Mirador is a paid adventure game from EgretGames. This 2D role-playing experience puts you in the shoes of a mysterious adventurer, dropped in the middle of an ancient temple. Surrounded by monsters, there is no other way but to fight, get stronger, and unlock new abilities. Starting out slow and simple, this game soon grows into a very challenging exploration experience.

Its use of 2D pixel art style and chiptune music make Mirador a good retro experience. It shares the smooth animation and the difficulty of Hollow Knight, and a visual style close to a top-view Dead Cells.

Minimal story, maximum action

Mirador is one of those action-adventure titles that offer a simple premise and leaves you to beat up enemies. It’s not exactly story-driven, nor does it make the effort to tell you more about the game and the world. It doesn’t even have dialogues. You simply explore the map, progress from one area to another, and fight enemies that increase in number and difficulty.

Dying isn’t a problem, though, since there are regular save spots to keep your progress. Also, it doesn’t work like most Souls-like games where you drop anything of value upon death. Here, you can die, respawn, and try again without having to risk anything. In terms of graphics, the bosses have impressive designs that combine tribal and occult concepts—all possessing very challenging move sets.

Some of the game’s issues are concerned with optimization. There are instances where the game doesn’t respond well, or when movement and animation glitches occur. These issues all happen on top of the controls being not remappable at all. It’s also quite disheartening that a game this good also doesn’t have controller support. Essentially, the fixed keyboard controls and the occasional glitching make the game additionally challenging.

Still a must-try

Mirador could still use more content and more optimization, but there is no harm in trying it out. It’s definitely worth the money for the gameplay experience it has to offer. It looks simple but is actually pretty challenging to complete. By focusing on action and adventure instead of story or dialogue, it becomes a silent experience that is still engaging.