The lone musketeer

There are no shortages of difficult games. It feels like developers have attempted to mimic the glory days of classic side-scrolling action titles ad nauseum. The latest title brings back those ideas while tossing in a unique mechanic of an overpowered one-shot that has to be timed in between attacks. It is an interesting concept in theory, but how does it play out in practice? Join me as I venture back to 1693 as I mow down hordes of creepy crawlies with my trusty musket.

Heidelberg 1993 takes a lot of influence from classic Konami games from the NES days. The art style feels plucked right out of that era. Everything feels dark and foreboding. The world is full of dark imagery such as people hanging from nooses combined with classic architecture and plenty of gears and steampunk design. It is a macabre world that feels oppressive to play through. It nails the aesthetic and feels almost like a 2D version of Bloodborne, complete with the punishing difficulty.

MSRP: $14.99
Platforms: Xbox (reviewed), PlayStation, Switch, PC
Price I’d Pay: $14.99

Players take on the role of an unnamed musketeer who is tasked with taking out the “Moon King” who is supposed to be an illegitimate relative of Louis XIV of France, who is the “Sun King” in this game. The lore is actually interesting enough to dig into. It helps push the action forward and is better than it has any right to be.

While a lot of games of this type opt for the Metroidvania style, Heidelberg instead feels more akin to something like Capcom’s classic Ghost ‘n Goblins series. The levels are linear with branching paths and each of the 20 areas are massive in scale. Each level is meticulously crafted as well, none of that randomization here. This is taking the ideas of the past and keeping them intact.

The combat hook consists of a rapier for melee combat as well as the musket. The catch with the musket is that while extremely powerful, its ammo is limited and has to be reloaded. This means knowing when to take time to perform the reload and when to use its strike. This adds a layer of strategy to the mindless button mashing. I also loved that the musket had a stand that can be angled to take out enemies at various levels. It is an interesting take on the genre and one that takes some getting used to.

This game is hard. You will die a lot. These are words I speak far too often about games these days. Here though the checkpoints are at least fair, but for anyone hoping for an easy mode, there is not one to be found here. Instead it is trial and determination that will get players through. There are a host of side weapons that can also be gained as you progress through the game including shields which mitigate damage and projectiles that can be thrown.

The look of the game is macabre but the performance is not. This game feels sublime to play and with the added 120fps mode on new consoles and PC, it feels even better. Every frame of animation counts and this is the kind of game I could see scary combo videos of skilled players showing up online. The game just feels great to play, so even when I was dying it was due to my lack of skill as opposed to cheap deaths found in most challenging games.

Heidelberg 1693 is a familiar game with a unique hook and dreary art style. I loved the time I spent with it and recommend anyone with some patience check it out. It will beat you down, but once you get into the groove it is hard to put down. Definitely one of the better indie games attempting to mimic that NES glory.

Review copy of game provided by publisher.