Crypt Custodian

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"Crypt Custodian" is a Metroidvania/Zelda-like game where you play as Pluto, a mischievous cat who is tasked with cleaning the afterlife as punishment for a disastrous encounter with the Afterlife Guardian. Explore the vast grounds, battle beasts, and gain new abilities to expand your map as you solve puzzles, discover secrets, and even plan an ambush to break back into the palace. Meet and befriend all the other bad ghosts, upgrade your gear, and collect new upgrades and abilities by completing puzzles, battling bosses, and cleaning through ruined dungeons.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

98%

Audience ScoreBased on 376 reviews

story positive mentions

grinding negative mentions

Charming art style and engaging characters that enhance the overall experience.
Smooth combat mechanics with a variety of upgrades and abilities that keep gameplay fresh and enjoyable.
Well-designed exploration with a vast map, numerous collectibles, and quality of life features that respect the player's time.

Some boss fights and enemy encounters can feel repetitive and lack depth, leading to a less challenging experience.
The story, while cute, may lack the emotional depth some players expect from a metroidvania.
Certain abilities feel underutilized or limited in their application, which could have added more variety to gameplay.

story
109 mentions
40 % positive mentions
58 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally described as charming, bittersweet, and engaging, often touching on themes of death, hope, and friendship. While some players found it simple or light, many appreciated its emotional depth and the way it complements the gameplay, with characters that feel real and relatable. Overall, the narrative is well-received for its ability to evoke feelings and enhance the cozy atmosphere of the game.
- “Also a melancholy but kind story about death, hope, and friendship.”
- “The story is great, the characters feel real, and it has satisfying gameplay!”
- “The story and characters are cute and simple, doing a nice job of adding to the game without getting in the way.”
- “The story remained very simple, which isn't always a bad thing, but in this case, it did little to make me feel invested in the characters and the goal of the game.”
- “If the story had more subtlety to it, didn't broadcast the ending as 'foreshadowing' minutes in, and the level design wasn't enter room, jump across platforms, exit room, repeat for 90%, then there could be something memorable here.”
- “There’s no lore to most of the areas, enemies, abilities, or bosses; no environmental storytelling, it feels very 'video game-y'.”
gameplay
107 mentions
55 % positive mentions
45 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The gameplay is widely praised for its smooth controls, engaging combat, and well-designed mechanics, making it a satisfying experience for both casual and seasoned players. While some aspects may feel basic or underutilized, the game excels in providing a charming atmosphere, fluid movement, and a rewarding exploration system with a variety of upgrades and collectibles. Overall, it successfully combines classic metroidvania elements with unique twists, ensuring a fun and polished adventure.
- “A fun metroidvania romp around an interesting, expansive map; fun, fluid and quick movement mechanics; interesting and motivating collectibles and power-ups.”
- “The beautiful art and smooth, responsive gameplay make exploration and combat a joy.”
- “The gameplay loop is exciting and rewarding, especially if you love a classic metroidvania style with clever puzzles scattered along the way.”
- “The gameplay is not really inventive, but it does its job (very) well.”
- “While every area does have a new look, new enemies and new mechanics - it still all seemed mostly reskinned or very single purpose.”
- “For most of them there are no clever ways to use them in combat or combine them with environment mechanics other than their intended ones.”
music
106 mentions
64 % positive mentions
34 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its ability to enhance the overall experience, with many praising its fitting and diverse tracks that complement various environments and gameplay moments. Composed by Kyle's brother, Eric, the soundtrack is described as both charming and atmospheric, effectively setting the mood for exploration and combat. While some players noted a desire for more variety or punchiness in the music, the general consensus is that it significantly contributes to the game's appeal, making it a standout feature.
- “The OST is amazing; every single track fits perfectly in the environment of each area.”
- “The music lends itself extremely well to the overall 'feels' of what you're seeing/doing while playing, amplifying the vibe beautifully.”
