Flynn: Son of Crimson is a sidescrolling action platformer from Studio Thunderhorse. Flynn is a young boy who’s spent his entire life in his home village. When a mystery girl attacks him and drains the life force from his dog Dex, he unlocks his hidden Crimson powers and is forced to explore the world to save his best friend who just so happens to be the guardian spirit of the land.
Gameplay fares quite well. It’s equal parts beat em’ up and puzzle platformer. You’ll start with basic sword combos and a roll but unlock flashy new attacks and weapons alongside his “Crimson Control,” a berserker state that lets Flynn unleash pure rage on a group of enemies. You’ll also be able to make use of ranged elemental magic, which will help solve puzzles and defeat particular enemies with smart use.
The stages benefit from the retro pixel art style with gorgeous backgrounds and distinctly colored themed areas. The visuals evoke a distinct Super Nintendo look that many other 2D games of today don’t. It however makes poor use of lighting in many areas; several stages are just too dark for their own good and hide quality art for the sake of atmosphere. Its music is also pleasant and fitting but otherwise doesn’t elevate the experience.
Flynn: Son of Crimson has strong art, ideas, and a great combo of action and platforming. However, it doesn’t give me anything to latch onto in its world or characters. Despite that stumble, it’s a good time from start to finish. The game is out now on PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One for $19.99 and included with Xbox Game Pass.
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