AeternoBlade is one of those games that’s frustrating, not because anything in it is broken, but because brief glimpses of excellence show what could’ve been. It's a decent game, but mediocrity rears its ugly head in nearly every aspect. You could do much worse with Metroidvania games than this, but there’s very little here that you haven’t seen done before, probably better. If you are chomping at the bit for every Metroidvania you can find for Switch, then perhaps AeternoBlade is worth the punt. If that’s not you, we’d suggest a better release in the genre - such as like Axiom Verge or Shantae: Half-Genie Hero - and to sit this one out.

It is understandable why AeternoBlade has developed its cult following. It is a game full of many good ideas. Unfortunately, AeternoBlade is not the sum of its parts. It is a good try, and even might be a game to admire since there are some interesting ideas involving time travel in what is basically a Castlevania clone. There is a legitimate attempt to make something that had some passion behind, but what holds this Switch version back is that it also comes with all the baggage of the original 3DS release. The developer did not address any of its flaws or make any updates to the visuals to make it comparable to other remakes or upgraded ports on the market. The Switch port is ultimately pointless, better played on the 3DS or PlayStation Vita since they make more sense contextually.

Aeternoblade is a Metroidvania game that has an interesting plot on paper, sadly its gameplay and design leave a poorly executed and tedious game in its wake.