Nowadays, it feels like you can’t go anywhere on a digital store page without running into an action platformer that emphasizes high speeds and Metroidvania-esque mechanics. These sorts of games are impossible to escape from, wherever you look. For fans of the genre, this is a dream come true. Personally, though, I’ve found myself struggling to enjoy the onslaught, as I’ve noticed that newer iterations on the formula struggle to add anything new to the overall genre.
As such, when I was presented with a chance to preview Nightblood W: Cutthroat Wolf before its release, I wasn’t too sure what to make of it. On the surface, it mechanically seemed no different than some of the other games I’ve mentioned thus far, even if the visuals had a unique flair to them. The emphasis on quickly maneuvering around enemies and dashing from platform to platform via a grappling hook function all felt eerily familiar. However, Nightblood W quickly won me over with how it handled the gameplay and presentation, even if I’m still not sold on the overall narrative.
Nightblood W focuses on an assassin by the name of Loreto, also known as the Cutthroat Wolf. Despite being under the employ of a mysterious organization, his long-term goals are more personal in nature as he seeks to avenge his dead loved one. In the opening section I was able to play, we only get a glimpse at Loreto’s fractured mental state. He frequently experiences hallucinations that hint towards a traumatic past, which sends him to his knees in the middle of combat. It’s an interesting premise for a character, albeit a slightly unoriginal one, as a certain other cyberpunk action platformer similarly focuses on a mercenary protagonist with a mysterious past. However, I’m curious to see how it develops, considering the store page hints towards him becoming the ruler of the cyberpunk city he inhabits.
Speaking of cyberpunk city, the tone is aptly dystopian in nature. A lot of the mobsters you run into are devoid of any morals and are frequently found torturing and executing random civilians just for more resources. The thematic darkness that the game employs works to help you understand why Loreto is as cynical as he is. However, it can sometimes get a bit too on the nose. At one point, a character literally states that “In Dezil City, human lives are nothing but disposable tools,” which feels like an unneeded comment considering just how many cyberpunk-related stories have that exact same basis.
Despite my gripes with the narrative and writing, the game quickly hooked me back in with the presentation and gameplay. To start with, the presentation features pixelated character models with detailed backgrounds. While the in-game renders of characters aren’t too impressive, the addition of hand-drawn character sprites for dialogue makes up for it. As for the backgrounds, they’re absolutely gorgeous. The constant rain and towering skyscrapers really help to emphasize just how grim this world is, and almost reminded me of Blade Runner at points.
Where the presentation truly shone was with the soundtrack. The moment gameplay properly started, I was genuinely staggered by the first track that played. The OST blends jazz and synthwave seamlessly, combining synthesizers, saxophones, and even guitars at points to make a soundtrack unlike anything I’ve heard before. The way each track experiments with different instruments helped to make each combat encounter feel fresh and exciting.
As for the gameplay, while it doesn’t exactly innovate on the genre, it still managed to captivate me by just being pure and simple fun. Right in front of you at all times is a small line that allows you to pick where you aim. Using this cursor, you can quickly zip between platforms, but also quickly bridge the gap between enemies. Once you do, you can use your sword and pistol to trap enemies into a combo, which feels incredibly satisfying to pull off. I can’t wait to see how it further develops in the full game, especially because you can create different builds using gear that you find in the world.
Overall, Nightblood W: Cutthroat Wolf is a game filled with potential. While it doesn’t really differ from any other entries in the genre, and I still have my concerns with the narrative it’s setting up, the gameplay and presentation more than make up for these issues. If Nightblood W manages to stick the landing when it eventually releases, perhaps my worries about the oversaturation of action platformer games can finally be laid to rest.
Nightblood W: Cutthroat Wolf is set to arrive in Q4 2026. A demo is now live as part of Steam Next Fest.
