Wicked Plague was developed by LocusMotion and published by ModRetro. The game released on July 11th, 2025. It is exciting to be reviewing a title for the Game Boy Color that has just been released in the year 2025. Wicked Plague is a stylish 8-bit metroidvania with cool, grunge-style characters and satisfyingly difficult combat. The physical version of the game comes in a nice-looking compact box, with concept art and descriptive text on the back. It even includes an instruction booklet, a feature modern publishers have abandoned. The instruction booklet is a real blast from the past, and includes a considerable amount of info on the game. Read on for a review of the Game Boy metroidvania, Wicked Plague.
Metroidvania on Game Boy Color
The Metroidvania genre has really exploded in terms of number of releases, on the Switch and other modern platforms. Titles such as Hollow Knight, Timespinner, Chasm, and many more are some such examples. The gameplay loop of exploring, finding dead ends, finding a new item or ability, and then gaining access to previously inaccessible areas makes up the gameplay loop of these games. It’s usually done from a 2D, side-scrolling perspective, and there’s a sprawling map. Wayforward is a developer that is known to have perfected the Metroidvania style of game with the Shantae games, and other games such as Aliens: Infestation. The Game Boy Color was produced from 1998- 2001, before the Metroidvania genre gained popularity (or was even defined). The Game Boy Color had puzzle games, 2D action RPGs, platformers, and turn-based RPGs, but few Metroidvanias. The original Shantae is one example of a Metroidvania on the Game Boy Color. Wicked Plague is another Metroidvania that we can add to the list. The Metroidvania gameplay loop is present, the labyrinth-style map is here, and tight controls and attacks from a 2D perspective are all present here. As you progress, you gain abilities such as double jumps and ground slides that allow access to new areas with new varieties of gothic/steampunk creatures.
Gameplay and Story
The non-player characters have a range of motives for their actions, and much is revealed in their dialogue with Ramuel. Some look like they’ve walked straight out of ‘The World’s End’ in Camden. In other words, they wear gothic style clothes and seem like they’d fit right in with Victorian London. Ramuel, our player character, is an ‘exterminator’, which means that he hunts all kinds of monsters and ghouls that inhabit the areas of the game world.The game world is split into four main areas. They are: the station (sewers), the mall (garden), the offices, and the hotel. The dialogue is well done, and surprisingly has a lot of depth, relatively in comparison with other games of this genre. The world is completely 2D. The labyrinthine areas are exactly what you’d expect from a game that takes major inspiration from Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, and Super Metroid. There are vending machines located in specific areas around the map. You can save, buy healing items, and buy upgrades at these vending machines. The vending machines are quite a unique and interesting way of saving and upgrading. There are also frequent boss fights that may require multiple attempts, as you need to learn the enemies’ attack patterns to become victorious. The difficulty may put some people off the game as dying is common, and there are a few difficulty spikes quite early on. The way enemies are animated is stylish, which brings us on to the art of the game.
Art, Presentation, and Sound
Wicked Plague uses dark colors on large sprites to create an effect that is similar to cel-shading. When moving, characters look similar to blobs of color rather than wire frames. Sometimes the dark environments can seem too similar in Wicked Plague, but generally the visuals are impressive. Watching the game in motion is impressive on the 8-bit Game Boy Color. Unfortunately, the title is Game Boy Color exclusive and won’t work on a DMG or Game Boy Pocket. It will work on the ModRetro Chromatic, for which it has been primarily designed (it will also work on GBA). The 2D visuals look similar to an 8-bit Castlevania, and the art style is also reminiscent of Castlevania. The player character, Ramuel, is designed with reds and blacks and looks very cool in motion. The sound is very impressive, and the themes that play when exploring the metroidvania-style sewers are upbeat and dark. Not whimsical but more of an energetic beat. The sound and art combine to create an experience where you feel you have agency in controlling Ramuel. It is up to you to destroy the evil monsters that lurk in the game world. His gun releases an explosion (short range) from its muzzle by pressing B, and releases a shot that has a longer range when pressing up and B.
Conclusion
Overall, Wicked Plague is a breath of fresh air on the Game Boy Color. It is a difficult, stylish Metroidvania with secrets, upgrades, and innovative features. The player character, Ramuel, is cool and is animated well, while non-player characters have depth and always have interesting dialogue. Despite the game technically not being an official Game Boy Color title, the game is of high quality and doesn’t feel like a fan game. Homebrew titles are releasing on a regular basis on the Game Boy and Game Boy Advance platforms, and Wicked Plague is one of the better titles. However, the title is fond of using dark colors a bit too much, and the high difficulty will put off younger players. The core gameplay loop of exploring, finding a dead end, earning an item or ability, and then accessing the previously inaccessible area is present here and works well. Frequent bosses are fun, and you have to be nimble with your fingers to earn victory. The difficulty doesn’t usually feel unfair. The hit detection is good; it’s just that, just because the combat works, doesn’t mean it is fun. The menus are full of info, but can be confusing. Overall, Wicked Plague is a great title that is deserving of being one of the best Metroidvanias on the Game Boy Color.
7/10
BongoBongo123 is an avid Zelda fan who also likes the odd game of Smash. His interests in gaming are broad but he loves a good Metroidvania or action RPGs.