I’m still in 2024 and I think game releases are starting to pick up, so it will be any time I actually start playing games released in the current year. Today is not the day and I am playing a game from a developer of a game that I skipped (though I really wanted to play) because the game industry moves so ridiculously fast. I ended up watching a playthrough of Islets and I made sure to never miss another game from Kyle Thompson.

This week is Crypt Custodian.

Crypt Custodian is a Metroidvania from Kyle Thompson, Top Hat Studios, and H2 Interactive. The game was released for all modern consoles in September 2024 and it retails for $20.

The player controls Pluto, a cat who has unfortunately died and been sentenced to clean up the afterlife forever. There is a story amongst those sentenced to clean up that there is a mirror that, once entered, spirits can spend a few moments with their loved ones. The narrative follows Pluto as they make friends, fight baddies, and discover if this magical mirror is real.

Somehow, this thin narrative, backed up by really fun side characters, made me a little teary-eyed.

We got another souls-lite. Pluto’s arsenal consists of dashing, jumping, a single attack, and a special attack. Special attacks can be executed after Pluto has built up a meter after beating up on a certain number of baddies.

The player can equip Pluto with special trinkets that have passive abilities. Abilities like more damage at full and low health, longer invulnerability after being hit, extra heart, and attack rate boost are all present. Trinkets and special attacks can be purchased with your trash money and can be equipped by using upgrade points that are littered all over the game world.

Upgrade points come from exploring the world and participating in one of Crypt Custodian‘s many puzzles. Puzzles can be found in every biome and offer abstract puzzles that can be solved with clever methods. A timing platforming puzzle and hitting a cat-shaped spirit ball at crucial times to hit it over to a specific platform come to mind.

The puzzles are fun and the reward always feels justified because it helps with the combat.

Is Souls-lite a phrase we use? I feel like it should be for these types of games that have pattern recognition and are not overly complicated. Pluto has four hearts and once lost, hearts can only be restored at travel points (like bonfires). These “wells” can fast-travel the player to any previously discovered well, let the player equip trinkets, and save/quit the game. These save points are well placed making it feel like Pluto is trying to survive just to interact with these wells to replenish their health after a long-fought journey.

Enemy types are pretty varied throughout the sprawling afterlife. Each biome introduces a few new enemies that require moments to master their attack patterns. The boss enemies are where the real challenge is. When entering a boss arena Crypt Custodian turned into a bullet-hell game where red orb projectiles are flying around the arena.

Each boss encounter is unique and provides a decent challenge that is a pretty good palette cleanser from the overall gameplay loop.

Crypt Custodian has the dismal look of a Souls game down pat. As you walk through the dilapidated ruin of the afterlife you can’t help but think about what these areas looked like before and what their use was. The environments are varied and overall Crypt Custodian has the same look as Islets does, but a little bit drearier.

I really do enjoy the soundtrack from Eric Thompson. The environment has its own vibe. The snowy level has a solemn, cold sound while the basement of that weir rabbit has a mysterious vibe going on and the neon crest has an otherworldly feel to it. Animal friends speak in little blurb sounds that do get annoying at times but the overall sound design is crisp and enjoyable.

I sat down with my Steam deck and played Crypt Custodian for three hours before I put it down for the night. The game is addictive in its simplicity. The combat is two buttons, and that’s fine because it is so good. Pattern recognition is just high enough to keep the player engaged during combat. the pacing is really good at keeping the player doing something all the time.

Crypt Custodian is an extremely fun, simple Souls-lite. I had fun combining trinkets with special attacks to do insane amounts of damage. I like the boss design, the way it looks, and how it sounds. The game lasted about 9 hours and there was still so much to explore and collect.

8/10