Pseudoregalia

Last updated
Pseudoregalia
Pseudoregalia.jpg
Developer(s) rittzler
Publisher(s) rittzler
Designer(s)
  • rittzler
  • matt
Composer(s)
  • potatoteto
  • pluswplus
  • still crisp
Engine Unreal Engine 5 [1]
Platform(s) Microsoft Windows
Release28 July 2023
Genre(s) 3D platformer, Metroidvania
Mode(s) Single-player

Pseudoregalia is a 2023 platform game, by indie developer rittzler. [2] The player controls Sybil, an anthropomorphic goat-like creature, who finds herself trapped in a castle in a dream realm. It is stylistically influenced by fifth generation era video games of the late 1990s, utilizing low-poly graphics. [3] [4]

Contents

Gameplay

Pseudoregalia is a 3D metroidvania/platform game hybrid, where the player character, Sybil, is tasked with making her way through the Castle Sansa. The gameplay emphasizes fluidity and responsiveness, with a focus on running and jumping. The game's environment is structured in an open-ended manner, with many alternate paths that can be unlocked by upgrading certain abilities. [4] [5] [6] The game is relatively short, and is possible to complete within a few hours. [7]

Plot

Sybil, upon arriving in a mysterious castle's dungeon through the use of a golden mirror, expresses vague concern about her punctuality and an unknown goal. As she travels through the labyrinthine structure, various NPCs and Signposts point to a far off tower with a princess in need of saving.

After obtaining all 5 Major Keys, and the upgrades required to reach them, Sybil is able to open the door at the top of said tower where the princess awaits. However, upon reaching her chamber, the Princess attacks Sybil and is soon after defeated. Afterwards, the castle collapses and it is revealed that the events previous were only a dream being had by someone who seems to know the Princess, who thanks Sybil for waking him up and wishes her luck on her next adventure.

Development

The initial version of Pseudoregalia was developed in around three weeks as a submission for the Metroidvania Month 19 Game Jam, which took place between February and March 2023. [3] [8] The original version, which won first place in the game jam, was released for free via itch.io. [9] An extended, "full" version of the game was made available to purchase via Steam on 28 July 2023. [10] According to the developer, the production of the extended version took four months, and since then, there has been an update adding an in-game map. [1] [11] The developer plans to release future updates for the title as well. [11]

Reception

Following its release, the game sold 28,000 copies by September 2023, a result the developer found unexpected. [1] By August 2024, it sold 200,000 copies and had 10,000 reviews on Steam. [12]

Pseudoregalia received acclaim from various professional outlets ahead of and following its release on Steam. Rock Paper Shotgun praised the flexibility of motion it offered, describing it as "super-slick" and "[looking] absolutely fantastic in motion". [13] William Hughes described it for The A.V. Club as "an indie gaming winner" and as a reminder that "having satisfying gameplay can overcome almost any other issues". [4] Dustin Bailey of GamesRadar+ stated that it looked like "an incredibly well-crafted game laser-targeted at my gaming wheelhouse". [3]

Try Hard Guides rated it 9.5/10, calling it a "truly a one of a kind game", while also praising the gameplay, soundtrack and graphics. [5] Entertainium described the short length of the game as making "[it] very focused, always able to put its best foot forward instead of ever dragging even slightly". [14]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 Wood, Austin (2023-09-03). "One of 2023's best Metroidvanias was made in 4 months by a self-taught dev — now it's made him a life-changing amount of money". gamesradar. Retrieved 2023-09-07.
  2. ↑ "Pseudoregalia on Steam". store.steampowered.com. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
  3. 1 2 3 Bailey, Dustin (2023-08-02). "The hottest Metroidvania on Steam is a $6 blast from the 3D past". GamesRadar+ . Archived from the original on 2023-08-26. Retrieved 2023-08-23.
  4. 1 2 3 Hughes, William (2023-08-18). "Pseudoregalia is an indie gaming winner that's absolutely gorgeous—in its own way". The A.V. Club . Archived from the original on 2023-08-24. Retrieved 2023-08-23.
  5. 1 2 Hodges, Erik (2023-07-31). "Pseudoregalia Review – A dream within a dream". Try Hard Guides. Archived from the original on 2023-08-26. Retrieved 2023-08-23.
  6. ↑ Sledge, Ben (2023-08-16). "This £5 Steam Game Is Ocarina Of Time Meets Titanfall 2". The Gamer. Archived from the original on 2023-08-26. Retrieved 2023-08-23.
  7. ↑ Bolding, Jonathan (2023-07-31). "This little indie platformer has some seriously satisfying movement". PC Gamer . Archived from the original on 2023-08-26. Retrieved 2023-08-23.
  8. ↑ "Metroidvania Month 19". itch.io . Archived from the original on 2023-08-26. Retrieved 2023-08-23.
  9. ↑ rittz. "Pseudoregalia [Jam Ver.]". itch.io. Archived from the original on 2023-08-19. Retrieved 2023-08-23.
  10. ↑ "Pseudoregalia". Steam . Archived from the original on 2023-08-24. Retrieved 2023-08-23.
  11. 1 2 "Pseudoregalia - Map Update! - Steam News". store.steampowered.com. 2024-03-01. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
  12. ↑ @ritzzler (2024-08-25). "it literally never was a thought in my head when i was making Pseudoregalia that it could hit 10k reviews on steam and 200k copies sold in roughly a year" (Tweet). Retrieved 2024-11-20– via Twitter.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  13. ↑ Jarvis, Matt (2023-07-21). "PS1-styled indie Metroidvania Pseudoregalia has some of the slickest and sickest 3D platforming I've seen in years". Rock Paper Shotgun . Archived from the original on 2023-08-26. Retrieved 2023-08-23.
  14. ↑ Rakestraw, Callum (2023-08-06). "Review: Pseudoregalia plays like a dream". Entertainium. Archived from the original on 2023-08-26. Retrieved 2023-08-23.
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