Fancy cleaning up the afterlife? The Crypt Custodian, the latest Metroidvania from solo developer Kyle Thompson should be on your radar. Today, publisher Top Hat Studios has revealed that the game will be launching on Nintendo Switch, alongside other platforms, on 27th August 2024 for $19.99.
Thompson's previous two games — Sheepo and Islets — both proved to be excellent takes on the Metroidvania genre, and Crypt Custodian looks to build upon that knowledge. From the premise alone, you can already tell the game is quirky, cute, and heartwarming; you're playing as a deceased cat (called Pluto) who is sentenced to being the afterworld's janitor. But after befriending some ghosts, Pluto discovers that there may be a treasure hidden in the afterlife that will allow him to speak with the living.

Crypt Custodian blends Thompson's Metroidvania prowess with the combat and abilities of a Zelda game. You'll need to solve puzzles, explore dungeons, and fight bosses in this expansive world, which consists of various interconnected biomes. Pluto can upgrade his skills and mix and match his abilities to better suit the scenario he finds himself in.
After watching the trailer, we're most excited to meet the other "residents" of the underworld who have been banished by Kendra, the Afterlife Guardian. You'll find out how they died, what caused them to be banished, and even buy items from some at The Sinner's Inn. The game looks gorgeous to boot, too.
2024 has already been a stellar year for Metroidvanias, with Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, Animal Well, and Bō: Path of the Teal Lotus being three stand-outs in our camp. And with Islets getting an 8/10 from us back in 2022, we have high hopes for Crypt Custodian. Plus, it looks like it's doing something a little different.
Will you be grabbing Crypt Custodian on 27th August on Switch? Get dusting in the comments.
Comments 22
Looks great! Reminds me of deaths door for some reason. Will definitely look at picking this up if reviews are okay
Funny and great idea, it seems good also in practice based on the trailer so I'll definitely consider playing it at some point as long as the full game is overall good according to reviews!
Never knew a cat that was cosplaying as a cleaning maid myself, but the world is big, and anything is possible.
I'm glad there are metroidvanias now that put a little more variety, gameplay and thematically, into their games. I'm not interested in pursuing at this time, but a review could sway me.
I played the demo during Steam NextFest, and it was extremely fun, great controls and charm. Hope this runs well on switch, will probably pick up at some point
"Metroidvania" is such a meaningless bastardized descriptor. This looks like a great ACTION/ADVENTURE game though.
@BenjiTProcrastinator Kyle has already confirmed on the Metroidvania subreddit that the Switch version is running at a smooth 60fps
A Zelda-Like Metroidvania. Oh dear, please stop. Whatever happened to the simple 'action-adventure' monicker?
I love it, it looks a lot like Death's Door, and that's great!
@Daniel36 It's really getting so silly. Look on mobygames, and they have zelda games listed as "metroidvania gameplay", because you get items to open new locations I guess? Zelda literally came first! Metroidvanias can broadly be describes as open world action platformers, usually with a map, and backtracking. If it's top down, it's not a metroidvania. And yes, I am also saying that the prime games aren't metroidvanias, because then what's the point of genres. Mic drop.
Looks cool. I've had both his other games on my wishlist forever. They're just always waiting in line behind some other metroidvania.
By the way, is there a significant difference between a Zelda-like and a metroidvania besides the different perspectives? It's kind of funny that even the 3D games still follow that rule. I guess Zelda usually has a stronger separation between dungeon and non-dungeon areas, but that distinction has become a bit shakier with the more recent entries.
I'll join in with the other critical commenters.
Have we gotten to the point that games journalists literally didn't know what an adventure game is? Metroidvania is just a cute name for the adventure-platformer genre. If you take away the platformer then it's just adventure. Well, I guess action-adventure is more descriptive for this game (same as Zelda).
I feel disappointed in gamers. Gonna go cry and feel old.
I love this music - reminds me of Night in the Woods. Damn, I wish there was a sequel to that game...
Added to my wishlist, along with the 64 other games on there.
Physical copy please.
It's a metroidvania because the developer says so. It's really not that hard to understand, is it?
I would just call it a Zeldroid. 😛
Maybe Zeltroid if it's more like Metroid, and Zeldroid if Zelda...? 😅
Looks more like HLD or tunic but that’s not a bad thing! May give it a go
@Boxmonkey It does have a bit of the same vibe, but I didn't finish Death's Door, for some reason I just lost interest. I hope this isn't the case with this game.
Oh god yes, death, cats, zeldalike, PLEASE HAVE A PHYSICAL!!!
Tunic meets Death's Door in a fraught feline fantasy frolic?
@Daniel36 @Poodlestargenerica @toasterovenly
I mean, when the developer, whose prior output consists of other Metroidvanias (side-scrolling ones), refers to it as a Metroidvania, then I think he knows what he's talking about. Having played the PC demo, it has far more prominent platforming than most top-down games, and the developer has also stated its design takes after Metroidvania staples like ability gating. Of course the shift to top-down brings the game more in line with 2D Zelda, but...Metroid was itself designed around having Zelda's open exploration paired with the side-scrolling gameplay Super Mario Bros. pioneered. The very core of the Metroidvania genre is inherently "action adventure platformer."
Islets is a fantastic little game and I have eShop Gold points that are due to expire at the end of August - now I know exactly what to spend them on!
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