Ancient Weapon Holly is a new addition to the increasingly populated roguelike genre, a type of game that blends the challenge of dungeon crawling with randomized game events and permadeath. Developed by Acquire, the studio recognized for the impressive Octopath Traveler series, the game places the player in control of a formidable, vengeance-seeking robot.
The robot, buried for thousands of years by humans, comes alive and aims to conquer the terrain above ground in a bid for revenge. Navigating through the game requires the player to triumph over ten progressively difficult levels. The titular weapon Holly is equipped initially with a basic ranged attack and an ingenious mechanic that allows pits to be created for enemies to plummet into. These can then be sealed for instant enemy elimination, notably when Holly receives power enhancements offered by the game's upgrade system.
Despite the promising start and a gameplay that initially captures interest, Ancient Weapon Holly struggles with depth and variety, resulting in a repetitive feel as the journey prolongs. Each level is visually and structurally similar, only differentiated by the increasing resilience of enemies. The consequence of this repetition is that players may lose a sense of progression, which is critical in maintaining engagement in a roguelike game.
In the game, Holly is tasked with the destruction of enemy Gates while simultaneously protecting her Altar from Slayers sent to thwart her mission. Success leads to progression, while failure results in a singular level drop. This forgiving death penalty keeps the game accessible and eliminates the tediousness of replaying earlier, easier floors once Holly has accumulated a few upgrades.
The game introduces various abilities and upgrades ranging from quick movement across dungeons to warnings of approaching Slayers. Nevertheless, the core gameplay remains largely unchanged, with players often resorting to the primary combat abilities and burial attack for the majority of encounters. Overpowering Holly by grinding for upgrades on lower levels becomes an easy route, arguably reducing the game's challenge.
Narratively, Ancient Weapon Holly takes a backseat approach. The game's sparse story elements are derived from collecting fragments of Holly's memories, though these don't shed substantial light on the character background or context. The emphasis firmly rests on the action, leaving the plot underdeveloped.
While it may excel as an elementary roguelite with action-forward design, providing perhaps 10-15 hours of gameplay for those with a penchant for simplicity, Ancient Weapon Holly fails to distinguish itself in a platform replete with more innovative offerings. It plays too cautiously, lacking the character, humour, or tension that would make it memorable.
From a technical perspective, the game runs effectively in both the Nintendo Switch's handheld and docked modes, save for some frame rate issues when switching between the two. However, these issues are easily remedied by restarting the game, thus presenting only a minor disruption to gameplay.
Ultimately, one would summarize Ancient Weapon Holly as a competent game—far from terrible, but equally distant from groundbreaking. It's a game that might initially entertain but will likely be overshadowed by other, more dynamic games in the genre. It serves up a helping of combat-heavy action without the lasting appeal or innovation that spurs players to return. For those craving a straightforward roguelike experience on the Nintendo Switch, it may fulfill that niche. For others seeking depth and flair, they might well leave its buried secrets untouched, seeking richer adventures elsewhere.
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