I’m sure it’s the curse of anyone who’s watched the entirety of Peep Show more than a few times that I can’t read the name ‘Marko’ without hearing him asking about cocaine in a nasal Australian accent. This is arguably an injustice to the protagonist of colourful metroidvania Marko: Beyond Brave, as a quick Google search told me he’s based on Krali Marko, a popular character from the folklore of Studio Mechka’s native Bulgaria. Folk hero or not, Marko certainly has a heroic beard: his moustache is so profuse that it can’t be captured in his character portrait. It’s extremely overpowering.
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“Entropy has escaped its prison and threatens to engulf the world. Step into the shoes of Marko, a young warrior who unleashes a hidden power within himself,” reads the Steam page. “Challenge ancient evils, battle mythical creatures, and forge powerful alliances to restore balance. With elemental powers at your command and every decision shaping the fate of the world, embark on a thrilling adventure where courage is your greatest weapon.” I particularly enjoyed that last bit, given that Marko's greatest weapon is, quite frankly, a comically oversized sword.
Putting the giant sword aside, here are a few more features:
Traditional 2D art: The lands of Zagora are completely hand-drawn and animated in great detail.
Challenging but fair gameplay: Tight, responsive controls. Jump, fight, and dash through challenges. Battle powerful enemies and destroy ancient evils.
Explore the vast lands of Zagora: a huge, non-linear map with hundreds of rooms. Solve puzzles and find hidden treasures, all in a Slavic-inspired fairytale setting.
Encounter mysterious characters: Cute and spooky friends and foes brought to life with traditional 2D frame-by-frame animations.
Master New Abilities: Discover new abilities that will allow you to take on even the fiercest enemies.
Discover all the secrets: Dive deep into the world and discover hidden areas and untold treasures. Collect all the pieces and piece together an ancient mystery.
The art in this game definitely appealed to me, and it's certainly not a bad Hollow Knight meets Nine Sols game – specifically, the press release calls it “Slavic Silksong.” However, a few of the currently scarce Steam reviews mention technical issues – so it might be worth waiting until those are sorted out.