Heidelberg 1693 review: Not your mom’s musketeer

Title: Heidelberg 1693
Developer: Andrade Games and Red Art Games
Publishers: Andrade Games
Platforms: PlayStation 5 (reviewed on), Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, Xbox Series X and Series S
Release Date: November 18, 2022

There are two kinds of people in this world: those who love 2D platformers and those who don’t. While I may not have spent my childhood hunting vamps as a Belmont or swishing my voluminous hair as Alucard, I did fall in love with it in my 20s. Ever since then, I have been looking for platformers that gave me the same feeling as those games of yore did. Games like Blasphemous and Bloodstained get really, really close and now we have another contender. Join me in the way back machine as we head to 1600’s Europe in Heidelberg 1693.

If you have ever dreamed of being a musketeer fighting off hordes of the undead, well look no further than Heidelberg 1693. In this game you play as one of Louis XIV’s musketeers tasked with hacking, slashing and musketing yourself from France to Germany to stop the Moon King that is resurrecting the dead. Not only do you need to fight the undead but there’s the pesky living with their own guns you need to make it past. And lest we not forget the bombs that fall from above or the undead with throwing weapons. Then there are the traps that would make Jigsaw and the Devil blush.

Heidelberg 1693 is a load of fun. That isn’t to say that I am good at this game. This game is hard and I was trash at it. However, all of that was leveled out because of how incredibly good Heidelberg 1693 looked. The intricate details of the characters was not lost as we see the tiny buckles and lace on the Moon King’s shoes. The environments were out of this world and featured horror lighting that any Giallo film fan would be proud of.

The game mechanics play like most 2D platformers. You have your main sword melee attack but you have your musket for long range shots. The musket is a one shot weapon, so after you blow your load there is a reloading period to take into account while you’re staring down the barrel into the blank eyes of the undead. On top of it all, it can be a bit wonky to aim but it does get easier the more you get used to it. One fun aspect of the enemies is that they don’t like each other just as much as they don’t like you. If you leave them to their own devices for just a bit, they may kill each other or at least whittle the amount of enemies down that you will need to take care of.

I’m not really sure what my favorite part of Heidelberg 1693 was, really. I love the aristocratic time period, the colors and varying environments. The ending is a hell of a lot of fun as well but I won’t spoil that for you. If you are a fan of platformers or even on the fence about them, this is one of the good ones that will win you over with its looks alone.

Heidelberg 1693 (PS5) Score: 8.5/10

Heidelberg 1693 is a showcase of beautiful environments, fun and challenging gameplay and the nostalgic feel only a 2D platformer can provide.