At first glance, Record of Lodoss War: Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth looks like a rip-off of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, one of the most highly regarded games in the franchise and one of the titles that birthed the Metroidvania genre. But to call it a clone would be doing the game a disservice.
It is hard not to make direct comparisons between Record of Lodoss War: Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. One look at Deedlit and how she effortlessly moves around her environments will instantly remind Symphony of the Night fans of Alucard with his flowing white hair and a billowing cape. While Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth certainly takes its visual cues from Konami's titular title, it offers enough variety in its mechanics to stand on its own two feet.
Record of Lodoss War vs. Castlevania
While Record of Lodoss War: Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth is still in Early Access, the game has all the makings of a strong new Metroidvania. It looks and controls exactly like Symphony of the Night, but the game offers players much more than just being a clone with a slightly different coat of paint. There is almost a bullet-hell aspect to Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth in addition to the classic platforming, item gathering, and exploration of Metroidvania titles. This, combined with the Record of Lodoss war theme, combine to make a game that is already a joy to play while not even finished.
While Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth has mechanics familiar to Symphony of the Night fans, like back-dashing, different equipable weapons and artifacts, and other Metroidvania staples, it also adds in Spirit Bow mechanics that add to both the action and puzzle aspects of the game. Deedlit can switch between two different spirits, Air and Fire, to both negate damage from similar elements and to do more damage to foes of opposing elements. As she uses one, she will also gain power for the other, leveling it to a point where it will slowly regenerate her health the next time she switches to it. There is a constant balance of switching between elements to protect Deedlit, do more damage to foes, and maintain maximum health that adds depth to the game.
An Open Map With Story Chapters
Like Symphony of the Night, Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth has an open map where new areas can be explored as players find new items and power-ups. The story, however, is broken up into chapters, with each chapter ending in a major boss battle. The Early Access edition of the game currently covers chapters 1 -4 of the game, equaling around 4-5 hours of playtime. It is an interesting mix of an open map and story progression not often seen in the genre. As players progress through the chapters, opening up more and more of the map, they will begin to discover what is happening to Deedlit and what sinister forces are behind her current situation.
Record of Lodoss War: Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth is a fun and fresh game in the Metroidvania genre that takes everything that made Symphony of the Night so great without directly ripping it off.
Record of Lodoss War: Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth is available as an Early Access title for the PC. There is currently no release date for the final version.