ANTRO Review

Spanish indie developers Gatera Studio made their first game, Antro. The team is dedicated to pushing the limits of rhythm and story-driven games. The game got a lot of attention when it was first shown off in a short demo. It has a unique mix of rhythm-based platforming, dystopian visuals, and urban music. The demo showed off a small part of its dark, underground world and left players wanting to know more because of how stylish and new the mechanics were.

The full version is now available on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC through Steam. It builds on the ideas from the demo to create a longer, more in-depth experience. Antro, published by SelectaPlay, is a good example of the modern indie movement because it is visually unique, creatively daring, and emotionally powerful. The game's soundtrack and visual design are very much influenced by other cultures. It takes players to a futuristic world where rebellion is set to music.

Antro tells a loose but emotionally powerful story set in a dystopian world below ground where people have fled the surface. You play as Nittch, a courier whose job it is to deliver a strange package through an underground city that is falling apart and is ruled by evil forces. Voiceovers, short conversations, and environmental storytelling that hint at loss, rebellion, and survival tell most of the story.

There aren't any long cutscenes or blatant exposition in the game, but it still makes you feel like you're in a particular place and doing something important. References to a lost loved one, maybe a sister, make the story more emotional. The bad environment and repeated themes of control vs. freedom make it seem like the story is trying to say something bigger about society. It's an easy way to tell a story that fits with how the game is played.

At its core, Antro is a 2.5D rhythm-based platformer. It has both traditional side-scrolling movement and "beat-matching mechanics." A lot of the game involves running, jumping, sliding, wall-running, climbing, and dodging, all of which are often timed to an exciting urban soundtrack. Think of a game that combines elements from Inside, Runner3, and Mirror's Edge but with the timing of a music game.

You can easily move, jump, slide, and interact with the controls. But the game makes those easy commands into a lot of different problems. Drones will chase you, searchlights will try to catch you, surveillance bots will try to stop you, and electric floors will try to trip you up while you try to keep up with the beat.

You can also do small puzzles and look around from time to time. These games move at a slower pace, so you can learn about the lore of the world or get around in vertical spaces without feeling rushed. These quieter parts break up the more intense platforming parts and give you a chance to catch your breath before the next beat drops.

Antro is primarily a platformer, but it also has some light puzzle and combat elements. There isn't much fighting, and it's usually only for short periods when you have to "smash surveillance drones" or break down barriers with timed hits. These aren't complicated fights; they're more like reflex-based interactions that make the game more interesting.

The pieces of the puzzle are also light but bright. Putting together pieces of broken records to make a whole vinyl disc is one example. It's not hard, but it fits with the theme of bringing music, memory, and mechanics together in one moment. These puzzles are often used to move the story along, and you can get a piece of world-building or character insight as a reward.

The rhythm-based platforming is the best part of Antro. That's what makes it so good. When it works, it's fun because you will feel like they're dancing through a mess. The animations are smooth, the music is fun, and it's a lot of fun to jump to the beat. 

But sometimes, control responsiveness isn't excellent. You might see their character miss ledges or get the timing wrong, not because they made a mistake, but because the game is broken. This can be frustrating during fast-paced parts, primarily when the level design is based on trial and error.

Combat feels like it hasn't been fully developed and is just there. Even though crashing drones or smashing things makes the game more exciting, the lack of a health bar or feedback system makes these moments feel less tangible. Without a lot of different enemies, fights don't feel very memorable.

Even with these problems, Antro's gameplay is better than the sum of its parts. It mixes its parts well enough to keep moving forward and never gets old. The game doesn't have a regular XP or skill progression system. Instead, player progression is mechanical—you get better at the game by learning its patterns, mastering its rhythms, and knowing when environmental hazards will happen.

You can't unlock skills or upgrade trees; the only things that affect your growth are player skill and memory. This design choice goes along with the game's simple look and focus on the present. But it also means that you can't play the game again or make it your own very easily. If you like RPG-style progression or loot systems, you might not find Antro to be very interesting for a long time. 

Antro's visuals are stunning in a way that is very indie. The whole world is covered in grime, neon lights, shadows, and bioluminescent glow. The settings are dark but lovely. Cracked concrete, broken technology, flashing signs, and pulsing clubs all add to the feeling of a lived-in, dystopian future. The game uses a lot of silhouettes and contrasting lights to create a visual style that is both artistic and easy to read while you play.

The character models are simple on purpose; they are faceless, shaded figures that make the story more universal. The backgrounds are layered and full, with vertical sprawl and crumbling buildings. Even when there are no words, every room and hallway tells a story through pictures.

There are some technical problems from time to time, especially on PC, where some areas can make the frame rate drop or make objects disappear. Players with mid-range hardware like the RTX 3060 have said that they have this problem. Console players are less likely to run into major bugs, but there are still some rough spots.

Antro's heart and soul are music. The music in the game is a mix of French hip-hop, techno, electronic beats, and industrial ambience, all of which are tightly woven into the game's DN. Every platforming part has its score, and your movements often match the beat of the song. When you start running to a heavy bassline or slide into a wall run during a beat drop, the game comes to life.

The sound effects work, but they are straightforward. The sounds of mechanical whirring, exploding drones, and electrified floors are all different, which helps the player stay informed. There isn't a lot of voice acting, but it's effective for short phrases, internal monologues, and AI commands.

There isn't any licensed radio-style music, but the original songs are so good that they make up for it. Some players might even listen to music when they're not playing.

Antro takes you on a stylish and rhythmic journey through a scary world that is underground. It does well in places where many indie platformers don't: it has a strong identity, a clear theme, and beautiful art. The music and movement go together so well that the player's actions and the music are sometimes perfectly in time.

But it does have some issues. When things are moving quickly, the "tight control scheme" doesn't work as well. Also, people who want more variety might not like the "lack of gameplay depth." The fighting isn't that great, and some of the platforming can be hard because the camera angles are fixed or there are sudden threats.

People who like rhythmic platformers, dystopian themes, and strong visual storytelling will still remember Antro. It shows that you don't have to spend a lot of money to make games that have movie-like scenes and emotional stories. Gatera Studio has given us a bold and creative title that raises the bar for all future work.

Antro makes you move and think to the beat, whether you're dancing through a burning hallway, tagging graffiti in a rebel hideout, or sneaking past deadly drones in the dark. It has great beats and a beautiful look that will keep you playing.