Quarion

About

Quarion is a single player arcade platformer game. It was developed by Zejoant and was released on August 28, 2025. It received very positive reviews from players.

A short 2D pixel-style metroidvania where you explore, fight bosses, aquire items and abilities and find secrets. Inspired by games such as You Have to Win the Game and VVVVVV.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

92%

Audience ScoreBased on 111 reviews

music5 positive mentions

story3 negative mentions

Quarion offers a fun and challenging metroidvania experience with tight platforming mechanics and a well-designed map, making it a great value for its low price.
The game features charming pixel art graphics and an engaging soundtrack that enhances the overall gameplay experience.
Players appreciate the game's ability to provide a satisfying sense of progression and exploration, with plenty of secrets and collectibles to discover.

Many players found the boss design tedious and repetitive, with some bosses being reskins of each other and lacking engaging combat mechanics.
The game suffers from issues with conveyance and world design, leading to moments of frustration where players may feel stuck or unsure of where to go next.
Some reviews mention technical issues such as lag and clunky controls, which detract from the overall enjoyment of the game.

music
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
50%
19%
The music in the game has received high praise for its energetic and catchy soundtrack, which enhances the overall experience, especially during boss battles. While some find the intensity of certain tracks, like the piano solos, a bit overwhelming, the soundtrack effectively captures the game's atmosphere and keeps players engaged. Overall, it is described as delightful and fitting, contributing positively to the metroidvania experience.
- “Fantastic metroidvania, really fun music (especially that boss battle piano solo), and enjoyable movement/platforming.”
- “The soundtrack is catchy and relaxing with a fitting switch up to more intense tunes for the boss battles.”
- “The soundtrack is delightful and helps build the 'far away alien planet' atmosphere.”
- “The OST did its job to pump you up and get you going, but it's not all that memorable.”
- “I really like the music, but it's kinda intense; the piano doesn't need to go that hard, but I love it.”
- “What is music that goes this hard doing in a game like this?!”
gameplay
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
50%
19%
The gameplay is characterized as a precision platformer that appeals primarily to hardcore players, featuring tight controls and crisp animations, though it lacks depth in story and variety. While some players appreciate the engaging mechanics and exploration elements, others note that the experience can be hindered by poorly designed bosses and a lack of narrative. Overall, it offers a solid metroidvania experience with enjoyable traversal mechanics, making it a worthwhile pick for fans of the genre.
- “Awesome work, great gameplay, really fun visuals, overall a great time and very much worth the 1 dollar price tag.”
- “Controls and gameplay mechanics are very tight, which helps ease frustration as you navigate the quite often tricky platforming sections throughout the map.”
- “Gameplay focuses heavily on platforming and exploration, with all abilities you find being traversal in nature.”
- “It's just another precision platformer for masochists (complete with non-instant respawn) with not enough anything (story, mechanics, characters, etc.) for anyone else.”
- “I recently played Gato Roboto, which was a fun microvania with good level design and movement mechanics that was dragged down due to poor bosses that brought the pacing and exploration to a halt.”
- “Gameplay is pretty standard metroidvania-platformer stuff.”
graphics
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
37%
27%
The graphics of the game are characterized by charming pixel art and a vibrant color palette, contributing to its fun and artistic appeal. While some players appreciate the minimalist aesthetic and solid visuals, others note that the simplicity can lead to issues with conveyance and design. Overall, the art style is well-received, enhancing the gameplay experience in this metroidvania platformer.
- “If you want a fairly tough at times, short, and fun metroidvania platformer with some cute pixel art graphics to back it then definitely consider trying this out!”
- “The visuals were rather good with lots of bright colors and decent variety in the environments.”
- “While this game was at first charming with its lo-fi aesthetic and minimalist approach to crafting a metroidvania, playing it through reveals major issues with conveyance, tedious boss design, and an overall challengeslop approach to design.”
- “The graphics style is basic pixel art but the game actually looks quite nice in all of its simplicity.”
- “---{ graphics }---”
story
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
43%
43%
The game's story is described as minimal and straightforward, lacking depth and complexity, which may disappoint players seeking a richer narrative experience. While some appreciate the simplicity, others feel it doesn't enhance the overall gameplay, leaving a desire for more plot development. Overall, the story is considered an afterthought in a game primarily focused on challenging platforming mechanics.
- “It made for a nice surprise to wrap up the simple but effective story.”
- “It's just another precision platformer for masochists (complete with non-instant respawn) with not enough anything (story, mechanics, characters, etc.) for anyone else.”
- “The story in this game is fairly simple and doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel.”
- “☐ no story”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere is enhanced by a delightful soundtrack that effectively evokes the feeling of being on a distant alien planet.
- “The soundtrack is delightful and helps build the 'far away alien planet' atmosphere.”
- “The ambient sounds and visuals create an immersive experience that truly makes you feel like you're exploring another world.”
- “The lighting and environmental details contribute to a hauntingly beautiful atmosphere that keeps you engaged.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious and frustrating, with issues in boss design and overall game mechanics contributing to a challenging experience that feels more like a chore than enjoyable gameplay. The initial charm of the game's aesthetic is overshadowed by the need for excessive grinding to progress.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “While this game was at first charming with its lo-fi aesthetic and minimalist approach to crafting a metroidvania, playing it through reveals major issues with conveyance, tedious boss design, and an overall challengeslop approach to design.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express a mix of frustration and emotional connection in their experiences, highlighting a lack of agency in gameplay that leads to instant deaths, yet they also find poignant moments, such as a touching final hug, that evoke strong feelings.
- “I even felt a little emotional watching that final hug.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is criticized for being buggy, leading to an average experience that lacks innovation. Overall, players feel it does not offer a reliable or engaging performance.
- “This game is buggy and average; it feels almost 'safe' in the sense that it's nothing new.”