See how a Metroidvania begins development
Originally, the combat system for Drinkbox Studios’ Guacamelee was a bit different. For starters, it had blocking, holds, and charge-moves. Instead, they opted to remove all of that, replace blocking with roll dodging, and holds with faster throws.
All of this helped quicken the pace due to the fact that it “slows down the pace of exploring an open world game.” If you’re curious as to what the original mechanics looked like, Drinkbox has shared the above prototype video on the PlayStation Blog.
I’m satisfied with the combat system in the final release, as I actually found it refreshingly technical — a stark contrast to most simplistic platformers of the genre. Because of this, I think Juan would be a great fit for PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale.
