Skelattack is a single-player action platformer that blends precise jumping and combat in a quirky underworld setting. Players control Skully, a recently deceased skeleton, as he teams up with his bat companion Imber to repel an invasion by humans targeting the afterlife's inhabitants and the Blue Flame that sustains them.
Gameplay
The core loop centers on navigating 2D levels filled with platforms, traps, and enemies. Skully starts with basic movement but quickly gains a sword for slashing foes and a double jump that enables wall climbing and longer leaps. Combat involves direct sword strikes against human invaders, though encounters emphasize timing over complex combos. Certain sections shift control to Imber for narrow passages or wind-assisted flights, requiring careful navigation around hazards like spikes.
Blue Flame checkpoints appear frequently throughout the stages, allowing repeated attempts at tricky sections without restarting from the beginning. The platforming demands accuracy, with many areas featuring off-screen threats and tight timing windows that lead to repeated failures before success. Exploration reveals quirky characters and hidden paths in the expansive underworld environments, from sewers to fiery depths, while the story advances through encounters with the invading humans.
Game Modes
Skelattack offers a single continuous campaign focused on the main adventure. There are no separate multiplayer options, competitive modes, or additional variants beyond progressing through the story levels as Skully and Imber. The experience remains linear, guiding players from the initial attack on Aftervale through various underworld locales to confront the human threat and rescue the elder skeleton Elzedon.
The Underworld Setting
The game unfolds in an afterlife realm called the Underworld, centered around Aftervale as a lively hub for the deceased. Skully begins adjusting to this new existence just as humans arrive, not for typical treasures but to capture key figures and seize the Blue Flame. This premise drives progression through diverse areas populated by charming yet occasionally dangerous residents, with the narrative unfolding via encounters and objectives tied to stopping the invasion.
Visual Style and Audio
Hand-drawn art brings personality to the characters and environments, with expressive animations for Skully's movements and Imber's flights. The colorful aesthetic contrasts the theme of death with lively details across the stages. Music supports the action with fitting tracks that enhance the platforming and combat sequences without overpowering the experience.
Is It Worth Playing?
Skelattack suits players who enjoy challenging 2D platformers with a distinctive skeleton-and-bat premise. The fluid controls and frequent checkpoints support practice on difficult jumps, while the art and animations provide consistent visual appeal. Player feedback on Steam shows mixed results, with many highlighting the charm and responsive feel alongside frustrations from the demanding difficulty and occasional design choices in combat and level layout. The game launched in 2020 with no further major updates noted since release, making it a complete single-player title best approached by those prepared for precise platforming demands rather than casual play.
