroine. The fact of constantly featuring various characters who are all sufficiently developed only brings a slight imbalance with respect to Alethetia. The conclusion of the story does not help by leaving an aftertaste of disappointment. Too bad because, despite a story without great surprises, the writing and the gallery of characters are not uninteresting, it is rather a question of a soufflé that falls too quickly without keeping the narrative promises that one could expect from Gestalt: Steam & Cinder.
Steamgirl
That being said, and even if the developers' choices won't please everyone, the initiative remains good. Imperfect in its execution, certainly, but done with heart and desire. The writing is also convincing, the translation too. On the other hand, the absence of dubbing as well as movement and variety in the characters' animations makes the whole thing quite heavy to take at times.
Gestalt is a chatty game. It is not Persona no more, however, for a game sold with a Metroidvania label, it is unusual. Without cinematics or decent staging, the lines of dialogue, with a design borrowing from the visual novel, cruelly lack life. Draw on the side of Phoenix Wright would not have been too much. Lovers of freedom of movement and exploration, those who are there for the thrill of adventure and for the atmosphere will have something to be disappointed about.
Forget the approach to Castlevania post SOTN, Hollow Knight or Blasphemous. If your thing is getting lost in a labyrinthine map that constantly forces you to retrace your steps, Gestalt is potentially not for you. As stated earlier, there are some abilities to unlock via a skill tree, double jump, charge shot to destroy crystal walls blocking the path, etc., but it is very limited.
Backtracking is almost non-existent since, when there is some, it is the game that forces our hand. Little chance of being lost in the steam city therefore. The software opts for a linearity that we find refreshing, precisely because games of the genre abound and that, most, remain attached to this philosophy of discovery, to this freedom of action left to the players. Component that we can consider inseparable from a Metroidvania, but Gestalt decides otherwise.
Aletheia of the Valley of Steam
Gestalt: Steam & Cinder is a bit of the opposite of a Afterimage or of a Metroid. The path is marked and hindered by narrative situations intended to contextualize the game's universe as it should be. Looking at the character of Aletheia, we notice that her character fits with the story and the rhythm of the adventure. As a mercenary, our heroine is guided by the missions of the bounty board (consisting exclusively of eliminating a specific type of enemy) and by the search for answers, or by money.
And when her past catches up with her, when revelations appear, Aletheia only thinks of herself. Normally, the latter has no reason to stray from her personal goals, no reason either to go on expeditions and waste her time helping the widow and the orphan. The studios have been able to demonstrate consistency in their game design, whether it be on the writing of the heroine, the plot, or the linearity of the title.
Too much freedom offered to players impacts the narrative, the story is diluted and can then only count on a cryptic narration, with conversations reserved for the rare NPCs encountered and/or through environmental narration. The result is a plot that requires deciphering by the most curious, but which will often be put aside by players looking for action and controller fun in hand.
By giving so much importance to the narrative aspect, the teams at Metamorphosis Games had to limit the players' movements. The software's neat visuals, which offer pretty and varied settings, as well as a very good OST accompanying us, refine the universe and create a most enjoyable atmosphere.
The Strange Case of the Mechanical Woman
In terms of gameplay, once again it's classic that we're offered here. Except that our protagonist can fight with a sword or a revolver. For the rest, dash and double jump await you and, from the start, Aletheia will even be able to twirl from one wall to another or slide against the walls, like a Ryu Hayabusa. The clashes are successful, the feedback is there, the combos too, however it's difficult to find relevant a skill tree that only too rarely leaves the opportunity to fully express oneself.
Attacks and chains allowed in Gestalt unfortunately do not really serve. Indeed, in practice, the fights require not to exceed two or three hits in order to give yourself time to dodge. However, dodging depends on a thin endurance gauge that does not allow several successive dodges. It takes a good two seconds of recharging to repeat the action.
Fighting multiple opponents at once quickly becomes dangerous despite the sword and revolver at your disposal. Similar observation with the teleportation portals. Reduced in number, these will ultimately be barely used in this linear adventure. On the other hand, the checkpoints have the merit of being suitably distributed on the map with, always, a save point near a boss room.
At least the adventure doesn't drag on, although two or three extra hours wouldn't have been amiss. Gestalt: Steam & Cinder can be completed in just ten hours. The challenge is not insurmountable, on the contrary, and it is not the bosses who will contradict us by not punctuating the adventure as expected. The software prefers to ease its experience and kindly guide us to the end of its story. We are here to have a good time, to immerse ourselves in a steampunk universe, no more, no less.