Isn’t it nice when a game comes out of nowhere and totally blows you away with its brilliance? GigaSword is one such game, a completely gorgeous nostalgia-soaked love-letter to the NES gaming era and metroidvanias.
Stylistically, GigaSword looks like a game that nine-year old me could have been blowing out dust from its cartridge before booting it up. However, there’s a lot more going on with GigaSword than can be seen in a static screen shot, with a multitude of modern video game sensibilities enhancing the experience significantly. Thanks to the hand-drawn visuals, there’s a palpable smoothness to the animation which most definitely was not a feature of my favourite NES games; heroic player character Ezra moving with effortless grace due to the sumptuous frame-by-frame animation.
Despite utilising only 25 colours, the expansive world – or tower, I suppose – that Ezra must explore in order to defeat big bid guy General Vearst and his cronies, is enormously varied, with some genuinely impressive vistas to stumble upon. The parallax backgrounds provide far more depth than a classic NES era game, depicting dust coated libraries, dingy dungeons, and dank sewers, but never losing that distinctive late 80’s/early 90’s aesthetic that remains so effortlessly endearing.
Thankfully, one thing GigaSword does loose from the NES era is the unrelenting difficulty, as my middle-aged reactions really aren’t what they used to be. Combat is satisfyingly simple and completely fair. Sure, some of the screen-filling bosses will test you, but thanks to a perfect difficulty curve and very generous check points – definitely not a feature of NES games! – your progress will not be hampered for long, resulting in an enjoyable and frustration free retro experience.
If it was just the combat and the exploration of a metroidvania that GigaSword offered, along with a slightly too slow release of new abilities, it would be decent but nothing special. However, the inclusion of an impressive range of puzzles elevates Jack Breen’s labour of digital love to the upper echelons of its genre. GigaSword, you see, is all about answering the question of what it would be like to actually wield an enormous sword. And, have no doubts, Ezra’s sword is so massive that it would make even Cloud Strife jealous.
Unlike the buster sword, though, Ezra’s weapon of choice is actually heavy. Whilst carrying it he isn’t as manoeuvrable and cannot jump, climb, and swim with as much grace-filled ease as he otherwise would. Cue some brilliant puzzles. The GigaSword is both vital but also an encumbrance, the player having to solve some deviously innovative brainteasers to get both Ezra and his sword through each section. We’re talking The Legend of Zelda levels of brilliance here, with each puzzle mechanic starting out seemingly basic, but then building and building until it hits the perfect amount of brain-tingling delight and satisfaction that only the best puzzle games can achieve. Each time I thought I’d seen every puzzle element that GigaSword had to offer, the game threw another superbly calibrated idea my way. Indeed, with a run-time getting on to twenty hours, there’s a whole lot of GigaSword here to enjoy.
The music is also brilliant, summoning the iconic sounds of NES era to the delight of my lugholes. GigaSword’s soundtrack was made in Famitracker using the Konami VRC6 sound chip, so it really delivers on the nostalgia. Alongside, to my great but welcome surprise, a genuinely emotive storyline and well-rounded characters, GigaSword proves that there really isn’t anything developer Jack Breen can’t do.