Alwa’s Awakening is a throwback to classic retro games, and one that pays homage to a very specific era. Alwa’s Awakening has been described by many, including its devs as an homage to the NES, but that is not how I see it. I definitely do see the influence of the late era NES games here, but I also feel that the game evokes very early Turbo Grafx 16 games as well. It somehow manages to capture the feeling of both systems, possibly due to that era overlapping.
The game’s plot starts off simple, but quickly pushes you into a grand metroidvania adventure. As you progress further and further, you will realize just how well the developers managed to capture the spirit of those games. The music is absolutely amazing, and has echoes of classic games like Clash at Demonhead among others. It never lets up at any point, and remains pure bliss for your ears.
If I have any issues if is the strange quirks of the game. For instance, the jumping may feel stiff, it is actually done in a way that gives you perfect control of where you go. The game manages to replicate the feel of awkward controls, while in fact having excellent controls. I am confused why the devs did this, as I do feel some players will be thrown off a bit. It is not to bad though, and you get used to it easily enough. You basically are getting a game that has the feel but not the frustration of the past, This port for the Switch also adds some new features as well, by using HD rumble in the form of secret detection. Its a nice touch and well appreciated.
This is a great game and I had a lot of fun with it. The game feels like a throwback to one of my favourite eras in gaming, and I loved every minute of it This gets my full recommendation.
Disclaimer: A review key was provided.