2025 Special - Alcahest

Alcahest is a very individual game. 

Hang on a second. Are you telling me that isn't sufficient enough to be considered a review? I'm not kidding. That one line says more about HAL Laboratory's 1993 Action-RPG than anything I could've tossed together. Whatever the rule book was for the genre, HAL tossed it into the abyss, laughed, then proceeded to create something genuine. Something that would be remembered for decades to come. Even if the final result doesn't 100% appeal to me, I recognize its uniqueness and solid gameplay.

The humble beginnings of a grand adventure.

I suppose "Action-RPG" isn't the greatest descriptor of Alcahest. I myself used to think it was an Arcade game with RPG elements. Nowadays, with my brain more poisoned than ever, I'm going to call the game an Action---RPG. Yes, it's dumb. Fair warning: any time you see italics; it means that I'm saying something completely idiotic. Anyway, the extra hyphens not only add separation between the Action and the RPG, but they also represent the additional genres that the dev-team managed to squeeze in. Alcahest is an Action Arcade Dungeon Crawler Puzzler... RPG. 

You want to know something? I used to be a professional reviewer. Let this be a lesson to avoid burnout at all costs. Best-case scenario? You'll never want to do anything ever again. Worst-case? Well, you're looking at it right now.

Anyway, let's try and unpack the nightmare I've left on the floor. The Action is self-explanatory. Alen, the hero, must traverse eight levels packed with fiends. With sword in hand and friends at his side, he hacks through evil with as much ease as the push of a button. The controls and aesthetics are clearly designed to appeal to anyone who has played through Zelda or the myriad similar titles. Even if you aren't already well-versed in the genre, you'll still pick up the basics in no time at all. There aren't many other ways to say it, this game is just plain smooth.

Slaying a dragon.

Before long, you'll realize just how important it is to have a game that plays so well. Alcahest is surprisingly demanding, with potentially harsh consequences for failure. You've probably noticed what looks like a life counter at the top of the screen. Those are your continues. The "NEXT" in the upper-right tells you how many points are needed to get another continue. Dying sets you back slightly, normally to the beginning of a room or just before a boss fight. Continuing resets your score but doesn't reset the NEXT counter. Basically, depending on when you lose your first continue, getting another one could take a comically long time. Passwords keep your game from being truly lost, but this design-decision is still odd as heck.

By the way, that feeling of confusion is totally normal. I swear the developers intended to keep players on edge for the entire adventure, the looming threat of lost progress haunting their every step. That's not what makes the game part dungeon-crawler though. As you're running around, you're bound to notice tiles on the floor. Some send you flying to other parts of the map, but they get more insidious as you progress. Before long, you'll be subject to one-way conveyors, tiles that re-arrange your controls, and all of the other devious tricks that have hounded your forays into DRPGs. There are times where it can get a little grueling, but HAL pulled it off and I can't respect that enough. This is exactly what being a very individual game is all about.

Insanity straight out of The Bard's Tale trilogy.

Navigating the maze-like levels is a puzzle in itself, but Alcahest goes a step further with its Spirit & Friend system. Now, being able to dodge a boss's attacks and respond appropriately is nice, but it's not enough. As the adventure progresses, you'll acquire spirits who channel their power into your sword, which you'll unleash with a charge attack. The spirits can also be summoned outright to perform spells. Over time, you'll build up a surprisingly large array of options. Effectively managing them is the best way to deal with the bosses. Sometimes, the answer to a tough fight is simply using the element the archfiend is weak to. However, you might have to utilize some more elaborate combinations, with both charge attacks and summons firing at once. Finding the solution and quick-killing a boss is always satisfying. The Friends assist in their own way, with some being more useful than others. In any case, you'll appreciate their support.

All of these seemingly disparate elements form a game that is cohesive and focused. Perhaps it's the RPG elements that bring it all together. The journey rewards those who choose to explore with helpful restoratives and even a couple pieces of equipment. The upgrades aren't substantial, but the hunt for them adds richness to Alcahest. Also, I like that the journey knows when and how to end, with a bevy of refights that test the breadth of your abilities. The music, provided by HAL mainstay Jun Ishikawa, is also really good. Maybe it sounds akin to "Kirby visits a medieval realm" but whatever, I enjoyed it quite a bit. Again, everything about this game exudes distinctness. 

Defeating a boss.

There is one aspect that might test your patience though. I mean, it certainly tested mine. I'm talking about the respawning enemies. If you've played Ninja Gaiden on the NES, then you can already see the picture forming in your mind. Now apply that to maze-like levels that scroll in all eight directions. It... it gets ugly sometimes. Essentially, whatever direction you take, you'll have to commit to it. Indecision and backtracking will have you facing significantly more opposition. In fairness, it gets less stressful once you've memorized the enemies that drop healing items. The feeling of annoyance never really goes away though. 

If there's anything about Alcahest that sounds off-putting, then don't be afraid to utilize save-states. As always, play the game in a way that makes you comfortable. This Action---RPG does have some weirdness to it. Still, its weirdness is kind-of wonderful. Whether or not you adhere to the developer's vision, you're likely to have a really good time.