Night Blood W: Cutthroat Wolf Preview – THIS ALPHA’S GOT SOME BARK

Another day, another indie Metroidvania. But what’s this? 2D anime-themed cyberpunk action with epic sax and EDM beats? Oh hoh! Believe you me, Night Blood W: Cutthroat Wolf isn’t just another slash-and-dash wannabe.

A Fast and Ferocious Flow

In no time at all, you’ll be flying across the stage, shootin’, slicin’ and summoning swords like prime Virgil from Devil May Cry. The main hook of this game, quite literally, is the grapple chain. This lets resident edgelord, Loreto go bullet-time, Matrix-style and zoom towards his chosen prey for follow-up attacks and combos that’ll absolutely tear folks a new one.

You’re rewarded for getting up close and personal too, since physically attacking is the main way to recharge your SP meter for heavy damage from guns and flashy abilities unlocked throughout the story and skill tree. In other words, it’s a lot of chaotic fun.

Grappling isn’t just used for attacking though, as you can chain onto platforms and zip out of danger whenever the screen becomes a bullet-hell fever dream. Certain boss fights will have you running around like a headless chook to sabotage upcoming attacks, then quickly closing in for an old-fashioned wallop. So there’s a real sense of tension and strategy (if your brain can handle it) once the big boys arrive.

Check Out the Steam Demo

In addition to the content currently available in the demo, the development team will continue refining the game’s combat pacing, boss encounters, level interactions and talent systems. At the same time, work on the S2 content is well underway, and the team looks forward to delivering an even richer gameplay experience in the full release.

Chapter 2 sends Loreto on another adventure that’s bigger, busier, and thankfully not just a victory lap through the same locations. Four new major characters join the cast, bringing plenty of fresh story moments, while new regions are filled with environmental puzzles and interactive mechanics that actually make you stop and think instead of blindly mashing the interact button until something happens. Combat isn’t content with sitting still either. Seven new enemy types arrive with their own attack patterns, AI behaviours, and creative ways to remind you that dodging is, in fact, an important mechanic. Four brand-new bosses then crank things up another notch, each demanding a different approach to test that noggin of yours. To top it all off, defeating these tough foes unlocks new movement abilities and talents, letting you zip around previously inaccessible areas which makes backtracking feel a lot more like a victory tour than a chore.

For a demo that you can finish in under an hour, it’ll honestly leave you buzzing. Expect to discover plenty of open-ended  Metroidvania goodness, a slick Cyberpunk soundtrack, setting and story involving rival gangs and revenge, as well as a progression system that adds onto the already awesome combat mechanics in place. It’s safe to say, this wolf’s got one mighty big bite. Go play the Steam demo now!

By Anthony Culinas – Previewed on PC

Game by Midnight Fantasy Games. Published by HARRISONWORLD. The Beta Network uses affiliate partnerships, however, this does not influence reviews or any other content published. The Beta Network may earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links that are on the website.