Astro Fox

Astro Fox is a Metroidvania that just released on itch.io. I immediately bought it because of the strong Gato Roboto influence, and it definitely scratched that same itch.

It’s your standard sci-fi romp on one interconnected map. The game does start out pretty slow, as you are basically just trying to find the next critical path forward. I HIGHLY recommend taking photos of the rooms and jotting down the ability needed, because the game doesn’t give custom markers.

Once I did that, things really picked up pace. The abilities are all solid and standard, and a couple abilities really eased my early frustrations.

Now about the things that frustrated me - there is often only two or three areas to go to once you get each new ability. Getting lost isn’t exactly rewarded here… there are hidden items but the map design can sometimes hit dead ends. The game offers no assistance in wayfinding, so again, I highly recommend using photos. Also, the bosses are just too easy.

But despite those weaknesses, I still really enjoyed it. Once you get a certain ability about halfway it gets a lot more fun and well paced.

If you like “1-bit” MV’s, Gato Roboto is the best. But this isn’t too far behind, and it’s definitely way above Astronite.