Laika: Aged Through Blood

Release Date: October 19, 2023

Action, platformers, post-apocalypse, motorbike, 2D, metroidvania, indie games, side-scroll, shooters, singleplayer

7.9

OpenCritic

93%

Steam

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A post-apocalyptic metroidvania. Laika: Aged Through Blood is set in an atmospheric world traversable on a motorcycle, as the player fights enemies, completes quests and overcomes obstacles.

Plot
Mechanics
Technical aspects

Laika: Aged Through Blood is a metroidvania action platformer crossed with an arcade motorcycle game. It was developed by an indie studio Brainwash Gang and published by Thunderful Publishing.

Plot

Laika: Aged Through Blood is set in a western-inspired post-apocalyptic world inhabited by anthropomorphic animals. The coyote protagonist's land is attacked by ruthless invaders, forcing her to face them. As we progress through the game, we learn more about her and the relationship she has with her daughter.

Mechanics

Laika: Aged Through Blood is a side-scroller. The game stands out from other metroidvanias, as its vast stages aren't traversed on foot, but rather on a motorcycle. Each stage is therefore filled with ramps and obstacles, which can only be overcome by driving at a correct speed. The motorcycle also affects the other mechanics, such as reloading our weapons, done by doing backflips.

Other than this, the rest of the game is a fairly standard metroidvania, featuring interconnected areas, many different objectives and fast-paced combat. We'll face many common enemies and powerful bosses. The player must be constantly on the move, avoid enemy attacks and counter. As we progress through the game, we acquire new skills and face greater challenges.

Technical aspects

Laika: Aged Through Blood makes heavy use of cel-shading. The artstyle is reminiscent of comic books, while the grim color palette (dominated by shades of gray, brown and red) and the atmospheric soundtrack help build the post-apocalyptic atmosphere.

Videos and Screens

[0:45] Laika: Aged Through Blood - Nintendo Switch Launch Trailer

[0:29] Laika: Aged Through Blood - Nintendo Switch Release Date Teaser Trailer

7.9

OpenCritic Rating

Game is Recomended by 75% of Critics. There are 23 Critic Reviews.

OpenCritic

God is a Geek: 9 / 10 by Chris White

Laika: Aged Through Blood is one of the coolest Metroidvanias I have ever played, with refreshing controls and a powerful story at its heart.

Full Review

PlayStation Universe: 7 / 10 by Timothy Nunes

Laika Aged Through Blood takes some time to get used to but offers a unique combination of gameplay styles. Still, it's not without growing pains, like button combinations not being as intuitive or the pace taking some misteps. There's still some cool ideas here in terms of gameplay and narrative that should be checked out even if you're only a little curious.

Full Review

Nintendo Life: 9 / 10 by Oliver Reynolds

Now that the Switch version Laika: Aged Through Blood has finally arrived, it can finally join Hollow Knight, Animal Well, and Blasphemous II as a true modern classic in the Metroidvania genre. The premise and gameplay are like no other, seamlessly combining motocross gameplay with badass bullet-time shootouts that constantly feels satisfying. Chuck in one of the best soundtracks we've heard in years and maybe iron out the remaining performance hiccups, and Laika could well be an early contender for Switch GOTY 2025.

Full Review

93%