Ebenezer and the Invisible World
A Metroidvania set after A Christmas Carol.
Ebenezer and the Invisible World is a Metroidvania title from Play on Worlds and Orbit Studio, with Play on Worlds handling publication. It launched on November 3, 2023.
In the game, set after Charles Dickens's *A Christmas Carol*, a ghost asks Ebenezer Scrooge for help stopping a greedy industrialist. Players collect items and power-ups, battle evil spirits, and work to rescue London's poor.
The game came out for Windows, PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One and Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch on that same date.
Critical reception was mixed. Shacknews found the execution lacking in most areas, noting that while the art style was appealing, it made hitboxes hard to read. They also felt the abundance of power-ups made combat too simple, the gameplay too derivative, and Scrooge's characterization weak. Nintendo World praised the combat and platforming but reported numerous bugs on the Switch that spoiled the experience. Push Square also advised against playing due to bugs, though they complimented the story and art.
Quick Facts
- Title
- Ebenezer and the Invisible World
- Developer
- Play on Worlds / Orbit Studio
- Publisher
- Play on Worlds
- Engine
- Unity
- Platforms
- Nintendo Switch / PlayStation 4 / PlayStation 5 / Windows / Xbox One / Xbox Series X/S
- Released
- WW · November 3, 2023
- Genre
- Metroidvania
- Modes
- Single-player
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
After the events of A Christmas Carol, Ebenezer Scrooge is visited by a ghost who requests his help in stopping a greedy industrialist. The game is a Metroidvania in which players gather items and power-ups, fight evil ghosts, and attempt to save the poor people of London. The story lacks characterization for Scrooge according to some critics.
Reader's Guide
Ebenezer and the Invisible World received mixed reviews on Metacritic. Shacknews said its 'execution falls short on nearly all fronts.' Although they liked the art, they said it made the hitboxes difficult to detect, and they felt the generous amount of power-ups meant that combat was too easy. They also felt the gameplay was too derivative and the story lacked characterization for Scrooge. Nintendo World enjoyed the combat and platform elements, but they encountered many bugs on the Switch, which they said ruined their experience. Push Square likewise recommended against the game based on bugs, though they praised the story and art. The game's significance lies in its attempt to merge a classic literary character with the Metroidvania genre, but critical reception indicates that technical issues and derivative gameplay undermined its potential.
Did You Know?
- The game was released on 3 November 2023.
- It was developed by Play on Worlds and Orbit Studio.
- Shacknews said the art made hitboxes difficult to detect.
- Nintendo World encountered many bugs on the Switch version.
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