You know what I haven’t played in a while? A genuinely good Metroidvania. There’s no shortage of them these days, and now Dormidin Studio and Selecta Play have thrown their sword into the ring with Barbarian Saga: The Beastmaster.

“A classic hand-drawn 2D Metroidvania action game, it’s time for revenge! Use your Beastmaster skills to unleash your inner beast, fight with your heart-devouring sword and end the threat to Arborea, you decide the ending.”

I’ll admit, when I first saw the title, I half‑expected some kind of remaster or anthology of the old Palace Software Barbarian games. A modern take on Barbarian II: The Dungeon of Drax would be a treat. But no, this is a brand‑new IP built around familiar Metroidvania subgenre.

Let me give you the basic gist of the story. You play as Ren, a shapeshifting Beastmaster and the last of his kind, out for revenge after his people are wiped out. It’s a simple setup, and it could have worked, but the storytelling struggles almost immediately. The writing is uneven, the translation swings from odd to outright baffling (AI?), and the game has a habit of drowning you in text. Conversations ramble, scenes overstay their welcome, and the narrative drifts so often that it’s hard to stay invested.

Exploration, the backbone of any Metroidvania, doesn’t fare much better. Barbarian Saga offers freedom, but almost no direction. Progression frequently feels aimless, with key items tucked away in places that make little logical sense. Entire biomes lead to dead ends before revealing the actual route forward. I’m not a fan of handholding, but a touch of guidance would go a long way. Instead, you’re left to wander until you accidentally stumble onto the next objective. The map design doesn’t help: minimal icons, fuzzy room outlines, and sparse information make it difficult to track where you’ve been, or where you should be going.

Combat is a very mixed bag. Parrying can feel satisfying, and certain enemy encounters have a nice rhythm to them. Boss battles are easily the highlight, offering readable patterns and a fair challenge. But regular encounters are far less polished. Hitboxes feel inconsistent, and flying enemies, which the game leans on heavily, have a habit of attacking from off‑screen or hovering in awkward, frustrating positions. The ability system doesn’t add much either: new skills often lack impact, cost too much to unlock, and encourage unnecessary grinding.

The strongest element by far is the visual presentation. The hand‑drawn art is vibrant, colourful, and full of personality. The varied bestiary gives each biome its own flavour, and the overall aesthetic is genuinely appealing. It’s a shame the audio doesn’t match that energy, the soundtrack is serviceable, but rarely memorable.

All told, Barbarian Saga: The Beastmaster is a game with a distinctive look and flashes of potential, but it’s held back by persistent issues with writing, progression, and combat balance. With so many excellent Metroidvanias already available, this one struggles to stand out. It’s out now on PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Switch.