Who knew the afterlife would be so messy? In Crypt Custodian, piles of garbage litter the landscapes, and strange, dark creatures residing in broken pots and dustbins attack me on sight. Fortunately, I have my trusty broom to swat away foes and clear up trash, but to be honest, I still can't quite believe this is how I have to spend my time after passing on. It's all thanks to Kendra, the frog guardian who gets to decide who's been good or bad, that I've been assigned this eternal cleaning gig. As a newly deceased cat called Pluto, I was hoping to go to the palace in the afterlife, since a fellow feline ghost told me it's where you go to pass on in eternal bliss. It sure sounds like the place to be, but after smashing some pots, Kendra refused me entry and now I've been cast outside of the palace; collecting garbage that never seems to go away.
I had to smash those pots to progress, so what's a cat to do? I guess I'll just have to keep at my janitorial duties as I try to find a way into the palace myself. As someone who hasn't played many Metroidvanias, I've really been enjoying my time with Crypt Custodian so far. With a wealth of settings to help ease me into the experience, the afterlife is full of intrigue and challenges, and the charming artstyle and cast of characters quickly drew me in. Fans of the best Metroidvania games are sure to enjoy the familiar features, but for relative newbies like me, it also feels like a welcoming entry point.
Ghost stories
Once I'm cast outside of the palace to clean for all eternity, my adventure truly begins. With some platforming and puzzles throughout the afterlife, the initial area gets me in Crypt Custodian's groove as I face some some mysterious trashcan-like enemies and learn how to dodge-roll out of harm's way. It's not long before I reach a building, with a neon sign of a feathered friend sipping martinis. Once inside, I realize it is in fact a bar run by a bird called Marla, who informs me that this local haunt is where I can purchase useful upgrades and buffs, and even pay to get some hints about where to go next should I get stuck.
As it turns out, all that garbage I'd been cleaning up and collecting is used as currency, so it actually pays to fulfill my janitor role well. There's also a jukebox inside that lets me know there are collectible discs with music dotted around the world for me to find, as an added incentive to explore every nook and cranny.
Every new ability for Pluto has a set amount of upgrade points you need in order to assign it, which you can earn by completing challenges – such as lifting a curse by defeating 15 enemies without dying – or finding them hidden away in the world. Initially, I only have basic attacks for my broom, but as I progress further, I get a more powerful sweeping attack move that lets me swing my broom around to do some crowd control. Combat is very much a case of learning every different enemy's unique attack pattern while putting your dodging roll to good use. Occasionally, you can come across a menacing statue where you'll have to face enemy waves to clear it, which really puts my dodging and timing to the test.
The landscape is quite expansive and as a Metroidvania, you'll have to puzzle your way through it and work out how to get past blocked paths as you learn more skills. Fortunately, there are well shrines dotted around where you can save, heal, and also teleport to wells you've already come across, which comes in handy when you need to pop back to the bar to spend your hard-earned trash.
While I undoubtedly get a satisfying sense of accomplishment from figuring out how to progress further and unlock more abilities, it's Crypt Custodian's world and characters that keep me coming back. In the afterlife, you encounter other bad ghosts who have met the same fate as you. As you talk to them and explore, you'll start to learn more about them and their story. Early on, I meet a frog called Pebble who's having to sweep up just like I am. Through conversations with Pebble and discoveries I make out in the world, I start to build up a picture of the frog, and I'm already keen to see who else I'll meet and what stories they'll have to tell.
As someone who tends to shy away from Metrodivanias, there's a lot I've come to love about Crypt Custodian. With three different difficulty levels to choose from, I really appreciate how many options there are in the menu to tailor your experience, which makes it feel so welcoming. If you want to tamp down the challenge a little bit more, for example, you can give yourself extra health, or turn off fall damage so you don't lose a life should you make an ill-time a jump from a platform. Above all, it's just downright charming, with plenty of humor and heart to be found as you make your way through Pluto's journey. Hopefully someday, I'll help the cat janitor get to the palace - and find out what the deal with Kendra is.
Crypt Custodian is out now on PC, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PS5, PS4, and Switch. For more recommendations, head on over to our Indie Spotlight series.
