Ultros

The Story of Ultros has garnered a mix of positive and negative feedback from various critics. Many reviewers appreciated the game's encouragement of exploration and discovery, intriguing characters, and the way it promotes reflection and learning from the inhabitants of the game world. Critics like But Why Tho? and GameOver.gr found the storyline to be engaging, mysterious, and thought-provoking, with surrealistic elements that immerse players in a unique experience. The narrative's focus on themes like life, death, mental health, karma, and environmental care, as noted by GameGrin and Push Square, added depth and complexity to the storytelling, making it a rich and immersive experience for players seeking a deep narrative. On the flip side, some critics expressed concerns about the story being convoluted, delivered in vague or 'flowery' language, and described as slightly pretentious. Checkpoint Gaming and COGconnected found the narrative to be inaccessible to all players, with opaque storytelling that may be difficult to fully comprehend. Hooked Gamers also noted that the intentionally mysterious and obtuse nature of the story, coupled with incongruous character actions, could lead to confusion and frustration for some players. Additionally, Digital Trends and TechRadar Gaming highlighted the dense lore and hard sci-fi elements of the narrative, which could be challenging for players to fully grasp, potentially hindering their overall enjoyment of the story. Overall, the consensus among critics regarding the Story of Ultros is divided. While some reviewers praised the game for its deep and engaging narrative, intriguing characters, and thematic resonance, others found the storytelling to be overly complex, pretentious, and difficult to access. The game's focus on environmentalism, philosophical themes, and non-linear storytelling received both praise and criticism, with some players appreciating the depth and thought-provoking nature of the narrative, while others struggled to fully connect with the story due to its opacity and dense lore. Ultimately, Ultros seems to be a game that offers a unique and immersive narrative experience, but one that may not be universally appealing due to its challenging and enigmatic storytelling approach.

The gameplay of Ultros has received praise from several critics for its unique mechanics and innovative approach. Critics like Checkpoint Gaming and GameGrin appreciate the balance between destruction and nurturing in the two major gameplay modes, combat, and gardening, which offer a fresh experience in the Metroidvania genre. PC Gamer highlights the fast-paced combat with combo strings and parries, along with the unique mechanic of obtaining higher quality rewards by varying attacks, adding depth to the gameplay. The incorporation of gardening mechanics, time loops, and strategic combat in Ultros has been commended for requiring players to think outside the box and consider their actions carefully for optimal progression. On the downside, some critics have pointed out certain issues with Ultros' gameplay that hinder the overall experience. GamingTrend mentions that the gameplay feels slightly off, with noticeable weight to character actions that may impact movement and combat. Digital Trends highlights frustrating backtracking and struggles with unclear visual design and lack of guidance, which can lead to confusion and potentially hinder player enjoyment. IGN France raises concerns about accidental soft-locks and frustrations that can arise from certain mechanics in the game, indicating potential areas for improvement in terms of player experience and game design. Overall, the consensus among critics is that Ultros offers a unique and innovative gameplay experience that combines traditional Metroidvania elements with fresh mechanics like gardening, time loops, and strategic combat. While there are some issues like imprecise platforming, lack of challenge in combat, and potential frustrations with certain mechanics, the game's creativity and depth have been widely appreciated. Critics like TheSixthAxis and Softpedia commend Ultros for its combination of platforming, combat, and gardening mechanics, as well as its strategic layer and unique upgrade systems. Despite some drawbacks, Ultros seems to have succeeded in offering a fresh take on the Metroidvania genre, challenging players to think creatively and strategically in their gameplay approach.

The majority of the critics unanimously praised the Graphics and Visual Design of Ultros for being visually stunning, vibrant, and immersive. Critics like But Why Tho? and GameOver.gr highlighted the psychedelic elements, vibrant colors, and unique art style that added to the game's uniqueness. The environmental design was described as breathtaking, with detailed and colorful scenes that contributed to immersive storytelling, as noted by Checkpoint Gaming and GamingTrend. The hand-drawn art style with psychedelic elements, reminiscent of the '70s, was particularly lauded by GameGrin and Hooked Gamers, emphasizing how well it fit the alien world setting and enhanced the overall experience. However, some critics pointed out potential drawbacks in the Graphics and Visual Design of Ultros. COGconnected mentioned that the abundance of colors and visual energy could make it difficult to distinguish important elements, which might impact gameplay for some players. Digital Trends and Jeuxvideo.com also noted issues with readability during gameplay, where the intricate and detailed environments could hinder the clarity of interactive elements. Additionally, Hooked Gamers highlighted how black shadows could blend foreground and background elements, potentially hindering gameplay by making it hard to distinguish between them. Overall, the consensus among the critics is overwhelmingly positive regarding the Graphics and Visual Design of Ultros. The game was praised for its stunning, vibrant, and psychedelic art style that created a visually captivating and immersive experience for players. Critics like PC Gamer and PlayStation Universe commended the game for its colorful and unique environments, with Push Square noting the gorgeous neon-soaked hand-drawn art style that resonated with the story beats. Despite some minor issues with readability and gameplay hindrances, the majority of critics found Ultros' Graphics and Visual Design to be a standout feature that significantly contributed to the game's overall appeal and uniqueness.

