Wren’s Resurgence by Soliloquy Games
Wren’s Resurgence is a game I’m very disappointed I have to give the review that I do.
I jumped at the chance to review it when it came up as an option, as it checked a bunch of boxes for me. Gorgeous pixel art? Japanese mythology influence? Hack and slash gameplay? Cool ninja lady protagonist? I was ready to scream from the rafters that this was the year’s sleeper hit.
And the thing is, it comes close—it comes SO CLOSE to being something I would recommend. Unfortunately, though, its issues are just too many to ignore.
Japanesque
After her sister Swan is kidnapped by the Yokai forces dominating the land, young ninja Wren is charged with picking up where Swan left off and saving the world.
Credit where credit is due, Wren’s Resurgence genuinely hits the ground running, both mechanically and visually. The game’s pixel art is gorgeous, with vivid colors, detailed backgrounds, and creative enemy designs from classic Japanese artwork. This is accented with some fitting and memorable music as well.
Wren is also a breeze to control, with fast movement and attacks that are snappy and satisfying to pull off. This is a fundamental thing that a lot of indie platformers get wrong, and I think it’s important to highlight that Soliloquy Games got it right.
Dishonor
Unfortunately, once you get into the game proper, the cracks in the foundation immediately begin to show. For starters, the combat in Wren’s Resurgence is a bit of a mess. Wren’s basic slashes feel good to use, but the game emphasizes using a parry and counter system that, to put it mildly, barely works.
Enemies give you minimal time and notice to parry before outright hitting you, to the point that simply mashing the parry button is more effective than trying to learn their patterns. As a result, it grinds the game’s momentum to a halt and generally feels unsatisfying to use. Hitboxes are also wildly vague, and in several areas I wasn’t able to heal before fighting a boss, meaning that I frequently had to restart from checkpoints that left me with next to no health.
Even worse, however, is the general lack of polish throughout the game. There were regular issues, such as Wren continuing to respond to button prompts while navigating the game’s menu, often resulting in frustrating deaths that shouldn’t have happened. Platforming also feels woefully imprecise, and there’s just a general feeling that this game needed much more time in the oven.
The Verdict
As I said, I truly wanted to like Wren’s Resurgence more than I did. There are the foundations for a good game here, and I suspect that with a significant overhaul, the game could actually become a gem. As it currently stands, though, it’s a reminder that you can’t judge a book for its cover, in this case, for the worse.
Wren’s Resurgence is available via Steam.
Watch the trailer for Wren’s Resurgence below: