Crypt Custodian Review: A Top-Down Metroidvania with Stunning Visuals, and an Incredible Soundtrack

Explore Crypt Custodian, an indie Metroidvania by Kyle Thompson with top-down action and a standout soundtrack by Eric Thompson. Will it take the place as the best Metroidvania of 2024?

Aug 29, 2024

Explore Crypt Custodian, a standout indie Metroidvania of 2024! Developed by Kyle Thompson, this top-down action-platformer features a cat with a broom navigating the afterlife. Our review covers the engaging combat, stunning visuals, and exceptional soundtrack by Eric Thompson. We also compare it with Animal Well, highlighting their unique takes on the genre. Check out my review to discover why Crypt Custodian is a must-play indie adventure!

The World Revolves Around Pluto

In Crypt Custodian, you play as Pluto, a cat who made a mistake and ended up in the afterlife. Fortunately, you lived a virtuous life, so when judgment time comes, you have nothing to worry about. Unfortunately, your first outing in the afterlife involves destroying a few statues, which angers Kendra, the judge who determines if you'll spend eternity in the Palace, a heavenly place, or be doomed to the afterlife. Despite living a nearly angelic life, you are banished to the worst place in the afterlife, becoming a crypt custodian, tasked with cleaning garbage for eternity. This is where your journey begins. Fair warning: spoilers ahead!

Pluto by Good Game Lobby from Crypt Custodian

Life After Life

Crypt Custodian is a top-down Metroidvania with a focus on combat, upgrades, and puzzle-solving. The premise is simple yet engaging, with an emphasis on exploration and progression. As with any Metroidvania, exploration is key in Crypt Custodian. The game’s map is enormous, with each area introducing new enemies, traversal challenges, puzzles to solve, and animals to befriend

The animals you meet throughout your exploration give you a small glimpse into why they are in the afterlife, often needing assistance. Once you’ve done your part, they are marked as a friend, which will make more sense in a moment.

Pebble is the first friend you make, and she explains a special detail about the Palace. It houses a mirror that has the ability to bring anyone who uses it back to Earth again to see their loved ones. You are invisible to them, but you can feel their presence, and it’s believed that they can possibly feel yours as well. This loving and thoughtful element is enough to make reaching the mirror in The Palace your ultimate goal.

Grizz, another animal you befriend, has a plan to storm The Palace to reach the mirror. However, he needs you to gather more friends to increase your chances of success

Within each area, you will discover a new friend and three hidden photographs, each providing details about them. These details will offer small hints about who they were on Earth and how they met their demise. This deeper connection truly makes you feel like you have a friend in each of them, building up the bond between you and everyone you meet. It makes your goal of reaching the Mirror to see your loved ones one last time extra special.

Sweep the Leg

Combat in Crypt Custodian revolves around Pluto’s trusty broom, which serves as the main weapon. Early on, you unlock your first ability: a dash. This ability quickly becomes essential, as you use it to dodge projectiles, navigate the map, and outmaneuver enemies. The dash has a smooth glide, and later upgrades allow you to dash in mid-air, further enhancing your mobility

The game’s combat system is straightforward. You earn skill points by solving time-based puzzles or performing tasks like lighting up platforms, bouncing items off walls, or igniting fires. These skill points can be used to unlock upgrades, such as increasing your broom’s damage or enabling projectiles to explode from you during a jumping smash-down attack. The simplicity of the system allows you to focus more on the action and less on complex crafting or skill trees.

One aspect I particularly appreciate is that you can’t fall off the edge of platforms. Instead, you must jump or dash over them to take damage. This design choice reduces the frustration that often comes with platforming under pressure, allowing you to focus on the combat.

There’s a twist: you can’t heal during a fight. You need to return to a well to heal up again, adding an extra layer of strategy to each encounter. Additionally, cursed statues present challenges, such as surviving waves of enemies without taking damage or defeating a set number of foes before you can heal. These challenges keep the gameplay engaging and rewarding.

Sweeping Scenery

The visual design of Crypt Custodian is stunning. The top-down view provides ample space for dodging the bullet-hell-style projectiles that enemies hurl at you. The projectiles are bright, and each enemy’s fighting style is presented in an amazing way, often mimicking your fighting style and even your looks. You will see towers floating into the sky and even explore a gigantic basement filled with canals to navigate. The game’s environments are beautifully crafted, with each area feeling distinct and alive. Pluto, the protagonist, moves swiftly and fluidly, making exploration and combat a visual treat

Cryptic Sounds

The soundtrack of Crypt Custodian is nothing short of brilliant. Music is a huge part of my life, and I always appreciate a game with a great soundtrack. Eric Thompson has crafted a score that perfectly complements the game’s atmosphere. The electronic, spacey sounds with heavy synths are mesmerizing, and tracks like “Pearl’s Shine” build suspense until you’re on the edge of your seat. When “Dark Vessel” kicks in, you’re treated to a thumping dance beat that elevates the gameplay experience. Check out the soundtrack below you will not be disappointed.

This soundtrack is one of the highlights of the game, and it’s clear that a lot of care went into its creation. It’s rare to find a game where the music is so integral to the experience, and Crypt Custodian nails it.

Animals & Wells

Crypt Custodian and Animal Well are two of my favorite Metroidvanias of the year, and both games feature animals as NPCs. However, they take very different approaches to the genre. Crypt Custodian is a top-down Metroidvania, while Animal Well is a side-scrolling one. Where Animal Well has no combat, Crypt Custodian is mainly focused on combat and destruction. Crypt Custodian lays its secrets out in front of you, making exploration straightforward, whereas Animal Well thrives on secrecy and hidden details. Despite these differences, both games offer unique and enjoyable experiences, making them stand out in their own ways. My game of the year is Animal Well, but when it comes to Metroidvanias Crypt Custodian has come very close to taking that spot.

Animal Well by Shared Memory | Crypt Custodian by Kyle Thompson

Crypt Keeper

I completed Crypt Custodian on normal difficulty and found it to be a pleasant experience. Some bosses were challenging, but most were defeated in one or two tries. If you’re looking for a greater challenge, I recommend playing on a harder difficulty. You can always test your combat skills with a boss rush mode available in the main menu of the game.

By the time I finished, the game indicated that I was at 61% completion, meaning there’s still plenty more to explore and collect, such as upgrades, records, and photographs. The game isn’t overly difficult, which I didn’t mind. It strikes a sweet spot in its difficulty, offering enough challenge to keep you engaged without being frustrating.

Crypt Custodian plays perfectly, looks breath-taking, and features an outstanding soundtrack. What more could you ask for in a game?

If you've played Crypt Custodian or Animal Well, I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments below! Which one did you enjoy more, and why? Let’s discuss!