The majority of the critics unanimously praised the Sound Design and Music of Ultros, highlighting various positive aspects. Critics like But Why Tho? and Checkpoint Gaming appreciated the unique blend of Swedish and Peruvian music, creating a brilliant score that enhanced moments of introspection, boss battles, and themes of regeneration and nature in the game. GameGrin and Multiplayer.it found the music to be relaxing, immersive, and captivating, complementing exploration, gardening, and boss battles. PC Gamer and Digital Trends lauded the hypnotic and ambient soundscapes that enriched the alien, disorienting, mystical, and reverent atmospheres of Ultros. The use of classical instruments, South American influences, ambient ragas, and familiar hooks from classic themes were also highlighted as positive elements by various critics. However, some critics did point out a few negatives regarding the Sound Design and Music of Ultros. Softpedia mentioned that combat sounds might feel weak due to similarities in blade swooshes, which could potentially impact the overall immersion during intense gameplay moments. Additionally, Softpedia noted the absence of voiced characters, although they considered it a minor issue. These criticisms suggest that while the majority of the soundtrack was well-received, there were some areas where improvements could be made to enhance the overall experience further. Overall, the consensus among the critics is overwhelmingly positive regarding the Sound Design and Music of Ultros. Critics such as Hey Poor Player and Metro GameCentral emphasized how the atmospheric and melancholic soundtrack complemented the visual design excellently, enhancing the overall experience of the game. IGN France and PlayStation Universe highlighted how the sound design and music contributed to the dream-like narrative, unique atmosphere, and deep immersion in Ultros. The diverse soundtrack, excellent design, and quality compositions by composers like Oscar Rydelius 'Ratvader' were widely praised, showcasing a high level of appreciation for the audio experience in Ultros. The positive reception from the majority of critics indicates that the Sound Design and Music significantly contributed to the overall success and enjoyment of the game.

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In terms of the technical performance on PC, Digital Trends highlighted frustrating bugs impacting gameplay, such as fragile walls not breaking properly and sticky wall jumps. However, GameGrin praised the smooth controls and gameplay experience, particularly when using an Xbox controller, with no reported issues in performing actions or combat mechanics. This indicates a mixed reception on PC, with some experiencing technical issues while others found the gameplay to be smooth and responsive. Moving on to the PlayStation 5 platform, there were both positives and negatives highlighted by the critics. IGN France mentioned accidental soft-locks and frustrations due to experimental mechanics, suggesting room for improvement in preventing unintended obstacles. Push Square also noted janky moments and issues with fast-travel mechanics, while TechRadar Gaming and TRG pointed out problems with the finicky use of the extractor tool, affecting the overall gameplay experience. Despite these drawbacks, TierraGamer praised the responsive and technically impressive controls on the PS5, emphasizing a sense of control and agility. Overall, the consensus among the critics indicates a mixed reception regarding the technical performance of Ultros across different gaming platforms. While some reviewers appreciated the smooth controls and responsive gameplay, others highlighted various technical issues such as bugs, finicky mechanics, and frustrations with certain gameplay elements. It seems that there is a need for further optimization and refinement to enhance the overall technical performance and address the reported issues, particularly on the PlayStation 5 platform.

The opinions of the critics regarding the replay value of Ultros are varied, with several positive aspects highlighted. Critics such as GameGrin and GamingTrend appreciate the game's multiple cycles, strategic gameplay decisions, and planting mechanics that offer depth and variety, encouraging players to experiment and explore different outcomes. IGN France also praises the unique gameplay mechanics and narrative depth, which contribute to the replay value by offering around ten hours of gameplay with the potential for multiple endings and deeper mysteries to uncover. Additionally, TechRadar Gaming mentions hidden secrets, expansive levels, and varied environments that provide replay value for players interested in exploration and discovery. On the other hand, some critics point out negative aspects that may hinder the game's replayability. Hey Poor Player and Jeuxvideo.com express concerns about the repetitive nature of the time loop mechanic, loss of abilities between runs, lack of guidance, and limited gameplay customization, leading to repetitive combat sequences and a painful slog for players. COGconnected notes that while the game features persistent gardens and secret areas that encourage repeated visits, some players may find the combat slow and inelegant, and boss designs reliant on exploiting specific weaknesses, which can detract from the overall replay value. Overall, the consensus among the critics leans towards acknowledging Ultros's replay value, albeit with some caveats. The game's unique mechanics, strategic considerations, multiple endings, and exploration elements are highlighted as positive aspects that enhance replayability. However, issues such as repetitive gameplay, lack of guidance, and slow combat are mentioned as potential drawbacks that may impact the overall experience for some players. Despite these criticisms, Ultros seems to offer a compelling experience for those willing to invest time and effort into uncovering its secrets and exploring its world.