Rebel Transmute | PS5

As a cross between a Metroidvania and a soulsborne game, 'Rebel Transmute' boldly goes where most do not dare, and by that I mean with a protagonist that no one can connect with except on a representative level. Arrogant and pompous in her pursuit for her lost mother, Moon Mikono returns to an abandoned terraforming colony to seek closure ... 

Filled with angst and pride she crash lands on Terra 6 of Foray only to be put into stasis for 12 years by a left behind resident. After which she continues, with the aid of the newly turned humanoid robot, to pursue the location of Wendy Mikono, her mother and lead scientist of the previously mentioned terraforming effort. It seems the scientists, in their work a year prior, unwittingly unleashed a plague of sparkblood on the colony. Mutating all lifeforms from fauna to flora into hostile creatures. Creating an ecosystem catastrophe. Thus is the story, in gist. 

DEI themes aside 'Rebel Transmute' offers indie gameplay that steps it up a notch from classic Metroid territory. Offering up a 2D spacefaring soulsborne without much hand holding. Taking you and the onboard protagonist through a maze-like map of sectioned off platforming biomes complimented by access oriented puzzles. 

By utilizing Moon's weapons, augments, equipment, and inventory you will navigate forward occasionally backtracking to points of interest as you meet up with NPCs, and your robotic savior for narrative sake. Stopping every now and then only to rebuild and partake of save terminals that refill health cores, allow for augment management, respawning, and the recovery of dropped health cores for a price lest you go out to recover them on your own.

As you venture forth the flora and fauna you kill will drop a material known as red flux. A material that can be used to recover health as well as be spent as a currency on wares via various vendors. The more you progress, and the more you find, the more equipped you will be to access new key areas that harbor more tools, augments and inventory items needed to finish the game and to find your mother. That being the end goal, and the entire reason Moon has this disgruntled badass demeanor on this misadventure. 

The Verdict ...

I do not like injecting political notes into my reviews, but sometimes political angles only serve to hurt things like character building, and plot points. Dumbing them down to things people can't really relate to or even care about. Moon comes on the scene immediately with this inherent disdain for the given situation. Hating that her mother got caught up in the mess, and that she has to go on a mission to save her. It is not heroic in the slightest, and reeks of someone expected to do the right thing, but against their own will. She doesn't seem like the hero the developer wants her to be as a result.

In regards to gameplay gimmicks it's alright for what it is. Traditional Metroidvania thoroughfare mixed with lite soulsborne mechanics in the form of a penalty to health cores for health cores dropped upon death. Something that's instantly recoverable with no real effort aside from spending red flux at spawn, or a quick trip back to the lost destination to pick it back up with a bonus health core for the extra effort. Looking back on the augment and inventory system, in particular, it is something that's not entirely new nor truly innovative. It does give reason for backtracking for those items in order to progress while adding to explorative and combat capabilities though, but that's to be expected.

Artistically, and audibly 'Rebel Transmute' hits the mark. It is a multicolored pixel populated 2D platformer with a familiar yet not totally copycat retro inspired design. The soundtrack, which is complimentary, has a spacey vibe about it that goes well with the gameplay itself alongside the comic book panel inspired cutscenes that forward the plot with a more artsy flair. Perhaps it's these design choices that are the game's shining achievements, above all else.

In the end I'm not going to say I hate the game for it's obvious political slants, or the current day character attitude, but I do wish developers would make characters of any race or gender more likeable and more relatable for EVERYONE. I'm all for diversity and inclusivity so long as it doesn't rob from proper character building or storytelling. Also if you're gonna have a hero in your story make them a hero, a true hero. Not some pent up skin deep protagonist who obviously would rather not be where she is or doing what she is doing. It makes her look bad. That's my two cents worth on the matter. If you can get past these ideological inserts the gameplay is alright. Just don't expect the most impressive of stories or characters.