Review pixelcrypt 4/5 · Jun 21, 2026
Another great compact Metroidvania by Neckbolt
The first Alruna game took me a couple tries to really click with. The series has some extreme quirks to it, the very non-traditional controls and abilities, the plethora of secrets that are very easy to miss, the bizarre writing… but once it clicked, I found it to be an extremely enjoyable and interesting experience.
The sequel is much of …
The first Alruna game took me a couple tries to really click with. The series has some extreme quirks to it, the very non-traditional controls and abilities, the plethora of secrets that are very easy to miss, the bizarre writing… but once it clicked, I found it to be an extremely enjoyable and interesting experience.
The sequel is much of the same, which is a plus and a con. I am pretty sure the soundtrack is recycled, as are some assets… but the game also overhauled the abilities and controls. The starting controls are just as funky - you can dash and jump for a turbo dash to break a ton of bricks, you can shoot downwards to float, etc. You also get a bunch of abilities in the game that are unusual, such as turning into a ice block, firing out pumpkins, disguising yourself as a skeleton, and shooting out “mint spears” as examples.
The game does a ton right. The level design is tight and compact, reminding me a lot of one of my favorite games Astalon. Finding secrets is a blast, as is the traditional gameplay loop of finding new abilities to then backtrack and open a bunch of inaccessible paths. The art is pretty great, the music (though a little too similar to the first game) has such a unique vibe that complements the overall theme and atmosphere.
My only real complaint is the map. There is no markers besides saves and the optional collectible (of which there are 75)- but I think it only marks it if you SEE it. The game has a ton of stuff that would’ve been very helpful to have a map marker, such a flame and ice flowers (which help in a number of ways to open paths), as well as keys, locks, etc. I also ended the game with 69 of the 75 optional collectibles, and as a completionist it drove me nuts that there was zero way to know exactly where to look. There is also an open area that I couldn’t find the entrance to, as it would’ve been some kind of destructible block but it would’ve taken me a tonof time to find.
So, mostly a really solid, unique, fun Metroidvania… but in my opinion it needs a map upgrade. Absolutely worth checking out if you enjoy chunky 16-bit compact Metroidvanias, such as Astalon, Gato Roboto, or Psycron.
7.8/10