Gestalt: Steam & Cinder
OpenCritic Rating
Top Critic Average
Critics Recommend
Gestalt: Steam & Cinder Media
Gestalt Steam & Cinder trailer
Gestalt: Steam & Cinder - Official Release Date Trailer
Gestalt: Steam & Cinder - Debut trailer | ESRB - Steam
Critic Reviews for Gestalt: Steam & Cinder
A fantastically polished Metroidvania, with some of the best 16-bit style graphics ever seen and impressively deep combat and role-playing elements.
Gestalt: Steam and Cinder is a rock-solid retro metroidvania that borrows some of the best aspects of its main inspirations.
Gestalt: Steam & Cinder is a charming metroidvania with a unique world that's ultimately undone by its overstuffed and underwhelming storytelling.
The narrative facet and its lack of ambition distance it from the best of the genre, but in the rest of the sections the gears of Gestalt: Steam & Cinder are perfectly placed and give rise to a metroidvania as solid as it is recommended.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Overall, I really enjoyed my time with Gestalt: Steam & Cinder! It has a story that left me a little frustrated by the end, but the way there was full of good mechanical writing, solid character development, and a healthy amount of proper noun-led mystery world-building. The top-shelf visual quality cannot be understated, with incredibly detailed and well-animated 2D art that can hang with the classics easily. And while combat was the messiest part, there was still fun to be had running around the world, fighting weird enemies, and using skills and combos powered by cool animations. I would definitely keep paying attention to Metamorphosis Games, especially if there are more stories to come from this world in particular.
Despite a few odd design choices, Gestalt: Steam & Cinder is an enjoyable Metroidvania with an intriguing world, and exhilarating combat.
Gestalt: Steam and Cinder is a good metroidvania that lacks any significant flaws, but at the same time has a hard time excelling at anything beyond its gorgeous pixel art. A solid choice if you're a fan of the genre, just don't expect it to make you forget about Silksong.
Review in Italian | Read full review
It turns out I’m an absolute sucker for a well-crafted metroidvania. Crunchy combat, smooth progression, and gorgeous aesthetics all keep me locked in place for a complete playthrough. It took ages to get a grip on that bloody dodge-roll, but I eventually got there. Also, the bosses too often felt either padded out or pointlessly dense. It never felt like they hit that balance. But the rest of the experience was so compelling, I didn’t mind that much. If you’re in the market for a pretty excellent metroidvania, Gestalt: Steam & Cinder has got your number.