GIGASWORD from Akupara Games and Studio Hybrid is an action-puzzle Metroidvania in which your huge sword plays a big part. Learn more in our GIGASWORD review!
GIGASWORD from Akupara Games and Studio Hybrid is an action-puzzle Metroidvania in which your huge sword plays a big part. You’ll be taking on the role of Ezra, a young warrior who spent his childhood on the streets, begging for food and stealing to stay alive. One day, he was attacked by wolves, and it was Omari, one of the Nocturne, who defended him with his power and massive sword. This made him realize that the Nocturne were not as bad as people said. Unfortunately, things are not going well for Thoenhart and its inhabitants. The city is plagued by famine and disease, which drives the people to try to find a solution. Their plan? To take on the ancient tower Nestrium to slay the Nocturne and take Gnosis – the God Crystal.
The Nocturne are a race of humanoid owl-like entities that guard the Gnosis from danger. Legend has it that the God Crystal will bring prosperity to those who wield it, which is why the Nestrium is stormed. The bad news? Entering the tower awakens an ancient evil that is ready to destroy reality itself! This is why you must find a way to save everything and everyone before it’s too late.
Studio Hybrid – which is the company name for solo dev Jack Breen – took the game to Kickstarter back in 2020, seeking $40,000 in funding for working on the game’s development. Once the crowdfunding campaign was over, and thanks to the support of more than 1,000 backers, the project ended up with a little over $46,000 in funding. The game was originally planned for a late 2023 release, but the release date ended up slipping a couple of times. Once Akupara Games stepped in as publisher, a new release window was set for the second half of 2025. After a final delay, the game is now ready to go on Nintendo Switch.
Once you jump into action, you’ll be taking control of Ezra by using the left analog stick as you run through each area and jump around by pressing the B button. For this 2D game, you’ll need to balance the weight of the titular GIGASWORD as you run and jump your way through each area, attacking enemies and avoiding hazards. Press the X button to crawl through tight spaces. Perform a dodge roll by pressing the L button to try to avoid incoming attacks.
You don’t start this journey with a weapon by your side, and you won’t get your hands on the GIGASWORD until tragedy strikes. It’s when Vearst and his elite squadron attack the Nestrium at dawn that they surprise the Nocturne and fatally wound Omari… who hands you the GIGASWORD with his final breath. It’s in that moment that your true adventure will begin.
After this rather tragic moment, you’ll walk up the hill and collect Omari’s weapon. You’ll be able to swing GIGASWORD by pressing the Y button to defeat the monsters and other enemies that stand on your path. If you attack with the GIGASWORD while jumping, you’ll swing your weapon downward with great strength. You can stick the sword into the ground by pressing the X button, which will allow you to jump higher, but this does mean you won’t be able to attack, which does leave you vulnerable.
As expected, this will be something you’ll have to do to solve some of the puzzles that the game will throw at you. You’ll place the GIGASWORD at point A, and it will be transported to point B while you jump around to get there. You can also use the GIGAWORD to stab blocks and push or pull on them around as needed. Once you enter the tower – or, you know, fall into its sewer system – you’ll be able to check your map by pressing the XXX button.
By defeating enemies and opening up treasure chests, you’ll be able to collect some special ores of different shapes, sizes, and values. These special ores will act as the in-game currency. You can spend your hard-earned ores when you interact with a save shrine. That way, you’ll be able to unlock additional upgrades to the GIGASWORD. These include, for example, Crawling Spark, which will allow your attacks to shoot a spark along the ground when you’re at full health. You can also spend your ores to open up some doors that will hopefully lead you to an important treasure.
GIGASWORD is an action-puzzle Metroidvania in which your huge sword plays a big part. You’ll be taking on the role of Ezra, a young warrior who spent his childhood on the streets, begging for food and stealing to stay alive. One day, he was attacked by wolves, and it was Omari, one of the Nocturne, who defended him with his power and massive sword. This made him realize that the Nocturne were not as bad as people said. Unfortunately, things are not going well for Thoenhart and its inhabitants. The city is plagued by famine and disease, which drives the people to try to find a solution. Their plan? To take on the ancient tower Nestrium to slay the Nocturne and take Gnosis – the God Crystal.
The Nocturne are a race of humanoid owl-like entities that guard the Gnosis from danger. Legend has it that the God Crystal will bring prosperity to those who wield it, which is why the Nestrium is stormed. The bad news? Entering the tower awakens an ancient evil that is ready to destroy reality itself! This is why you must find a way to save everything and everyone before it’s too late. Omari is fatally injured during the attack, and it’s then that you gain access to the titular GIGASWORD as you aim to avenge your friend.
With this one being a Metroidvania, you’ll be working not only on upgrading the GIGASWORD by spending the in-game currency you collect, but also on searching for the abilities that will allow you to explore new areas. There’s, for instance, a charge attack that can be used to destroy some damaged floors or walls. You’ll also collect shiny gems that will slot into your weapon, which will allow you to use it in new ways during subsequent puzzle segments. And who knows, if you search high and low, you might be able to find some peculiar emerald feathers… GIGASWORD is out on Nintendo Switch with a $14.99 price tag.
Disclaimer
This GIGASWORD review is based on a Nintendo Switch copy provided by Akupara Games.
