F.I.S.T. In the test: an action

A fluffy rabbit mixing on PS4 and PS5 with ironfist, lightning whip and drilling drill arms metal robot. In the cool premise, it is clear that the controller floated into our hands. The 2,5d action game with the bulky name F.I.S.T.: Forged in Shadow Torch is fresh metroidvania diet of the Chinese developer Tigames, which throws us in a dystopic diesel point world for over 20 hours and plays exactly as cool as it sounds.

The biggest drawback , and here we take a little anticipation, is the genre itself, which has produced so many great games in recent years. Last Axiom Verge 2 and the Metroidvania Kings Ori and The Will of the Wisps and Hollow Knight \ - and Metroid Dread for the Switch also knocks on the door. Stay here for fighting bias Rayon? But yes! From our point of view, you should take the time, because F.I.S.T. Power for a comparatively narrow valley powerful mood.

Combat phase vs. killer robot

So that you are in the picture, first a quick look at story and setting of the game. Scene is Torch City, a gigantic industrial city underjoined by a robot berth named Iron Dogs. Diesel powered mechanical elevators, cold tristesse, which is crossed by flames and smoke, paired with the charm of the 1950s. Diesel point, which can be literally taste and smelled by the screen. Without having to cough.

To the residents of the city - all animals like rats and raccoons - also belongs to war veteran and fighting bodies Rayon whose friends get in captivity. F.I.S.T. Told Fortan a fun, exciting story about the liberation of the city. For a game with a rather low budget, the story will be presented in amazingly high quality Cutscenes and with a great English language output. Of course, German subtitles are also available.

The characters are great, always have a humorous saying on the lips. Even visually, the game takes away less, rather ugly passages, in native 4k and liquid 60 fps on the PS5 an excellent impression.

with iron fist, drill and whip

The tramerum is right, but how does it look like with the partly challenging fighting? Again, we were well maintained. In the core is F.I.S.T. A Melee Game. Means, you switched on the capaccessing strain attacks for Rayon's main weapons: With the iron fist mounted on his back, you coincides the Iron Dogs with light and heavy blows, with an incredibly cool-looking drill take your opponent in the defect or sucks you with a swiveling attack you.

And the flash whip, well, that's exactly what you expect. With it you can roast on great distance humanoid metal men, flying drones and partly crisp, but fantastically staged and varied bosses so really one over the metal skin.

The fighting feels also thanks to massive and great staged finisher class. We only have to be murked with the attacks or counterattacks of the opponents not very clearly clearly, which were more met by non-existing invaluability frames (Invincibility Frames).

Also, it was slightly disturbing, which we could not roll through the opponent, which is a matter of taste. F.I.S.T. Here is a rather realistic way.

A great metroidvania with a weakness

Also at the combat system home F.I.S.T. Neat points, but a very important point is still missing: Is it a good Metroidvania?

The game world piece by piece thanks to the skills discover, discover secrets such as upgrades and optional bosse, creating a permanent motivational spiral, the adventure with Rayon offers exactly that. Added to this is demanding platform passages over rotating saw blades and fatal laser barriers, which thanks to punctual controls best function.

The action game understands it excellently to give Ray to always give new skills to the hand, about a learned double jump, wall jumps and Dash maneuver to get to previously unattainable places. Also, for example, we can use this as a propeller after finding the drill to float over dangerous places or to dive under water.

We find items that enhance our lives permanently or cool skins that color our ironfist pink and with a ... sweet dog head. An example of the way that the game does not always take you seriously, what we find wonderfully refreshing.

Where is the hook now? We have to talk about the map. What was there, Tigames? What we would deal with other genres only as a piercing note is essential at a metroidvania. Although the map is far from being a K.O. criterion - mission targets are clearly displayed with a big red point - but small things have caused such a lot here. Comfort functions such as coloring rooms, or a mark that we have found everything in one place. A cursor that displays us at the company about the map, which means which symbol on the map (there is a legend). Placeable markers and generally a little more color structure would be a desirable addition.

We know that Metroidvania players deal with a simple feature like the map much motivation and satisfaction. Here we may be a little picky and supercritical for some maybe under you and again said that the lack of truly no leg break. But the map counts for us in the genre to the most important points.

But it is also clear: that a map is our biggest criticism, also shows how much fun we had with the adventure of fighting bashes. In terms of staging and atmosphere, we do not move here in Hollow Knight or Ori Spheres. Nevertheless, a unique, extremely fun metroidvania awaits a very fair price.