Review pixelcrypt 4/5 · Jun 18, 2026
Another great Metroid-like from Mathan Games
This was definitely one of my more anticipated Metroidvanias coming up. Being the third game from the developer, I knew it would be extremely competent, having really enjoyed both Side Scape (an inventive top-down / side scrolling hybrid) and Xanthiom Zero (one of my favorite Metroidvanias of its year, a minimalist compact Metroid-like similar to Gato Roboto). I am happy …
This was definitely one of my more anticipated Metroidvanias coming up. Being the third game from the developer, I knew it would be extremely competent, having really enjoyed both Side Scape (an inventive top-down / side scrolling hybrid) and Xanthiom Zero (one of my favorite Metroidvanias of its year, a minimalist compact Metroid-like similar to Gato Roboto). I am happy to saw, Xanthiom 2 is another enjoyable and competent Metroid-like, though I wouldn’t say it’s better than the first game.
Xanthiom 2 has a much longer development time, and for good reason. It’s larger, and the art style has had a big overhaul, now in a more detailed 16-but style. But for me personally, this isn’t really an upgrade. Xanthiom Zero had so much charm stemming from its minimalism and compact design - there was no wasted space, nor any superfluous pixels.
Here, the game takes up more room, breathes more, and along with that- it feels slightly more cumbersome. Maybe it is unfair to directly compare the two, and I admit a lot of this comes down to personal taste, but I just found the sequel to be slightly less memorable and exhilarating than the first game.
It’s still very good though - I had a great time making my way through the 9 or so biomes. The game includes both map markers and the new “snapshot” map feature popularized by The Lost Crown, so both backtracking and getting 100% were fun and well-supported by the game’s design. There are also a ton of ah-ha! moments as you find that one upgrade which solves tons of snags and obstacles that you were unsure of the answer to, and those are the moments that make me love the genre.
Overall, it’s an easy recommendation for any Metroidvania fans, and especially those who favor the Metroid side of the genre (me). But I wouldn’t say this is the most unique or memorable game I’ve played in recent memory, just another pretty good one to revisit now and again. Xanthiom Zero was an absolute classic and basically flawless, so absolutely go play that if you haven’t.
7.7/10
Edit: I forgot to mention the game also includes a kind of remake of Xanthiom Zero. Really, it feels like a completely different game (and for me it’s absolutely not an improvement and you should still go play the original). But, it’s a pretty crazy value for the price, I think in total I played around 30-40 hours altogether. Both are worth playing and easily worth the asking price!