Sundered

Sundered is a hand-drawn 2D Metroidvania action game set in a dark fantasy world overrun by ancient eldritch horrors, where players control Eshe, a female protagonist who must navigate side-scrolling levels, battle massive bosses, and face the moral choice to resist or embrace the corrupting power of the Shining Trapezohedron, leading to multiple endings.

Sundered: Review

Introduction

In the swirling chaos of a post-apocalyptic sandstorm, a lone wanderer named Eshe is yanked into the abyss by unseen tentacles, plunging her into a labyrinth of eldritch horrors that tests not just her survival instincts, but the very essence of her humanity. Sundered, developed by Thunder Lotus Games, emerges from this nightmarish premise as a hand-drawn Metroidvania masterpiece that fuses Lovecraftian cosmic dread with roguelike progression, daring players to resist or embrace the corrupting allure of ancient powers. Released in 2017 as a spiritual successor to the studio’s acclaimed Jotun, Sundered carves a legacy in an oversaturated genre by prioritizing atmospheric immersion, moral ambiguity, and replayable brutality. My thesis: While its procedural elements occasionally dilute its handcrafted brilliance, Sundered—especially in its definitive Eldritch Edition—redefines the Metroidvania formula through exquisite artistry, innovative death-reward loops, and thematic depth that lingers like the whispers of Nyarlathotep, securing its place as a bold indie landmark.

Development History & Context

Thunder Lotus Games, a Montreal-based studio founded by industry veterans including art director Jo-Annie Gauthier and creative director William Dubé, entered the scene with Jotun (2015), a Norse mythology-inspired hand-drawn action-adventure that showcased their penchant for painterly visuals and punishing exploration. Sundered built directly on this foundation, leveraging the Unity engine for its fluid 2D animations and procedural systems. Successfully crowdfunded via Kickstarter in 2015, the project raised funds by promising a “horrifying fight for survival and sanity,” drawing from H.P. Lovecraft’s Cthulhu Mythos—evident in nods to The Haunter in the Dark via the Shining Trapezohedron.

Launched on July 28, 2017, for Windows, Mac, Linux, and PlayStation 4 amid a Metroidvania renaissance (Hollow Knight, Dead Cells), Sundered navigated a crowded landscape dominated by pixel-art throwbacks. Thunder Lotus innovated with hand-drawn cel animation, a rarity enabled by lead animator Alexandre Boyer’s meticulous frame-by-frame work and 2D artist Marie-Christine Lévesque’s grotesque designs. Technological constraints of Unity’s 2D toolkit were turned into strengths: dynamic enemy hordes and procedural room rearrangement post-death echoed roguelikes like Dead Cells (in development concurrently), while fixed key rooms preserved Metroidvania backtracking.

The 2018 Eldritch Edition—a free update for existing owners and the debut version for Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and Stadia—addressed launch critiques by adding local co-op for up to four players, new areas, the Magnate of the Gong boss, and refined balance. With 75 credited contributors (39 developers), including writer Catherine Le Caroff for lore breadcrumbs and composer Maxime Lacoste Lebuis (Max LL) for its haunting score, Sundered embodied indie ambition: a small team punching above its weight in a 2017 market favoring procedural hybrids over pure handcraft.

Narrative & Thematic Deep Dive

Sundered‘s narrative unfolds as a minimalist cosmic horror tale, pieced together through lore rooms, crystal dialogues, and the Shining Trapezohedron’s manipulative monologues—voiced with guttural menace by Olivier Barrette. Eshe (voiced by Nora Guerch), a nomadic mechanic scavenging a plague-ravaged wasteland, is ensnared by a sandstorm and dragged into caverns warped by a cataclysmic war between two factions: the tech-wielding Valkyries, led by General Leonard Waters, and the eldritch-worshipping Eschaton cult, guided by Priestess Ishaela Bha’gor.

Plot Breakdown

Centuries prior, the Valkyries—humanity’s “bravest and brightest” mercenaries—invaded the Eschaton’s underground city to seize the Shining Trapezohedron, a Nyarlathotep-linked artifact powering their prosperity. Lore rooms detail atrocities: Krurhal Milarh (Dominion) lost control; Emmitt Nelson (Hysteria) massacred innocents; Waters disrupted Bha’gor’s summoning ritual, shattering the portal and unleashing corrupting Elder Shards. Survivors mutated into tentacled abominations or cyborg horrors, their leaders reanimated as Legion (Waters) and Salvation (Bha’gor).

Eshe, armed by the Trapezohedron (Nyarlathotep’s essence), navigates three regions: Valkyrie Encampment (jungle ruins), Eschaton Holy City (bone-carved caverns), and fractured Cathedral (alien geometries). She collects seven Elder Shards from bosses (Dominion, Hysteria, Rivalry) and minibosses, choosing to corrupt abilities (embrace) or incinerate them (resist).

Endings & Themes

• Neutral (Partial Embrace/Resist): Eshe defeats Nyarlathotep; the Trapezohedron hitches a ride to the surface—”Hello, Eshe.”
• Resist (Destroy All Shards): Trapezohedron fuses with Nyarlathotep in betrayal; Eshe triumphs but shatters the portal, trapped in darkness.
• Embrace (Corrupt All): Eshe slays her “humanity” doppelgänger (escalating to shoggoth-like Humanity), merges with the Trapezohedron, and unleashes apocalypse.

