Fatal Claw

About

Fatal Claw is a single player platformer game with fantasy, mystery, anime and dark fantasy themes. It was developed by NDEV GAMES and was released on November 18, 2025. It received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

Discover a Destroyed Ancient Kingdom, Now Revived by Modern TechnologyFatal Claw’s world is full of mysteries where Ancients and Commoners coexist. Hidden in this vast underground realm are violent infected creatures, sealed passages, stones archiving vital force, and more. In this dark, desperate world, you will join Kisha—a mysterious cat resurrected by his ancestors. Rescue survivors as you ex…

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100%

Audience ScoreBased on 31 reviews

gameplay5 positive mentions

Polished and visually appealing Metroidvania with smooth and fluid movement and combat.
Engaging story and characters set in a richly detailed and atmospheric world with strong art direction.
Quality of life features like frequent save points, progressive map revealing, and adjustable difficulty enhance gameplay accessibility.

Some gameplay mechanics feel unfinished or problematic, such as heavy jumping, lack of i-frames during dashing, and an awkward blink mechanic.
Enemy placement and pogo mechanics need improvement, with occasional issues related to momentum and combat flow.
Certain challenging sections, like the auto-scrolling chase sequence, can be frustrating without checkpoint options (though developers have introduced optional checkpoints based on feedback).

gameplay
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
20%
30%
The gameplay is praised for its smooth and responsive controls, particularly the satisfying dash mechanic, which enhances the fast-paced action. It draws clear inspiration from Hollow Knight but improves on accessibility with more frequent save points. Overall, the core gameplay is engaging, challenging, and enjoyable, especially as players master enemy mechanics.
- “We do get a dash mechanic in this game, and it does feel good.”
- “The physical gameplay is very much Hollow Knight inspired, but from what I can tell they did a much better job than Hollow Knight of giving you save shrines throughout the map and at key locations.”
- “I know this is early access so there's plenty more to come, but the core gameplay here is really good and I'll definitely be playing more of this.”
- “If you ask me, drop the blink mechanic, and give i-frames to dashing.”
- “Plus, either eliminate the blinking mechanic, or just allow i-frames with dashing!”
- “Some of the fights take some time to learn the mechanics, but that's all Metroidvanias.”
graphics
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
88%
12%
The game features vibrant, well-executed 2D graphics with a distinctive art style reminiscent of the 90s, enhancing its post-apocalyptic world and strong world-building. The character design and anthropomorphic species integration are praised for adding depth and visual appeal. Overall, the graphics are regarded as attractive, polished, and fitting perfectly with the game's atmosphere.
- “The game looks gorgeous, with vibrant 2D artwork and a mysterious underworld that’s a joy to explore.”
- “Art direction is strong, the world building is interesting to uncover even if it's not anything new (post-apocalyptic world). The game has nailed the royal cat aesthetic to a tee, and it's very cool to see how anthropomorphic species are integrated into the fallen world, with cats as the ruling class, rhinos as martial servants, owls as magicians and engineers, etc.”
- “I like the art style a lot; it gives off some older 90's style vibes and I love it.”
story
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
86%
14%
The story is consistently praised for being interesting, engaging, and well-crafted, with lovable characters and a compelling world that enhances the overall experience.
- “I love the story of the game and the characters are so fun and lovable.”
- “The story is actually pretty interesting and the world is cool.”
- “Story is interesting, so you will be engaged in the mythos.”
music
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The music features a haunting, atmospheric soundtrack reminiscent of Hollow Knight, perfectly complementing both calm exploration and intense combat. The sound effects enhance the experience, supporting the fluid gameplay and unique boss fights effectively.
- “The soundtrack is atmospheric and the sound effects fit perfectly, supporting both the calmer exploration moments and the more chaotic fights.”
- “The musical score is a kind of haunting melody in the spirit of Hollow Knight.”
- “Very fluid combat and cute cat-like creature boss fights, and the OST is good.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game evokes intense emotions through its high difficulty and unforgiving mechanics, requiring perfect precision and punishing any mistakes with instant failure. This creates a tense and challenging experience that can be both thrilling and frustrating.
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The character designs and art style are well-received and visually appealing, but the character movement feels stiff and the jumping mechanics come across as awkward and heavy.
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere is enhanced by a fitting soundtrack and well-matched sound effects that effectively support both tranquil exploration and intense combat scenes.
- “The soundtrack is atmospheric and the sound effects fit perfectly, supporting both the calmer exploration moments and the more chaotic fights.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game runs smoothly and maintains excellent stability on the Steam Deck, providing a great overall experience.
- “Runs great on the Steam Deck, great game”