- “Great visuals, catchy music, a very sweet story, and surprisingly difficult!”
- “The music is pretty boring; also, some is reused from the Islets game.”
- “Some of the music was very jarring to me due to the high metallic sounds used and short loops.”
- “Finding music disks was a lame reward.”
graphics
74 mentions
69 % positive mentions
31 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim for their charming and cute art style, which enhances the overall atmosphere and gameplay experience. Reviewers highlight the beautiful visuals, fluid animations, and well-designed levels, noting that the aesthetic complements the game's whimsical and sometimes somber themes. Overall, the art direction is praised as a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's appeal.
- “The art style is impeccable.”
- “The visuals are obviously drop-dead gorgeous.”
- “The art style and the music are really charming.”
- “Don't know if the problem was integrated graphics being used (I hope that was not the case); anyway, that was definitely annoying.”
- “I get how the art style and the fact that only 1-2 people worked on this project is an impressive feat and the cat is indeed very cute, but instead of enjoying myself, I'm running around in boring, maze-like dungeons with the occasional fight thrown in.”
- “Wish I could love a game on the cutesy art style alone, but ... no, sorry.”
emotional
22 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its touching tribute to pets, evoking feelings of melancholy and heartwarming nostalgia. Many players report being moved to tears by the story and character connections, particularly resonating with pet owners who find the narrative both wholesome and sad. Overall, the game successfully combines engaging gameplay with a deeply emotional storyline, leaving players feeling emotionally fulfilled yet heartbroken.
- “Behind the cute design of Crypt Custodian lies a melancholic but also heartwarming tribute to our beloved pets.”
- “This was such a fun and sweet game that left me emotionally broken at the end in the best possible way.”
- “As someone who has recently lost 4 pets, including one void kitty like Pluto, it's an emotional journey seeing the other side.”
humor
20 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised for its relaxed, deadpan style and memorable dialogue, contributing to a charming atmosphere that balances lightheartedness with emotional depth. Players appreciate the witty character interactions and amusing plot elements, with standout moments like the "ghost slaughter 3" boss fight eliciting genuine laughter. Overall, the humor enhances the game's appeal, making it a delightful experience for those who enjoy a blend of comedy and engaging gameplay.
- “There's a really chill low-stakes vibe to everything with a good sense of humor and personality in the dialogue, but with an ending that's still genuinely bittersweet if you've lost a pet that was important to you.”
- “Quick shout-out to 'Ghost Slaughter 3,' the best metagaming boss fight that had me laughing for days.”
- “The characters are sweet and funny, and it has so many accessibility options so you can play at your own pace if that's what you need.”
atmosphere
15 mentions
47 % positive mentions
53 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its captivating and varied visual style, combining elements of coziness and melancholy. Players appreciate the beautiful art design, striking aesthetics, and an engaging soundtrack that enhances the overall experience, creating a poetic and immersive environment. The balance of lightheartedness with deeper themes contributes to a unique and memorable atmosphere that resonates with players.
- “But the main reason that kept me up late at night in front of this game is the visual style and the atmosphere.”
- “Its gentle atmosphere becomes readily apparent from its calming title screen, balancing the morose curiosity of death with the onset of a spiritual journey. This is even more evident in its first tutorial level, which features a beautiful flooded ruins aesthetic that I wish I could replicate in my entire Animal Crossing village.”
- “The atmosphere is poetic and soft, presenting a lighthearted children's tale with pangs of melancholy. While the narrative is light, the aesthetic is striking, featuring well-differentiated vistas, beautiful colors, and cool animations.”
- “The well-paced progression unlocks fresh areas and secrets, and the atmosphere is captivating.”
- “The music is absolutely amazing, keeping it both cozy and challenging atmosphere of the game, as well as fitting the environment of the game.”
- “Its gentle atmosphere becomes readily apparent from its calming title screen, that balances the morose curiosity of death with the onset of a spiritual journey, and even more so in its first tutorial level that has such a beautiful flooded ruins aesthetic that I wish I could steal it and make my entire Animal Crossing village mirror its splendor.”
