Okko the Exiled is a story-rich and secrets-based experience that offers more depth than many of its peers. Although it has a retro design and relatively straightforward action, there is more to it than first meets the eye. I admit that my time with this title wasn’t always smooth. I struggled with the controls and the bosses were occasionally unfair, but once I understood the core mechanics, I had a fantastic time.
Frozen Flame Interactive has developed this action-adventure platformer, and Eastasiasoft Limited has published it. It is a single-player 2D title that has some Metroidvania-lite progression elements. This was great as there wasn’t too much back and forth. Instead, it focused on its combat strengths and fine level design.
Okko the Exiled tells a story of redemption and rebuilding.
You play the role of Okko, a small horned Demon who has spent 1000 years concealed from the wider world. The mini demon lives in a demon-filled world called Kutala. When he finally emerges, he is carrying a powerful weapon called the Mighty Fang. He must use this to overcome the demon lords and reconnect his home with Heaven.
The story is a little absurd, but I didn’t care. I liked the varied demons, the monsters, and the basic puzzles. Furthermore, the interesting level design and the combination of obstacles and traps were fantastic. Although Okko the Exiled doesn’t punish you too much, some harsh precision platforming will test you. Bouncing on skulls to reach unreachable locations requires dexterity and agility. This was something I was lacking, so plenty of cursing, quitting, and embarrassing rants followed.
Different realms.
Okko the Exiled uses a central hub world known as the Old Throne. Here, you can interact with an array of NPCs to buy items and improve your abilities. Additionally, there are loads of secrets to unlock as you rescue imp-like creatures to unlock challenging levels in the vaults. This was fantastic, as keen-eyed individuals are rewarded with new areas and plenty of hardcore moments.
The different realms and excellent combo attacks are where this excels. You are asked to combine different combat moves to avoid attacks, jump higher, and find secret locations. Although this is interesting, it can be a challenging mechanic to master. The deliberate old-school design prevents movement and attack from flowing together, and this can be a little uncomfortable. Okko is blessed with a Focus Mode that must be used to break enemy shields, overcome puzzles, and open chests. It was a simple mechanic that works well.
Each of the realms offers a unique design and a huge boss to overcome. The retro-inspired demon lords fill your screen with projectiles, elemental magic, and an array of pattern-focused combat that can be difficult to overcome. However, like every great retro game, a little practice goes a long way. Once you know the key components of each encounter and memorise their attack pattern, you’ll thwart them with ease.
Okko the Exiled is brilliantly pixelated.
I’m a huge fan of retro games, so the pixelated approach was always going to be a winner. The mixture of earthy colours and vibrancy was fantastic. Moreover, the little sprites, huge bosses, and somewhat rough edges were great to look at. Each of the realms offers a unique design, and this kept you thinking while preventing boredom from setting in.
The music is a blend of upbeat and sinister tones. The central hub has an energetic and wholesome edge that defines freedom and a sense of victory. Each deadly demonic realm is faster-paced, more aggressive, and slightly daunting. This works really well with the basic but effective sound effects.
Challenging controls.
The biggest negative for Okko the Exiled is its control system. When a game relies on some tight platforming mechanics, you’d expect the controls to be responsive, easy to master, and simple to execute. Unfortunately, many of the traversal elements were clumsy, and this causes unnecessary frustration. Once you get used to it, the problems start to melt away. However, timing and accuracy are key elements that this often gets wrong.
The ability to search for secrets and deep-dive each level of the vault was fantastic. This expands the replay value and longevity. Sadly, I’m not sure everyone will get to enjoy this as the controls are off-putting. Yet, if you can put the time into the game, you are rewarded with some nice locations, interesting fights, and challenging old-school layers.
Okko the Exiled is good, but it needs polish.
This is a retro experience that has many positives. The bosses are great, and I love the gentle progression-gated mechanics. Additionally, the level design is interesting while offering plenty of rewarding secrets. Sadly, the controls are a bit of a letdown, especially when you consider the precise traversal elements and the fine nature of the combat. Despite this, I think it’s amazing, and I recommend buying it here! Can you defeat the Demon Lords and reconcile Heaven and Kutala? Explore the realms, unlock new abilities, and believe in your powers.
