Chasm is a 2D action-adventure platformer that blends Metroidvania exploration with procedural generation, offering a retro-inspired experience for PC players. In this indie title, you step into the role of a young knight investigating a mysterious mining town overrun by supernatural threats, combining tight combat, dungeon crawling, and ability unlocks in a world that feels both handcrafted and uniquely assembled each playthrough.
Gameplay
At its core, Chasm revolves around navigating procedurally generated maps built from hand-designed rooms, where every new game creates a fresh layout while keeping the overarching story intact. You explore vast underground areas filled with traps, secrets, and enemies, using a mix of platforming skills and combat prowess to progress. Combat involves hacking and slashing through monsters with various weapons, from swords to spells, and you can equip armor to tweak your stats and abilities.
Progression hinges on finding new gear and abilities that open up previously inaccessible paths, encouraging backtracking and thorough exploration. Boss fights punctuate key areas, demanding pattern recognition and precise timing. The retro pixel art style enhances the challenge, with a native resolution that evokes classic games, and full gamepad support makes controls feel responsive.
Game Modes
The primary mode in Chasm is its single-player campaign, where you follow the knight's journey through six massive areas, solving the mystery of the kidnapped townsfolk. This mode emphasizes exploration and combat in a procedurally assembled world, with each run offering a unique map configuration.
Arcade Mode provides a different twist, focusing on replayability with Daily and Weekly Challenges that test your skills in structured scenarios, complete with leaderboards for competitive play.
Story and World
Chasm sets its narrative in the Guildean Kingdom, where you, as a fresh recruit, delve into a remote mining town plagued by disappearances. Supernatural creatures from ancient depths have emerged, kidnapping residents and shutting down operations. Your quest involves uncovering hidden catacombs, battling these foes, and restoring order, all while piecing together a tale of mystery and heroism.
The procedural element ensures that while the story beats remain consistent, the path through castles and caves varies, adding replay value without altering the core plot.
Is It Worth Playing?
Chasm holds a Mostly Positive rating on user reviews, with 75% of 1,325 reviews recommending it, alongside a Metacritic score of 72. Players often praise its challenging platforming and Metroidvania mechanics, though some note the procedural generation can lead to uneven map designs.
If you enjoy retro-style action platformers with exploration and combat depth, Chasm delivers a solid experience, especially for those seeking a complete single-player adventure without ongoing updates. It's particularly appealing to fans of hack 'n slash dungeon crawlers, but might not satisfy those looking for highly polished, non-procedural worlds. As a 2018 release still available on PC with cross-platform support, it remains a worthwhile pick for genre enthusiasts on a budget.
