Elsie – Truly Amazing Metroidvania (Rushdown Review)

To be candid, Elsie wasn’t initially on my radar. The indie space is already full of roguelikes and Mega Man-inspired games, making it challenging to stand out. Since I have constant access to Mega Man and Dead Cells is still my go-to roguelike, grabbing my attention in either category would be tough. Yet Elsie not only surprised me but managed to keep my attention. It’s fun, challenging, rewarding, and an all-around great time. While there are a couple of things that hold it back slightly, Elsie is well worth your time if you’re a fan of the genre.

[Editor’s Note: A Review copy was provided by the publisher]

STORY

Speaking of Mega Man-inspired games, stop me if this sounds familiar: on planet Ekis, resources are abundant, and new discoveries await at every corner. However, natural disasters are just as common. To combat these threats, Dr. Grey creates eight robots tasked with protecting the planet. One day, these robots go offline and begin wreaking havoc. In a last-ditch effort, Dr. Grey creates one more robot, Elsie, to stop the chaos.

It’s obvious where the inspiration for this story comes from—and I’m fine with that. In a game like this, I’m not expecting a deeply complex narrative. That said, I appreciate Elsie’s character. She comes across as spunky, confident, and loyal, with moments of doubt and discovery as she faces her would-be siblings. Her dynamic with Dr. Grey also softens as time goes on; initially stiff, their conversations gradually develop a mother-daughter feel. As for the side characters? They’re mainly functional. Some run shops, others provide exposition—overall, they’re inoffensive but unremarkable.

GAMEPLAY

For roguelikes, I hold them to three main standards: how good it feels to play without power-ups, how easily you can feel more powerful during a run, and how badly I want to keep replaying.

Starting with the first, Elsie feels surprisingly dynamic from the outset. You begin with a dash that can damage enemies, a parry with a shockwave that breaks shields, a ground pound (which can add height to a jump), wall jumps, an air dash, guardian mode for spamming parries, a beam attack, and your standard blaster—all managed by an energy meter and brief cooldowns.

As a longtime Mega Man player, I had to adjust to not holding down the shoot button. Elsie’s blaster is more mid-range, so spamming it drains energy unnecessarily. Energy management is key here; without it, you lose access to the dash, your firing rate drops, and parries become unavailable. But overall, the energy bar feels fair and doesn’t limit gameplay. The controls are tight and responsive, making movement enjoyable. You’ll likely face challenging moments—whether from enemy swarms or new boss patterns—but deaths rarely feel “cheap.” My only nitpick is that the jump feels slightly floaty, but it’s minor.

In terms of power progression, Elsie does a good job. As you gain experience and level up, you’re offered power-ups, with more options unlocking as you upgrade the hub world with scrap found in levels. Treasure chests and checkpoints provide additional boosts, ranging from arcing or boomerang shots to cooldown reductions. Not every power-up is immediately impactful, but they accumulate, giving you a strong chance in battle.

Finally, there’s the replayability factor. Elsie has that “one more time” appeal. I often find myself coming back to see what new power-ups I might get or to take on another boss. And the boss fights? Fantastic. Occasionally frustrating, but their scope and presentation are impressive. The available powers, like fireflies that absorb damage or enemies that explode into bullets, add variety and excitement. That said, the game’s tutorial approach feels odd; each run reveals a new move, meaning it can take 3-4 deaths to learn about the parry, for example. This isn’t enough to ruin the experience, but it’s an unusual design choice.

VISUALS

The colors in Elsie are vibrant but balanced, allowing characters and enemies to stand out against the backgrounds. Accessibility options, like customizable outlines, help ensure that everything remains visible even with the saturated color palette. Character designs are solid, though their portrait art doesn’t fully translate to the chibi-style sprites.

While levels are randomly generated, each biome has a distinct art style, though at times it can feel a bit like “another colored factory.” The hub world, however, is beautifully designed, and I enjoyed exploring it as new facilities and features unlocked. Planet Ekis is visually pleasing overall, and while some enemies fall into the “palette swap” trope, the enemy variety is decent enough to overlook it.

AUDIO

Let’s get this out of the way—the music is fantastic. Elsie nails the “neo-retro” vibe, blending nostalgic tones with modern sound. The blend of rock and electronic elements is a treat, and I’m especially a fan of the subtle audio effects that vary based on in-game events, like leveling up or parrying.

Sound design is generally solid. Elsie’s shots are loud and punchy, but enemy attacks can sound muted in comparison. Some rebalancing would help the audio feel more cohesive. Voice acting is also well-executed, particularly Elsie’s VA, Elsie Lovelock, who captures the protagonist’s personality well. I only wish some side characters had more dialogue, as it would add depth to their roles.

TL:DR

Elsie is worth your attention. If you’re craving Mega Man-style gameplay with a bullet-hell twist, this game has you covered. The controls are tight, the gameplay loop is tough but fair, and it’s an enjoyable experience all around. Despite the crowded genre, Elsie stands out with its vibrant visuals, engaging boss fights, and compelling power-ups. The backward tutorial system is odd, and the sound effects could be better balanced, but these are minor issues in an otherwise stellar package. Give Elsie a shot—you won’t regret it. (No pun intended.)

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