Crypt Custodian - Switch Review

I can’t believe it’s been two years since Kyle Thompson released Islets, the hit metroidvania which was as wholesome as it was engaging. Now in 2024, Thompson’s next project, Crypt Custodian, is being released on all major consoles with much anticipation. 

It’s being billed as a Zelda-like with metroidvania gameplay; well, you certainly have my attention! Let's take a look.

The Good

If you thought Islets was wholesome, then Crypt Custodian has come along and cranked things up even further. You play as Pluto, a cat who, early on, becomes apparent, to have been sadly run over and died. The stark and unabashed nature with which this was brought up kind of took me aback, but death and mourning really shouldn’t be a stigma in today’s age. Pluto finds himself in the cat afterlife (known as the Palace) where he’s been punished by being given the title of the Palace janitor, meaning he must spend eternity cleaning the place up! As the story unfolds, you find out why this is, and Pluto must fight back against the injustice. Pluto is also able to communicate spiritually with his former owners at various times in the game, which leads to some masterful and truly tear-jerking moments of storytelling.

Oh, and how about that Zelda-like/metroidvania gameplay? I mean, yeah, that’s exactly what it is, and Thompson absolutely nails it. There are branching paths; sometimes too many to choose from. You get unlockable powers as you progress, which allow you to go back on yourself and open up even more paths. The combat is like any good action-RPG, with satisfying hits and player agility. Pluto can roll and jump to manoeuvre himself around battles, and the difficulty is perfectly balanced, meaning you never feel too strong or unfairly weak against the numerous different species of enemies you encounter.

Overall, there is just so much on offer in Crypt Custodian, not necessarily in terms of length but just in terms of variety. There are dozens of hidden items to find, the most common of which are upgrade points, which dictate how many upgrades you can have active at any one time, similar to the charm system in Hollow Knight. These will greatly assist you in the Guacamelee-style enemy fights where you’re locked in a screen and can’t proceed before defeating them all. There are even some Grand Theft Auto-style rampages missions where you come under attack and must defeat enemies without taking damage or within a certain time limit. And I haven’t even mentioned all of the genius environmental puzzles and the friends Pluto adds to his mission along the way! I also appreciate that I’m mentioning lots of references here, but the point I’m trying to make is that the depth and breadth of gameplay in Crypt Custodian are so vast that you’re constantly kept interested and on your toes. There is never a dull moment.

TL;DR

• A wholesome and, at times, emotional story
• Perfectly balanced action-RPG and metroidvania gameplay
• Plenty of entertaining gameplay variety

The Bad

While there has clearly been a lot of investment in the gameplay development in Crypt Custodian, something that feels slightly neglected is the environment art, which is understandable for such a small development team. The environments look great as you move around the numerous floating islands that make up the game world, but they can feel quite similar and repetitive in certain areas.

The soundtrack in Crypt Custodian also seems to have taken a bit of a backseat; again, it certainly isn’t bad, it just doesn’t pop and is more of an ambient background soundtrack. This is just a bit of a shame when you compare it to some of its contemporaries in the genre, old and new.

I can’t really find any more faults with Crypt Custodian, other than that it perhaps finished a bit too soon for me, but that was just a sign of how much I was enjoying myself!

TL;DR

• Some environments are quite similar and repetitive
• Inconspicuous soundtrack
• I wish it could have gone on for longer!

Final Score: 9/10

In my opinion, Crypt Custodian certainly deserves a 9 because Kyle Thompson has crafted a smorgasbord of fun, adventure and emotion, all of which is perfectly balanced.

There are some slightly more basic elements, such as the environment art, but overall, any fans of Zelda games and/or metroidvanias should definitely pick this up!

Thank you for checking out our Crypt Custodian Switch review, thank you to Top Hat Studios for providing the review code and thank you to our Patreon Backers for their ongoing support:

• Andrew Caluzzi (Inca Studios / Camped Out)
• Bel Cubitt
• Bobby Jack
• Jack Caven
• NintenVania Podcast
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