The Guacamelee series has been on my radar for quite some time so I was extremely excited to finally get around to it. Although I have yet to find a physical copy and haven’t pulled the trigger on any Ebay ones, I was able to snag them while they were on sale in the eShop. I enjoyed the first entry very much but am saving the second game for another time. Well, let’s get into this!
A Stylish Metroidvania
Yes, it should come as no surprise that the thing that drew me in about Guacamelee is the fact that it is a metroidvania. It is one of my favorite genres to play and it has not let me down yet. Guacamelee more than lived up to that hype.
While it is a metroidvania in every sense of the genre, it plays a bit more like a beat ’em up. My few experiences with beat ’em ups are really only River City Girls and Scott Pilgrim vs.the World, but I was reminded of them instantly. The combat here feels just like those games. Where the metroidvania comes into play is more within world traveseral and the unlocking of new abilities.
These new abilities both allow you to perform new actions in combat and around the world as a whole. Some will let you access new areas while others will be required to progress the main story. It is a gameplay loop I am all too familiar with and rather love.
Luchador In The Making
When evil forces from the Land of the Dead attack and kidnap El Presidente’s daughter, Juan begins his journey from simple farmer to luchador. It is a transformation brought on rather suddenly with the help of a mask given to him by a mysterious luchadora. Just like that, he is playing the hero.
As the story progresses this mysterious luchadora, Tostada, will offer you guidance and occasionally combat tips. The real meat of your abilities will come from Choozo statues. Anyone familiar with the Metroid games will understand that these statues are referencing that franchise. Almost every ability you acquire will open up both traversal and combat options. For example, the Rooster Uppercut can be used to punch enemies into the air or extend a jump a bit further.
This feature meant that every new ability was adding a whole lot more to Juan’s arsenal. The game opens up quite a bit with these abilities, offering you some freedom in how you tackle areas and enemies. Experiment to see what suits you best and you’ll be pleasantly surprised when something you think is possible actually works.
Humor, Easter Eggs, and Pure Charm
This game just exudes personality. I could not shake the smile from my face the entire time I played through it. The writing here is smart and witty. Many of the NPCs are unique and bring their own flavor to your screen. Whether you are progressing the main story or stopping along the way to help out, you won’t run out of dialogue humorously explaining what’s going on.
I felt like around every corner was an easter egg to discover. From Final Fantasy cactuars to the mentioned above Metroid references, I felt so much joy spotting each one throughout the game. It has been a while since I have played anything with easter eggs in it and they usually aren’t this obvious. Guacamelee did not shy away from what it was referencing.
On top of all of that, this game is presented to you in the most beautiful artstyle. The colors absolutely pop, especially on my Switch’s OLED screen. Seriously, this game lacks nothing in the visuals. It runs super smooth, looks gorgeous and continued to wow me with its many intricate set pieces.
Between Life and Death
At first, it isn’t all too clear what’s happening in the world of Guacamelee. As the story unfolds however, the game creates a bigger picture. You’ll eventually see yourself traveling between the Land of the Dead and the Land of the Living which creates some very exciting puzzle and platforming opportunities. I actually had some trouble with a few platforming sections which, of course, made me happy.
While there is a lot of fun to be had in Guacamelee, there is a very serious story being told, too. Sure, it is being told to you through fun and humor, but don’t let that fool you. There are layers here if you’re willing to look for them. I rather enjoyed the story here and am eager to experience the second game.
I think one of my favorite qualities to this game was watching Juan’s confidence in himself grow. As you begin to make your way through Calaca’s forces, Juan starts to grow stronger. Within that strength, his resolve also grows. It is a character development that takes a back seat to everything else going on but it is very much present. I was happy to see it included in this game.
A Long Time Coming
When I tell you I have been meaning to play these games for a long time, I mean it. Of course, the same could be said about the majority of my backlog but for some reason I have been hyping this series up so much in my mind. Luckily, it lived up to that hype and then some.
This game was not a long game at all. Because of that, I didn’t spend as much time with it as I did games like Hollow Knight. That’s not to say this game wasn’t good though. It absolutely was. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Guacamelee and I cannot wait to see what the second title has in store for me when I get around to it.