grinding
12 mentions
0 % positive mentions
8 % neutral mentions
92 % negative mentions
Reviews on the aspect of "grinding" in the game reveal a mixed experience. While some players find certain tasks tedious, particularly in combat and level design, many appreciate the absence of excessive grinding due to effective fast travel systems and narrative twists that alleviate the need for grinding currency. Overall, the game strikes a balance by minimizing tedious backtracking and grinding, making exploration and progression more enjoyable.
- “The mechanics introduced throughout the game are fun, and the backtracking is lessened by the teleport system on the map. The whole upgrade system isn't too grindy either.”
- “He knows we don’t like grinding for currency, even though a certain NPC shopkeeper has set some nightmarish prices for items in his store.”
- “Alas, what is presented is a mid-tier metroidvania that I (again, mileage may vary per player) muted and ignored just to try to enjoy grinding and finding collectibles to ignore the constant 'be sad!'”
- “The combat is simple yet tedious with no environmental interaction.”
stability
6 mentions
33 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
67 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is praised, with players reporting a smooth experience and minimal bugs. It runs particularly well on the Steam Deck, despite not being officially verified, and any minor glitches encountered are seen as beneficial rather than disruptive. Load times are also noted to be impressively seamless, contributing to a polished gameplay experience.
- “It also runs great on Steam Deck, even though it's not marked as verified.”
- “Runs great on Steam Deck.”
- “I didn't personally run into any glitches in my playthrough, and the load times are incredibly seamless, which is impressive for a game of this size and scope.”
- “It's clear that this game was made with love and care to get it ready for release; nothing seems rushed or buggy so far, which is a plus.”
- “As a bonus, some minor sequence breaks and glitches are possible - but only the kind that benefit you and make you feel cool.”
optimization
5 mentions
60 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
40 % negative mentions
Overall, optimization feedback is mixed; while some users report excellent performance on certain platforms, others experience significant frame rate drops in specific environments, particularly on laptops where the game may default to integrated graphics. The game generally runs well, but there are notable issues that can affect gameplay experience, especially during boss encounters.
- “Performance on deck has been excellent throughout with no hitches of any kind.”
- “First up for those curious, performance has been superb.”
- “Achievements are mostly exploration-based, apart from the three tied to the bus rush mode, which feel slightly overtuned for S+ ranks.”
- “I think my worst performance was 10 tries on a boss, but it is usually around 5 until you learn the moveset you need to avoid damage.”
- “By the way, if you play on a laptop, Windows might decide to assign the game to your integrated GPU, resulting in terrible performance.”
character development
2 mentions
50 % positive mentions
50 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is praised for its refined execution of movement, character design, and dialogue, building on the strengths of previous works by Kyle. The art and overall character design are also highlighted as standout features, contributing to a rich and engaging experience.
- “Cc takes all the good things you expect from Kyle's work in terms of movement, character design, dialogue, exploration, etc., and perfects a lot of the formula.”
- “The character design is fantastic and the art is visually stunning.”
- “The depth of character development really enhances the overall experience.”
replayability
2 mentions
0 % positive mentions
100 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The game offers notable replayability through unique mechanics such as shuffling upgrades and a boss rush mode, enhancing the experience beyond the initial playthrough. Players can expect around 10-12 hours of gameplay, with additional content available for those seeking to revisit the game.
- “It features mechanics that add replayability, which is much appreciated—like shuffling upgrades (the first time I've seen such a thing in an unmodded Metroidvania) and a boss rush.”
- “It took about 10-12 hours to beat, but it includes a boss rush and offers replayability after your first playthrough.”
- “It features some mechanics that add replayability, which is much appreciated—like shuffling upgrades (the first time I've seen such a thing in an unmodded metroidvania) and a boss rush.”
- “It took about 10-12 hours to beat, but it has a boss rush and some replayability after you finish the game.”