Captured on Nintendo Switch (Connected)
These days, it seems like it takes a lot more to make a Metroidvania stand out from the rest, especially when there are so many great titles that have already showcased impressive creative takes on genre standards. Pronty, from Taiwanese indie developer 18Light, attempts to grab your attention by dropping players into a deep, dark environment that can be freely explored in all directions. There are a few issues here and there, but overall Pronty does a great job of presenting players with a sometimes challenging and always engaging adventure that feels like a welcome addition to a cluttered genre.
Pronty puts you in the role of the eponymous aquatic creature who wakes up on his birthday longing to finally become an official protector of the underwater human city of Royla. However, while doing training exercises with his swordfish robotic partner, Bront, an evil giant fish named Raksha attacks and all of the Protectors are immediately called in to defend the city. As Pronty was stationed at an outpost which is right on the edge of the border, they have a largo travel before they can join the counteroffensive and there are several overt and subtle hints along the way that the damage to Royla is much worse than it initially seemed.
Captured on Nintendo Switch (Connected)
All in all, it’s a pretty decent plot, though it clearly doesn’t take center stage here. Most of what you learn about Roylan society, and therefore the larger context of what you are supposed to be looking for, is gleaned from various data logs you collect while exploring, supplemented by occasional directive commentary from Bron. Otherwise, most of your experience with Pronty is spent quietly marveling at beautiful sunken locations and battling hostile fish.
Because of this, there seems to be a bit of a disconnect between the narrative and the gameplay, as it often doesn’t feel like Pronty is really advancing the plot or doing anything relevant to the larger conflict. . Even so, the lore you slowly uncover is still interesting and makes you want to explore more to uncover more of the mystery of this underwater civilization. Other games like Blasphemous and Hollow Knight may have better told a story that takes place mostly in the background, but Pronty still satisfied us.
The game follows the traditional Metroidvania design of exploring a large interconnected map, recharging with collectibles and new abilities, and killing a bunch of baddies and bosses along the way. Of course, the big thing here is that everything is underwater, so environments and combat are designed to have 360 degree movement. While Pronty moves a little slower than we’d like, movement is still smooth overall, and there’s a good variety of enemies to keep you on your toes and pushing you to try different strategies.
Captured on Nintendo Switch (Handheld/Offline)
Combat is handled by a rather interesting system in which Pronty doesn’t actually attack. Instead, they order their partner Bront to attack enemies in a way that resembles a cross-sniper with combat seen in Ori and the Blind Forest. Bront attacks whenever he presses the “ZR” button and chooses targets by twisting the right stick to block. Hold ‘ZR’ and Bront will dash towards Pronty and circle around them, acting as a shield and close range weapon that will damage anything that tries to hit Pronty. It’s an interesting combat system that’s bolstered by skills that you learn slowly, but never seem to. enough he joins in as best he can.
This can be awkward and clumsy, for example, when multiple enemies are rushing at you and you have to keep the right stick pointed at the one you want to hit, while pressing ‘ZR’ furiously. there using the left stick to try and maneuver Pronty around incoming attacks. Also, it seems like Bront doesn’t do enough damage for most of the game, especially when fighting bosses. Later abilities like a charge attack or permanent increases to your damage help boost your offensive abilities, but we wish enemies were a little less squishy.
That being said, we those enjoy the real challenge offered in most boss fights. While fights against individual enemies rarely prove too much to overcome, each boss has several phases of increasingly punishing attacks that are sure to bury you multiple times before you learn the timing and clues. . None of the fights feel overwhelming, but we are sometimes reminded of Metroid Dread’s toughest bosses that require skillful and precise gameplay to achieve victory. And while Pronty is clearly designed for this level of difficulty, it does provide options for players who want something a little different. Those who are put off by the difficulty can always play the easier “story” mode, while those who like a little more pain can choose to play on harder difficulties which not only make the numbers less fair, but also add new attacks to those of each boss. arsenal.
Captured on Nintendo Switch (Handheld/Offline)
When you’re not busy fighting for your life, you’ll spend time exploring all sorts of spooky and serene underwater locations filled with collectibles and secrets to uncover. Going back to previous areas to unlock old paths with new abilities is common here (and made more convenient thanks to a helpful fast travel system), though we’d describe the overall experience as fairly linear. Those of you who prefer a Metroidvania that loosens up and lets you find things on your own may be a bit disappointed here, as you feel like you’re being transported to the next section without too many options for detour. That’s not strictly a bad thing, and it tends to open up more after the first few hours, although it does feel like it could have taken better advantage of the unique underwater setup. After all, being able to move in all directions is a little less appealing when you’re often not allowed to go very far in most directions.
When you think outside the box, we appreciate that Pronty rewards your efforts appropriately. Whether it’s a new challenge room you can try to endure, a new story part that further fleshes out the backstory, or a new update for the memory map (more about that in a moment), there’s always something going on. worth finding. Add in all those collectibles plus the potential for multiple endings, and there’s a group What to do in Prompt if you want to complete 100%. Best of all, it doesn’t feel like a chore to scour the maps, as you’ll often find something more interesting than a base stat boost.
For example, one of the most common discoveries is a new upgrade to your memory card, which is a shameless copy of the amulet system in Hollow Knight. Each card upgrade will give you a unique benefit, such as speeding up your stamina recovery, granting new secondary effects to specific attacks, or increasing your mobility. However, you only have limited (albeit expandable) space on your memory card to upgrade slots, so you have to be picky about your build and need to pop in and out often to complete new challenges. It may make more sense, for example, to go for a particular build to beat a boss, then switch to something better to handle crowd control. We liked the extra dimension this added to both combat and exploration, as it’s always exciting to find new upgrades and try them out on new builds.
Captured on Nintendo Switch (Connected)
Visually, Pronty uses a wonderful hand-drawn art style that does a great job of selling the spooky yet peaceful vibe of this underwater world. The Art Deco-inspired architecture is naturally reminiscent of BioShock, and there’s an ever-present sense of quiet wonder as you swim past flooded old billboards and shattered stained glass. There’s a very lonely feeling to exploring these environments, even accompanied by Bront, and that atmosphere pervades Pronty throughout his ten hours (give or take).
This is complemented by a light soundtrack that accentuates the underwater sounds with soothing melodies that add to the mystique of each location. Much of the soundscape here is defined by various sounds like rushing water and bubbles, while slow violins and strings appear here and there to highlight new discoveries. We loved this laid back approach to the soundtrack and think it works well with the overall tone that Pronty is clearly going for.
conclusion
Pronty may have a few minor flaws, but overall it’s a very solid Metroidvania that does a lot to set itself apart from the rest. Things like the awesome atmosphere, challenging boss fights, and plenty of interesting collectibles continue to draw you deeper into the experience, while the promise of multiple endings will keep you coming back for more. And while the Combat feels like it could use a little more stiffness, it’s certainly a unique system that fits the underwater frame well. If you’re a fan of Metroidvanias, we recommend picking up this one; It’s not absolutely necessary, but are an engaging, challenging and highly enjoyable underwater game.