REVIEW | Akatori

Akatori invites you into a vast and mystical world shaped by ancient temples, forgotten legends, and a rising force known as the Amber Storms. These strange distortions ripple through every realm, twisting living creatures and unsettling the balance that once held the worlds together. At the centre of this single player Metroidvania-lite action platformer is Mako, a teenage girl raised in the Firebird Temple, suddenly thrust into a journey that spans all the worlds and reaches far beyond anything she imagined.

Even before stepping into Mako’s story, the bright and vibrant colours of Akatori instantly appealed to me. There is a sense of old magic woven through its world, the kind that makes every realm feel alive with history and hidden meaning. That feeling only deepens when Mako encounters her enigmatic companion, a red bird sealed inside a staff whose origins remain wrapped in myth. The staff shifts between weapon and tool, guiding her through sacred ruins, forgotten pathways, and the secrets each world keeps close.

With that world set in motion, let’s step into the adventure and see how Akatori truly unfolds.

Things I liked!

• Visuals | Akatori features striking 2.5D visuals that blend detailed 2D pixel art characters and sprites with fully stylised 3D environments. It’s a combination that immediately stands out, giving the world a sense of depth and movement that feels both modern and nostalgic. The bright, vibrant colours that first caught my eye remain one of its strongest qualities, painting each area with personality and atmosphere.
  
  I found myself drawn to how distinct each character looks, from Mako’s expressive design to the imposing presence of the bosses. Their appearances feel carefully considered, with visual details that make them instantly recognisable and memorable. The animations tie everything together smoothly, giving combat and exploration a natural rhythm that makes the world feel alive.
  
  The water effects are particularly well done, with clean reflections and fluid motion that fit naturally within the game’s art style. It’s a subtle detail, but one that adds polish and helps the environments feel cohesive.

• Gameplay | Akatori blends exploration, combat, and platforming in a way that feels both familiar and fresh. Movement is responsive, with precise jumps and smooth transitions between areas that make exploration satisfying. Combat focuses on timing and positioning rather than speed, encouraging players to learn enemy patterns and make deliberate choices.
  
  It did take me a while to get used to the staff, which serves multiple purposes. You use it as a weapon and for climbing, and it can also be thrown to stun enemies. After throwing it, you need to press the same button to recall it, and early on I sometimes thought I couldn’t climb certain walls because I hadn’t brought it back. Once I adjusted, the system felt intuitive and added a nice layer of strategy to both combat and traversal.
  
  Each new ability builds naturally into the flow of exploration, opening paths and secrets without breaking momentum. Boss encounters stand out for their variety and challenge, though some early fights can feel like noticeable difficulty spikes compared to the areas leading up to them. Despite that, the game remains rewarding once you adapt to its rhythm and pacing.
  
  
• Combat Rewards | Enemies drop yellow Amber when defeated, and you can also find it inside yellow crystals scattered throughout each level. Amber acts as the main currency, used in shops to buy potions that restore health and other useful items. It is a simple system that fits naturally into the rhythm of combat and exploration.
  
  Saving at Guide Stones resets enemies, and defeating them fills your chaos meter. Using a charged attack grants extra chaos, though it leaves you defenseless while charging. Once full, the meter lets you ring a Bell of Chaos to enter arena challenges and unlock unique skills. Potions also take a moment to activate, requiring a second without being hit, which can be frustrating in busy fights. Despite this, progression feels rewarding and well‑integrated into the action.

Mixed & disliked!

• Sound Design | Akatori’s sound design complements its world effectively. The soundtrack blends calm, atmospheric melodies with more energetic tracks during combat, helping each area feel distinct. The music supports the action without overpowering it, maintaining a steady rhythm that fits the pacing of exploration and fights.
  
  Environmental audio is handled well, with ambient effects like running water, footsteps, and background echoes adding depth to each location. Combat sounds are generally well‑timed, though I did wish some attacks against certain enemies had a heavier thud to make hits sound more impactful. It’s a small detail, but one that could have added extra weight to the action. There are no voice actors here, with all dialogue presented through text‑based dialogue boxes. This approach works fine for the game’s style, though some of the text is a little small and there’s no option to adjust its size.
  
  Overall, the sound design is consistent and well‑balanced, but a few small tweaks could have made it feel more immersive and dynamic.
  
  
• Story | Akatori opens with a strong premise, setting up a mystical world filled with Amber Storms, ancient temples, and a charming red bird companion. It’s an enjoyable adventure overall, but the narrative doesn’t fully reach the potential of its opening chapters. Some NPCs feel a little flat, with conversations that could have offered more personality or emotional weight. While the story remains pleasant and keeps the journey moving, it ultimately falls just short of being memorable. Even so, the world itself is engaging enough that following Mako’s path remains a fun experience.
  

• Map and Exploration | Akatori’s world is divided into clearly defined, colour‑coded areas, each connected by portals that serve as gateways between regions. The visual effect of travelling through these portals is a nice touch, adding a sense of transition and scale to exploration. It is easy to see where you are on the map, as it shows your current location along with save points and shops. However, navigation can still be tricky. If you are in one area at the bottom and need to reach another at the top, not all portals lead where you expect. Toward the end of my playthrough, I spent almost two to three hours lost, going in circles trying to reach the final section.
  
  Most objectives include a quest marker showing where to go, often pointing toward unexplored areas that are still greyed out. At other times, the game simply tells you to explore and find certain objects, which I really liked because it encourages curiosity and rewards observation. As with most Metroidvania‑style games, certain areas remain inaccessible until you unlock specific abilities like double jump or float. These upgrades make revisiting earlier zones more enjoyable and rewarding, adding a satisfying sense of progression.
  
  
• Enemy Encounters | Akatori’s enemy roster is small, and after a few hours you start to see the same creatures repeated across different areas. Most behave in familiar ways, so once you learn their patterns, encounters lose their impact. I particularly found the flying enemies annoying, as they hover just out of reach and slow down combat. While some enemies are easy to defeat, certain levels pack many into the same area, making fights more chaotic and challenging. A little more variety would have helped keep battles feeling fresh.
  
  
• Accessibility | Akatori includes four difficulty settings, with a Story option available for players who prefer a more relaxed experience. One limitation is that difficulty cannot be changed mid game, so you are locked into your choice once you begin. The game offers a few comfort settings such as a camera shake toggle, a vibration toggle, and independent sliders for music and sound effects. Controller remapping is not supported, though there are three preset layouts to choose from. Text size cannot be adjusted, and I found it very small throughout the adventure, which may be an issue for players who prefer larger fonts. The game supports ten languages for text and subtitles, offering a good range of accessibility for different regions.

• How long did I play the review before publishing? 11 Hours
• How long to beat the story? 7+ Hours
• How many Achievements did I earn before publishing? 21/31 OR 660/1000G
• How long to get 100%? | 12 Hours +
• You’ll love this game if you like these | Hollow Knight, Ori and The Will of the Wisps & Nine Sols

Score: 78/100

A vibrant adventure that stumbles in places but still delivers a memorable journey.

Akatori offers a vibrant world, rewarding progression, and enjoyable combat that make the adventure engaging. Some elements fall short, such as the flat NPCs, small text, and a few frustrating moments with navigation and difficulty, but they never outweigh the game’s charm or atmosphere. It’s a flawed yet memorable journey that fans of Metroidvania‑style games will still appreciate.