Laika: Aged Through Blood is a Metroidvania on a Dirtbike – and it TOTALLY Works

ign.com:

At first glance, you might expect Laika: Aged Through Blood to maybe have a bit more chill than it does. That is, until just minutes into it, when you find out its beautifully apocalyptic environments, somber soundtrack, and adorably anthropomorphic cast are actually just a backdrop for an adventure that’s filled with shockingly gratuitous violence, strong language, and a harrowing story of loss and grief. It’s kinda like that one episode of South Park where you find out that all the innocent looking Christmas critters worship Satan – and I mean that in the best possible way. It’s difficult to explain how the woodland cast blends so seamlessly with absolutely horrifying brutality, but at least in the opening chunk of content available in the demo, Laika manages to thread that needle with alarming ease – using a dirtbike.

Playing as a mother coyote who races to the scene of an adolescent dog’s brutal crucifixion, Laika: Aged Through Blood lived up to its name before the opening credits had even begun to roll. Inspired by western films and featuring a gun-toting lone wolf seeking justice, this adventure practically slapped me in the face with its appallingly adult tone, and that never let up in the opening hours available to me in the demo. Though riding around on a motorcycle and taking revenge against militaristic avians was undoubtedly a hilariously good time, Laika doesn’t shy away from repeatedly returning its focus to the struggle of its grief-stricken protagonist and the ruined world she occupies. Don’t be fooled by the charming animal characters and cartoon coat of paint – this game wants to make you cry in between all that satisfying vroom-vrooming about, so maybe consider keeping some Kleenex at the ready.

When I