As Metroidvanias evolved in the 21st century, it became clear that one of the genre’s strengths was its flexibility. — Photos: Hadoque
A planet-size eyeball blinks in celestial light before the hero in Ultros awakens on a spaceship amid alien shrubbery the color of an acid-dipped rainbow. Traipsing about winding, overgrown passageways, grand halls and resplendent stained-glass altars, it is easy to feel overwhelmed by this strange place.
Ultros belongs to the cryptically named genre of video games called Metroidvanias. The term had been slowly spreading across Internet forums and chatrooms before its proliferation in video game magazines and websites. These games drop protagonists into unfamiliar locales and ask players to find their bearings. The genre revels in spatially disorienting the player. It is vital to feel lost, said Marten Bruggemann, Ultros’ design director.
