Fatal Claw Screenshot
Image: NDEV Games & Com2uS Holdings

Another day, another flashy exploration platformer. There are more great metroidvanias now than anyone even has the time to play, but don't go overlooking Fatal Claw, which left early access today after a humble but much-liked hike through early access. Undeniably inspired by Hollow Knight in terms of its soft-focus, smooth-shaded aesthetics, Fatal Claw trades bugs for all things furry - or at least anthropomorphic - with you playing as Kisha, an agile feline brawler who fights with the giant, bladed cat-paw cape hanging from his stylish hooded jacket.

Fatal Claw made its debut one year ago, with a solid demo and a semi-successful Kickstarter netting the game a meagre $33k in development funding. Between that, initial early access sales, and the support of Korean publisher Com2uS, the game has had a relatively uneventful, productive time so far, slowly expanding its story and world up until this point. While I've not played the full game, I recall having a good time with the demo, being taken with how detailed the soft-focus backdrops are, and the consistently cute character designs that left me with little doubt that the character designer at NDev Games is a dyed-in-the-wool furry.

While early access players have had access to the final version of the game for a few days now, thanks to a pre-release beta branch, the game is officially finished and complete today. The launch version adds several new areas, including the waterlogged Lower Moss Cave and the high-tech and laser-filled Origin Lab available relatively early in the game. The endgame is made up of three areas - the Tenshuhaku Interior (branching off the snowy Higasha Tundra zone), the fleshy Aphotic Marsh and finally the Sealed Spire.

There's also some fun new skills in the final release version, most interesting being Automata: Sniper, which lets Kisha sit safely behind cover while picking off enemies with a free-floating sniper reticule, presumably belonging to some kind of gun drone sitting in the foreground, looking upon the 2D world... a player's perspective, perhaps. Tricky enemies think they're being smart sitting in the shadows and waiting for you? If you can see them on screen, you can hit them. Feels like a nice bit of revenge, given that some bosses can attack you from the background, too.

I am currently spoilt for choice on metroidvanias, but I do want to take a proper swing at this one too. Fatal Claw is out now for £21/$25, with a 20% launch discount until September 9th. Less, if you own either Afterimage, Constance or Bō: Path of the Teal Lotus, another trio of well-liked metroidvanias.