The Prisoning: Fletcher's Quest

I think this is a great, short Metroidvania. If you are someone who doesn’t need a well-crafted story, you just want to jump around and shoot monsters, this might be a great weekend play.

Overall, The Prisoning: Fletcher's Quest is a fun experience that's light on the metroidvania aspects. It's well designed and executed, if a little short. This makes it an easy way to pass a few hours, and it scratches that exploration itch. It might be a little crude at times, but The Prisoning: Fletcher's Quest was a game I think I'll remember in a sea of similar titles.

The Prisoning: Fletcher's Quest is exactly as it presents itself. It wants to be more, but I wish it didn't think it had to be. It's regular retro platforming, with a good map, checkpoints, forgettable characters, and cool bosses. It's something to do. You'll probably play it twice, but that's twice the something to do.

“I'd rather to play the NES version of Fester’s Quest.”

The Prisoning is an interesting and unique game and really goes a long way to justifying the return of Acclaim. It feels familiar enough, yet sprinkling in a host of flavor to make it stand out. I really enjoyed playing through the game. The boss fights are the highlight for sure, and I wish it was a bit more fleshed out, but this is a novel title that breaks the standard on several levels. Definitely worth checking out.

I enjoyed playing The Prisoning: Fletcher's Quest and had some laughs but its basic gameplay and small scope certainly make it feel limited. 🤠

The Prisoning: Fletcher’s Quest on Nintendo Switch is a meticulously built yet curiously lifeless micro-metroidvania, where, despite the controls being super-sharp and its pixel art vibrant, the adventure feels boxed in. Repetitive rooms, shallow exploration, and a brief runtime make it resemble a neat demo instead of the real deal. As for its constant meta commentary, it’s very amusing for about 30 minutes, but ultimately drains the world of its potential to immerse.

The Prisoning: Fletcher’s Quest has the bones of a good game. It features some genuinely great platforming mechanics, a weird but unhinged, visually striking opening, and entertaining core shooting. If you just want a new platformer to double-jump your way through, it might scratch that itch. However, outside of the basics, it lacks the punch needed to be truly memorable. The recycling of early-game enemies, a lackluster overarching story after the initial setup, and deeply frustrating boss design hold the game back from reaching its full potential.

The Prisoning: Fletcher's Quest isn't a bad game, and the handful of hours you'll spend with it will certainly pass the time with a decent level of enjoyment, but there isn't really anything particularly memorable here. The procedural generation means that subsequent playthroughs will feature slightly different layouts, though this undercuts the intricate level design that good search adventure games need. Coupled with the sometimes questionable humour and you have a title that can offer a passing distraction but won't stay with you.

Ultimately, The Prisoning: Fletcher's Quest is a solid, compact experience that showcases strong fundamentals. Movement feels good, boss encounters are engaging, and the writing has a distinct voice. At the same time, its most promising mechanics are not explored deeply enough, and its metroidvania elements remain surface level. The procedural component adds replay value in theory, but does not meaningfully expand the scope. For anyone seeking a brief, well controlled action platformer with personality, it delivers. For those expecting a robust, sprawling metroidvania, it may feel underdeveloped. It is a good game that hints at something greater, even if it never fully reaches that potential.