Thematically, Sundered interrogates corruption as power: Eldritch upgrades (e.g., Z’toggua’s Wings for gliding as a gargoyle) symbolize Faustian bargains, echoing Lovecraft’s insignificance before the cosmos. Eshe’s silence amplifies player agency—resist for humanity’s fragile purity (Valkyrie tech: fire, cannons); embrace for godlike transcendence. Dual narration (Trapezohedron’s faux-affable lies vs. Valkyrie logs) underscores unreliable exposition, with motifs like masks (Nyarlathotep’s forms) and apostrophe-laden Black Speech reinforcing otherworldly dread. Multiple playthroughs (15+ hours) reveal breadcrumbs, transforming a sparse plot into profound moral horror.

Gameplay Mechanics & Systems

Sundered‘s core loop—explore, fight hordes, die, upgrade—masterfully blends Metroidvania gate progression with roguelike permadeath incentives.

Core Loops

• Exploration: Side-scrolling map with fixed boss/ability shrines (Leaping Device double-jump, Propulsion Engine dash, Gravitational Boots wall-climb, Grappling Hook) amid procedurally rearranging tunnels post-death. Chaos Architecture ensures replayability; wind, rising fog, and hazards demand adaptation.
• Combat: Melee-focused (Trapezohedron morphs into blades/fists) with stamina-based dodge-rolls, regenerating shield, and health elixirs. Dynamic hordes (gong-screamed warnings) spawn 10-20+ enemies (crawlers, screamers, panzers); Lith’/Dea’ variants escalate via Law of Chromatic Superiority. Valkyrie Cannon (recoil-boosted BFG) and corrupted Wave-Motion Gun shine in zerg rushes.
• Progression: Shards fuel a sprawling tree (health, damage, perks like Life Absorb). Elder Shards bifurcate paths: Resist boosts base stats (Mighty Glacier); Embrace yields Lovecraftian Superpowers (Azathoth’s Breath teleport, Atlach-Nacha’s Grip spider-crawl)—Power at a Price, altering builds (Glass Cannon Embrace vs. tanky Resist).
• Bosses: Epic spectacles (e.g., Hysteria’s gravity stomps, Rivalry’s dual Legion/Salvation); attack three Elder Shard weak points. Minibosses (cloaked Arlie Waylon) drop fragments. Eldritch Edition adds co-op and Magnate of the Gong puzzles.

Flaws: Horde chaos devolves to button-mashing (invisible bombs, off-screen lasers); procedural blandness contrasts handcrafted vistas; grindy shard farming mid-game. UI shines with clear maps/perks, but stamina pips and enemy bars glitch. Still, death-as-upgrade (no XP loss) makes frustration rewarding.

World-Building, Art & Sound

Sundered‘s caverns pulse with eldritch life: Valkyrie jungles teem metallic flora; Eschaton city drips bone carvings, tentacle shadows; Cathedral defies geometry with floating spires, fungal spores, drill-tunnels. Procedural tweaks enhance alien unease, justified as ritual fallout.

Art: Thunder Lotus’ hand-drawn pinnacle—fluid animations (Eshe’s cloak billows, enemies writhe grotesquely). Bosses dwarf screens; death sequences (tentacles drag Eshe) mesmerize. Scenery Porn abounds: purple geysers, masked statues.

Sound: Max LL’s ambient dread (swelling boss tracks) pairs Pixel Audio’s effects (guttural roars, horde klaxons). Trapezohedron’s cabbage-Shakespeare voice chills; whispers distort lore rooms. Cohesive immersion amplifies isolation, making every gong a heartbeat skip.

Reception & Legacy

Critically, Sundered earned a 7.5 MobyScore (75% critics), Metacritic 74 (PC)/70 (PS4)/76 (Switch). Video Chums (92%) hailed “top-notch visuals, excellent combat”; GamesBeat (88%) praised “smart design.” IGN (7.8) lauded death-rewards but critiqued procedural blandness; 4Players (58%) decried horde tedium. Players averaged 4.2/5, loving bosses/art, bemoaning grind.

Commercially modest ($19.99, frequent sales to $1.99), it sold steadily via Steam/GOG. Eldritch Edition boosted ports, co-op mitigating solo frustrations. Legacy: Cemented Thunder Lotus (Spiritfarer) as visual innovators; influenced roguelite-Metroidvanias (Dead Cells echoes hordes). In a genre bloated with Hollow Knight clones, Sundered‘s eldritch choice-system endures, cited in Lovecraftian indies. Eurogamer’s 2017 Top 50 nod underscores its artistry over flaws.

Conclusion

Sundered is a resplendent descent into madness: hand-drawn splendor and horde-slaying catharsis elevate its procedural stumbles and grind, while branching narratives probe humanity’s cost. Eldritch Edition polishes it into essential 15-20 hour replayability across three endings. In video game history, it claims a pivotal indie spot—Thunder Lotus’ bold evolution from Jotun, proving Metroidvanias thrive on thematic corruption over rote familiarity. Verdict: 8.5/10 – A haunting essential for genre faithful, its abyss gazes back eternally. Play, resist, embrace—at your peril.