The Prisoning: Fletcher's Quest Review

Get ready for one of the most eclectic and over-the-top metroidvania games I have ever played. Developed by Elden Pixels and published by Acclaim, The Prisoning: Fletcher’s Quest follows game developer Fletcher Howie Jr. as he is on the brink of emotional and physical burnout while nearing the end of an intense project.

He visits his psychologist, and we see him lying on the couch for his session. The doctor says that the stories he hears about Fletcher’s crippled psyche get a lot of laughs when he tells his co-workers at lunch, especially the dream about being a honky-tonk musician. In theory, this should not be allowed, with doctor–patient confidentiality and all… but they continue on. The psychologist’s “expert advice” is to put him under hypnosis, so that he can confront all of his fears and defeat them.

Fletcher is rigged up in a Clockwork Orange-style headpiece to keep his eyes wide open. They are ready, so the doctor whispers “lasagna”, “horseradish”, “that movie Jaws”, “red lingerie with polka dots”, and continues with other random things before telling him to sleep. This is where things get even more bizarre.

We awaken in a room with a guy coming out of a coffin with an animal skull on his head, a merman in a fishbowl carriage being pulled by a cart, and a lady with a swim cap sitting on an oil barrel. In a suspended orb, we see a sleeping Olof, who looks like he is in an embryo. These characters know that Olof is there to destroy them and everything they hold dear, so they have to stop him. They all return to their realms to get their Beasts of Destruction ready to fight him.

Our character hatches and descends to the floor: a very naked man with mutton chops. But don’t worry about the nudity, it’s pixelated, so you don’t see much. As you explore the levels, there is a lot of jumping, but the protagonist has a good vertical leap, which helps. You eventually meet a girl in a purple shawl who tells you that your name is Fletcher. We learn that she is Zoe from the games Alwa’s Awakening and Alwa’s Legacy, created by the same developer, Elden Pixels. Apparently, they also made A Void Hope, but she says no one has heard of that one. I actually previewed that game, check it out here! Zoe appears in all of their games, but before you keep talking, she wants you to find some clothes.

This game is a challenging 2D platformer, with enemies like cannons and wizards shooting at you, not to mention large clusters of spears and sharp needles waiting for you to land on them. You will be moving from room to room, making your way through a complex maze, trying to find the way out, or at least find someone who can help you on your journey. I will warn you: be prepared to die a lot! This is definitely a title where muscle memory will help you, and chances are you will have to play through an area multiple times to learn what you need to do.

On your journey, you meet a guy named G-Fresh who runs a food booth. These spots act as checkpoints and are where you will restart when you die. There is also a magical vending machine beside it that can be used to warp around the area. Any location on your map marked with a “W” is a spot you can jump to. This saves you a lot of time, as you do not have to backtrack through every room and its enemies to get back to where you want to go.

As you explore, you will find a handgun. Fletcher says, “Wow, I don’t know much about mental disorders, but I know acquiring a weapon is always a good idea!” At least with the pistol, you can destroy blocks that are preventing entry into some rooms. The weapon is also needed to defeat enemies you encounter. This isn’t like a Mario game where you can just jump on them — if you do, you’re dead.

You meet a person dressed up like a chicken; it is apparently the game’s developer, who wants to speak with you before you fully get into your adventure. He tells you that your pistol works by only having one bullet out at a time. If you miss your target, you have to wait until the bullet disappears before you can fire again. However, if you are standing near an enemy, this allows you to fire more rapidly and deal more damage. As you progress, you will find additional bullets, making it easier to take out all the foes in a room.

Fletcher isn’t a particularly strong character. If he gets hit once, he dies, until he finds a cowboy hat to wear. This hat alone doubles the amount of damage you can take. If you lose your hat, you may find another in random rooms you explore, or if you return to the food booth with the warp spot, a new hat will appear there for you.

When you jump from one screen to the next, you will be making a blind jump, since each room is separate. However, if you jump or walk into the next screen, you can take a quick peek at the threats waiting for you. This helps you plan which enemy to take out first, especially since your bullets can pass through walls, allowing you to eliminate enemies firing at Fletcher. Fortunately, the controls are very responsive, so when I died, it was always due to my bad timing rather than the game itself.

The Prisoning: Fletcher’s Quest is oozing with personality. The visuals are vibrant and weird, and everything has a silly sense of humour. I can honestly say I never expected to be playing as a naked cowboy, with characters refusing to talk to you until you find some clothes to put on. I am guessing Fletcher has a fear of being naked, which is why he is forced to deal with it here.

The music in The Prisoning: Fletcher’s Quest is very catchy and upbeat. I did find that after a while, I became tired of hearing the same tune over and over, especially since you will die a lot. Patience is needed to be successful; if you rush and leave yourself open to attack, you will be stuck replaying the same section repeatedly. If you start to feel frustrated, you can enable Assist Mode. This option lets you continue from the screen where you died without backtracking, which is great when you are ready to quit.

The Prisoning: Fletcher’s Quest is a fun game with a great sense of humour. However, I will warn you that it is challenging, and if you are the type of person who gets frustrated when you have to replay a section multiple times, this may not be an enjoyable experience. This is especially true if you struggle with patience and careful strategising to work out exactly what you need to do to succeed.

If you are up for a challenge, this is a title worth checking out. I can guarantee there are plenty of crazy characters to interact with, including the guy who wants to battle and attack your “whack sack from the back with a large smack”. The Prisoning: Fletcher’s Quest tackles burnout and anxiety in a unique way that I have never seen before.