Venture to the Vile Preview: a Victorian-Inspired Metroidvania with Layers

ign.com:

Venture to the Vile clicked with me the first time I switched layers to solve a puzzle. I was trying to get to a lever that would open a door farther in, but there wasn’t a lever in the area I hadn’t pressed, and none of the ones I had opened the door. Then I remembered that one of them had extended a bridge to an area in the background. So I walked back to the bridge, shifted to the layer in the background, worked my way to the lever, and bingo: one open door. I love it when a plan comes together.

Venture to the Vile is a 2D Metroidvania with a twist. It's set in a 3D world, and you can switch between areas in the foreground and background as long as you find a path to get you there. See something cool? You can probably go there. Developer Studio Cut to Bits wants to emphasize exploration and a sense of surprise in Venture to the Vile, and based on my time with it, I think they’ve nailed it.

Part of the appeal of Venture to the Vile is the world itself. Venture to the Vile takes place in and around the town of Rainybrook, where a mysterious substance called The Vile is corrupting everything, transforming the inhabitants of an otherwise charming and colorful world into horrifying monstrosities. Rainybrook takes cues from the Victorian period, and you can see it in the architecture of the town itself and the masks the characters wear. Speaking of characters, Venture to the Vile’s cast has a lot of personality, from Dr. Crow, who wants to dissect you, to friendly town butcher, or the two shady guys who really don’t want you listening into their conversation. Rainybrook is core to Venture to the Vile: other characters will give you quests, and you’ll be able to visit the town’s many shops to upgrade the abilities you’ll