Anima Flux
Steam/PC (Consoles Later)
10/7/24
If you ask me, one thing the Metroidvania genre has been missing over the last many years is the option to play with a friend. You know, good old fashioned couch co-op elements so when the going gets tough or the map gets overwhelming, you have a player two to assist. Anima Flux, not to be confused with Aeon Flux, the 1991 MTV animated series that was a part of the liquid television showcase, looks to buck the trend by placing a heavier emphasis on local co-op play. Yes, there have been a few examples of multiplayer games within this genre including the Guacamelee series and Curse of the Sea Rats in more recent times, but Anima Flux’s focus on making this concept feel meaningful and intentional is quite evident. But is Anima Flux a Metroidvania mutant worth squashing? Or is it held back by its good intentions? Let’s find out in our full review!
In Anima flux you’ll control 2 characters regardless of whether you play in single player or in co-op. Playing solo will allow you to switch who you are controlling at any time, while you can give out commands to your secondary character, telling them to stay put or follow along. Each super soldier plays a bit differently. Roy is a close ranged attacking swordsman while Eileen strikes down enemies from a distance using her bow and a variety of plasma arrows. The game opens on a gorgeous stylistic cutscene before placing us into a crumbling chaotic laboratory.
Eileen seems a bit perplexed as to how Roy has ended up in this laboratory, noticing he has a specific implant and wears a uniform for a company known as NOX. With the current situation being so chaotic, the two have no time for chit chat and are forced into working together in order to escape. Together they report to facility 75, a supposed safe zone, and without giving away too many details, Eileen and Roy end up stuck together longer than they would have liked, battling mutant adversaries across this 10–12-hour adventure.
Dialogue is not a standout feature of Anima Flux. While the two characters play off of each other, the banter is silly at best and a bit cringey at worst, but never the center of attention. There is certainly a story, but it’s clearly not the focal point of the game, rather it’s the teamwork mechanics, exploration and combat that take front and center.
Let’s begin with the teamwork. There are some light puzzle solving elements that will require both parties, such as switches that need to be held down by one soldier while the other ventures forward to hit a button and open up a passage. None of these puzzles are particularly challenging, but i did appreciate how the game implements these elements in situations that are different from your typical Metroidvania.
Equally dependent on teamwork, but not quite as successful as the puzzle mechanics is the combat. With Eileen relying on her long-range attacks to pop zit-like insects and squash creepy crawlies, Roy has to take a more head on approach being limited to close range attacks. This means the unlikely duo often has to work together to clear out rooms of assorted enemies and take down large mutant bosses. Often, you will need to use a “rage state” which is earned through dishing out damage or regeneration upgrades. Rage attacks won’t last very long but are punishing to your foes.
The main problem is, combat never evolves much past its rudimentary beginnings.
There simply isn’t that much skill or strategy involving this combat engine. Yes, you will gain upgrades and new abilities such as electric bombs or an air dash, but these elements are introduced hours in and won’t change the fact that, for the most part –Eileen is going to be slinging arrows and Roy going to be swinging away. I found that Eileen was usually more effective in combat, so the characters do feel a bit unbalanced in combat. This also means that single player just isn’t as fun. Swapping between characters works alright but takes away from the teamwork element and ultimately the ai just isn’t always up to snuff.
Enemies also become a bit repetitive, and not just because they will seemingly respawn at random. Each new area of the map does try to introduce a new enemy type, but you’ll tend to run into that same enemy for the entirety of your time at that location. This is particularly annoying when you run into more armored enemies that require you to use your heavy attack, depleting your rage meter and causing more than their fair share of damage–especially to poor Roy. Even still, boss battles were challenging but fair, assuming you do a bit of strategizing and preparation ahead of the fight. Thankfully, safe spaces are available where both players can recharge their health, as well as shops for upgrades, health kits and ammunition, all of which help to even the playing field.
The map itself is well designed, and easy enough for players to understand. You’ll still do your fair amount of wandering and backtracking as tends to be the case in Metroidvania games, but thankfully your next destination, while not screaming in your face, is easy enough to discover considering you have two sets of eyes on the screen. Generally, you’ll want to go where you haven’t been and fill out more and more of what is a fairly large map. If your worried over becoming separated from your partner, a tiny screen will appear, almost like a picture in picture mode that whoever is lagging behind can play off of. This feature was one of the coolest aspects of Anima Flux and is extremely well done. A common problem in 2-player games with larger areas to explore is that one player gets left behind or tangled up leading to frustration. Anima Flux brilliantly navigates this common issue.
You won’t find a shortage of content here either, with a good amount of side quests which range from finding a man’s lost dog to retrieving an Ionizer or finding the location of a strange man who seems to be obsessed with fishing. And because exploration can be approached in a variety of ways, you’ll never feel as if you are trapped in a straightforward linear experience.
One of the strongest aspects of Anima Flux is its stunning visuals. The 2D graphics look impressive in motion with great movement to the characters, detailed backdrops, and incredible animated cutscenes that I wish there were more of. The lighting is rich, and while the narrative fails to take advantage of this wonderful artistic direction, it’s commendable, nonetheless. There’s no real voice acting here; however, the music is top notch. It’s a mix of electronic modern synth mixed with retro touches and hard-hitting bass that really worked for me. My only complaint would be the many moments of silence, as most of the game’s best tracks only ramp up during combat sections before quickly vanishing as you defeat your foes. Even still, it’s hard not to love the visual and audio presentation here, even if the overall field of view can feel just slightly zoomed out a hair too much.
Performance is also great as I didn’t come across any major bugs outside of the ones I was battling. Framerates remained stable throughout, and Steam Deck performance also shines even if you lose a bit of fidelity. The unfortunate part about playing on handheld is that 2-player will be less than ideal on a small screen. You could technically connect a controller to your steam deck but with a game that’s already fairly zoomed out, a larger screen would be my preferred way of playing. There is also no online feature at the time of this review. You could try out Steam Remote Play, but it isn’t something we personally tested playing locally.
While the story won’t win any awards and the combat could use a bit more variety, Anima Flux is still a highly entertaining co-op Metroidvania. The game pulls off local multiplayer in an impressive fashion, putting it in the spotlight instead of making it an afterthought. I love the picture-in-picture mode, fantastic visuals and bumping soundtrack enough that i’m able to forgive a lot of the game’s shortcomings. That and the game is just downright pretty fun to play, especially with a friend. As a single player experience, it will read a bit more like a generic Metroidvania with some wonky swapping mechanics. It’s just not as fun single player as it is in co-op.
Score: GREAT
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