Apotheon

So i tried for the 3rd time and this time I didn't drop it and finished the game. I know what was pushing me away from this title: combat. It's pretty bad, feels clunky and I didn't like it at all.
But overall I enjoyed this game. Based on a Greece mythology is a huge plus for me. Graphics look really good, sound and music are fine and for the game like this it has very nice voice acting. Story is simple, linear and not so long, backtracking and finding secrets is not pain in the ass. Also I really like the ideas for boss fights but weak combat kinda kills it unfortunately.
So overall pretty enjoyable experience, would actually be perfect if not for weak combat.
P.S. To 100% the game you need to beat it twice (After 1st playthrough you unlock the highest difficulty on which you need to finish the game again).

Honestly my brain randomly remembered this game and i'm so glad it did. This game is an underrated gem. The art and music is absolutely beautiful, and honestly I personally dig the controls, it feels very fluid. Honestly just makes me think of 2D god of war but on a vase. Still this game is beautiful and a must play.

✔️ The Good
• Stunning Art Style: "Apotheon" features a unique, classical Greek pottery aesthetic that sets it apart visually from other games.
• Rich Mythological Setting: The game delves deep into Greek mythology, offering players a rich narrative embedded with historical and mythological figures and events.
• Immersive World: "Apotheon" offers a decent sized environment that is fully explorable, filled with secrets, side quests, and mythical enemies.
❌ The Bad
• Clunky Controls: The controls a bit unresponsive at times, particularly during intense combat situations. Aiming is atrocious when trying to do it manually, it personally deterred me from using ranged weapons. Fighting multiple enemies is an absolute nightmare, the character auto aims to the nearest enemy making fighting multiple enemies confusing to say the least.
• Performance Issues: There are occasional performance drops and bugs that can detract from the gaming experience, especially on lower-end systems.
• Inconsistent Difficulty: Some players might find the difficulty spikes in platforming and battles increasingly aggravating as the game progresses.
⚠️The Ugly
• Frustrating Inventory Management: The quick-toggle feature for navigating inventory can be cumbersome, often impacting the fluidity of combat.
• Limited Replay Value: Once completed, the game offers little in terms of replayability beyond the initial playthrough.
• Sticky Platform Controls: The platforming elements can be frustrating, with the character often sticking to surfaces or missing jumps, which can lead to health-draining falls.
Overall Score:
7.0/10

Gem amongst the metroidvania genre.
For some, another game about freek mythology could be too much, but Apotheon even after all these years manages to keep it fresh with astounding visuals inspired by greek vases. Just look at those screenshots - it looks even better in motion.
Nikandros, our hero, is Kratosing all over Olympus. He sometimes is allying himself with some of them, but no matter the outcome the devs managed to keep the challenge fresh. Every domain our godslayer is visiting is a much different challenge. Here you need to get out of prison, there you need to keep up with drinking contests, etc. All of that is doing work on environmental storytelling. Even if you are not very familiar with Greek mythology all the gods are fleshed out splendidly. Music and voice acting is on par with visuals and once you get through the jank, it's an easy way to just enjoy the game.
Yes, the jank. Combat in Apotheon is janky, sometimes weird. You can definitely get used to it, but it won't stop feeling clunky until you see the credits. Menuing also leaves a lot to be desired, especially with a crapload of equipment. Your weapons can break, so you are hoarding them constantly. In the end the problem is not that you don't have anything to use (on the contrary - there are a lot of weapons), the problem is to pick the right weapon on the spot without pausing the game.
Character progression is just ok, same with the enemy variety. Overall 100% recommended, 200% if you are a metroidvania fan. This game is very solid in its genre, very easy to get all the achievements and its gametime is not a long commitment.

Apotheon is one of the best games I've played in years and I can confidently say that, as far as first play throughs go, it is one of my favorite games ever.
Pros:
-One of the most unique artstyles I have ever seen in a game
- Complex and unique metroidvania, unlike any others I have played
-Dynamic and fluid combat system which inspires creativity
-A surprisingly large amount of classic rpg elements (i.e. wanted level, lockpicking, etc.) for a metroidvania
-So much lore to digest for Ancient Greek nerds. Excerpts from classic greek writers (with Hesiod and Herodotus' writings be quoted quite often).
Cons:
- Crashed a few times (the Harbor of Tides, the largest and most ambitious zone, seems to be the worst cause of this).
- Little to no decision making and choices don't matter

Amazing game. If you like Ancient Greece you must definitely buy this. The combat system is a bit clunky, but it works just fine with a bit of practice. The price is very reasonable when it's on sale. Lots of secrets and achievements. The 3 bucks I have spent on this game were of good use.

You know the feeling when you get tired of watching 3-4 hour arthousy, black and white movies for pretentious pricks, so you decide to watch a movie with a 1h30m runtime just to relax your brain and enjoy yourself? Well, Apotheon is exactly that for video games. Badass, fun and straight to the point.