The Siege and the Sandfox

The Siege and the Sandfox is a beautifully realized Metroidvania that succeeds in every artistic aspect, from its pixel-perfect visuals and soundtrack to its intricate worldbuilding. While it stumbles somewhat in its necessary backtracking and stiff controls, the overall experience is both compelling and memorable. For fans of stealth, fantasy, and classic Metroidvania exploration, this game serves as a rewarding adventure.

It's beautiful, smart, meditative, and sometimes quite brutal. But it's a journey well worth taking, a sound-sensitive dance between shadows and death that offers a strangely polished experience that richly rewards the tactical and patient.

Ultimately, The Siege and the Sandfox is a lovingly crafted 2D platformer that delivers on its promises of exploration and agile gameplay. While the backtracking can occasionally feel a little stretched and a few more fast travel points would be welcome, the intricate level design, satisfying progression through new abilities, and charming pixel art visuals make for a highly engaging and rewarding experience. If you're a fan of classic platforming with a strong emphasis on discovery and nimble traversal, then the The Siege and the Sandfox might just be your next favorite adventure.

If patience is required, though, it's equally repaid. Playing as the Sandfox remains inherently pleasing, along with the game's story and atmosphere. A little post-launch care could see it truly shine. [Issue#412, p.120]

A old-skool minded metroidvania, unhampered by combat, The Siege and the Sandfox excels in its stealthy confines, creating a dark and masterful labyrinth to explore to your heart's content, but often because you are frustratingly lost.

The Siege and the Sandfox makes a strong first impression with its intriguing premise and stellar presentation, and with a few well-aimed updates Cardboard Sword's project could truly shine. However, there are currently too many rough edges holding it back. Tighter and more responsive controls would better support the game’s acrobatic nature without compromising its identity, while smarter and more consistent AI would make the stealth elements far more engaging, though we're not entirely sold on their integration to begin with. Still, if the concept piques your interest, there’s no reason not to give this “stealthvania” a shot, just be ready to accept a few trade-offs.

I desperately want to be able to recommend this game to fans of the genre, and when it worked properly, it felt wonderful to play. Even now, I kind of miss the world within this game because it evokes a great sense of place and time through genuinely lush pixel visuals. In the state that it’s currently in, I can’t do this. There were too many moments when I walked away from the game in frustration, not because of my skill level, but because the controls of the Sandfox weren’t responsive enough, or traipsing back through old areas created tedium.