I initially wasn't expecting much from this quietly released indie “rouge-lite” game, but found myself sad to see it go by the time I reached its ending. The greatest appeal of Metallic Child comes from the way it applies the aesthetics of the Japanese Action-RPGs without holding onto any of the contrivances that I've come to expect from the genre – all while delivering on surprisingly solid overall gameplay. Metallic Child doesn't exactly stand out from the pack, but it's fun and uncomplicated, and that's what matters the most. The worst I can say about it is that it's not an incredibly memorable game and can become repetitive, but aside from that, it checks all of the boxes that I would expect a “good game” to fill. Let's take a look at what those boxes are, and how Metallic Child manages to tick them off.

Of all the accolades I can think to give this game, the most unexpected would have to be its simple yet effective writing. Metallic Child's narrative is instantly compelling and the dialogue that accompanies its characters is entertaining to boot. The premise of the game is that Rona – one of the sentient robotic Metallic Children – has decided to save Earth from the destructive fate that her ten siblings assigned it after they were mistreated by the human operatives of the high-tech space station that they live on. In attempting to thwart one of their ploys, Rona receives critical damage, and winds up requiring the assistance of a human pilot – which she receives after asking the player to aid her from their gaming rig down on Earth. This is easily one of the most charming backdrops for a game I have ever encountered, and lends itself to some very well-written moments of dialogue where I felt fully immersed in Metallic Child's world. From a gameplay perspective, the premise boils down to something of a rogue-lite version of Mega-Man, where you have to hunt down a number of robotic overlords in their own uniquely-themed levels, stealing their abilities in turn after you defeat them. The inspiration here is well-received though; I think that it's been far too long since a decent title has been able to follow Mega-Man's gameplay flow, and with the degradation of the Mega-Man series over time, I've lost faith in seeing CAPCOM fill that role.

As far as the aesthetics of the game, Metallic Child is audibly passable and visibly fun. None of the music tracks stood out to me, but they didn't grate on the ears over time either, which is really all I ask. As a baseline, I tend not to expect consistently memorable music as a part of my gameplay experience unless that high bar of quality has been touted by whatever franchise I'm looking at overall, so it's not really a disappointment. Visually, though, there are a few things I can marvel at. Most of the game's characters are rendered in a very glossy chibi style that feels crisp and comedic, adding a certain levity the game wouldn't have otherwise. Costume and character designs are surprisingly detailed, and while the same can't be said of the enemy designs, I won't complain too much because the look of the combat more than makes up for it. Bombastic explosions and impactful strikes rock the stage, and I adore the way the camera moves to show unique takedown animations from fresh angles in the middle of combat, spicing things up visually during fights.

Metallic Child's gameplay similarly spices up the tried and true roguelike genre with some interesting elements. Overall, there are a handful of weapons to choose from – hammers, gauntlets, and swords – each with its own boons and shortcomings, and two can be taken into combat at a time. You can expect all of the usual dodging and blocking mechanics here as well as some special attacks, which are all tied to a battery meter that is filled by inflicting damage upon enemies. Where Metallic Child stands out is in its throwing and stunning mechanics, which add a lot of depth to the combat. Small enemies and explosive objects can be thrown across the stage or into one another at the cost of battery power. Levels are designed so that it's very easy to get overwhelmed if you don't properly space your enemies with throws or manage the battery power that allows you to do so. Similarly, throwing enemies into walls and hitting them with special attacks fills up an invisible stun meter that can net you instant takedowns or massive damage when full. Metallic Child's most unique mechanic lies in its upgrade system. Basically, Rona can hold three upgrades/debuff and one assist bot at a time, which she receives at random by consuming the cores of robots she takes down. All of these cores have a timer (usually around 2-4 minutes) before they deactivate. The buffs can be maintained and debuffs dispelled by utilizing certain terminals, but by and large, most of the cores in the game are temporary, aside from the permanent super-cores you receive every time you level up during a stage. These upgrades constantly shift the gameplay experience – altering your goals and preferred attacks during combat while sometimes doing things like making it harder to see or locking you into a specific weapon. Even the debuff “bugged” cores serve a purpose, as dispelling more of them over the course of a stage will give Rona access to stronger super-cores when she gets the chance to take them.

If you like anime and action-arcade gameplay, Metallic Child is 100% something you need to check out. It's a hidden gem of a game that is largely unassuming, but consistently offers an engaging and fun gameplay experience with cute and quirky characters to boot.