Crypt Custodian cleans up the afterlife with broom-bashing brawls in August

Some believe that when you die, that’s it. Lights out. Others believe there’s an afterlife, and sometimes that afterlife needs a cloaked cat to keep it clean. The latter theory holds water in Crypt Custodian, a top-down Metroidvania that hits PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC on August 27. 

You can see a sample of its broom-bashing gameplay in a new release date trailer:

When a mischievous cat named Pluto dies, their subsequent meeting with the Afterlife Guardian doesn’t go so well. Rather than being treated to a relaxing afterlife, Pluto is sentenced to be the janitor of the afterworld for the rest of eternity. Thankfully, it seems as if Pluto might be up to the task, thanks to the power of beating up monsters with a broom. 

It also looks like there are some other weapons and upgrades to help Pluto along the way, like the Broomerang Dash ability showcased in the trailer. It’s one of those fun traversal powers that lets you toss something and then dash to its position. You can mix and match upgrades throughout, and use new abilities to open up more of the world in classic Metroidvania fashion. 

It’s all held together with what appears to be a pretty lively style and some big bosses to contend with. Developer Kyle Thompson (Islets, Sheepo)—who makes Metroidvanias with his brother Eric handling the music—is bringing Crypt Custodian to life with publisher Top Hat Studios. Hopefully, their adventure is as simple and clean as it looks.