Pharaoh Rebirth+ is a charming 2D action-adventure that takes the familiar foundations of a Metroidvania and gives them a wonderfully eccentric archaeological theme. Instead of relying on a grim hero or conventional fantasy setting, the adventure follows Dr. Jonathan Banfield, a renowned treasure hunter who happens to be a rabbit. The premise sounds deliberately absurd, yet the game treats it as the foundation for a surprisingly cohesive journey filled with Egyptian ruins, supernatural curses, hidden treasures, unusual characters, platforming, combat, and exploration. It was developed by KROBON station and Vaka Game Magazine, with Vaka Game Magazine serving as publisher.
Jonathan's expedition begins after discovering Amshear, a legendary Egyptian oasis filled with archaeological artifacts. His search is interrupted by former companion Andre Betancourt, whose reckless actions eventually result in an ancient sarcophagus being opened. This releases an evil force and leaves both characters cursed to die within seven days. Jonathan's solution is suitably adventurous: travel throughout Egypt and recover seven holy grails capable of cleansing the curse of Sehur the First. The story does not attempt to become a serious archaeological drama. Instead, Egyptian mythology and treasure hunting are mixed with playful dialogue and intentionally quirky situations, producing an identity that separates the experience from darker games in the genre.
Exploration is the heart of the adventure. Areas contain routes, obstacles, treasures, enemies, and secrets that encourage players to investigate instead of simply moving toward the next objective. Progression gradually expands Jonathan's capabilities, allowing previously inaccessible locations to become reachable. This creates the satisfying cycle expected from a strong exploration-driven platformer, where discovering an obstacle can be just as important as immediately overcoming one. Remembering suspicious locations and returning later with the appropriate ability makes the world feel interconnected rather than like a collection of unrelated stages.
Treasure hunting is particularly well integrated into progression. More than 80 treasures are scattered throughout the adventure, and they are not merely decorative collectibles. Some improve statistics while others enhance Jonathan's abilities, giving exploration practical value. Finding optional items therefore contributes directly to becoming stronger and better equipped. More than 10 sub-weapons further expand the available options, allowing players to experiment with different tools during exploration and combat. This variety keeps the relatively straightforward action from becoming too repetitive and reinforces Jonathan's identity as a resourceful adventurer.
Combat remains accessible while providing enough challenge to complement the platforming. Jonathan's unusual rabbit characteristics are incorporated into the action, giving movement and attacks additional personality. Standard enemies provide regular resistance while bosses demand greater attention to positioning, attack patterns, and timing. The game does not attempt to compete with highly technical action titles, but that works in its favor because fighting rarely distracts from exploration. A dedicated boss rush mode provides an additional challenge for players who enjoy the combat enough to test themselves against major encounters without replaying the entire adventure.
Another welcome feature is the choice between Easy, Normal, and Hard difficulty settings. This allows newcomers to concentrate on exploration and story while giving experienced players a more demanding option. There is also an additional stage featuring new enemies and another boss, providing meaningful extra content rather than a purely cosmetic addition. Combined with treasure collecting and boss rush, these features give completion-focused players worthwhile objectives beyond simply reaching the conclusion.
The pixel-art presentation complements the design exceptionally well. Characters are expressive, environments have distinct visual identities, and the Egyptian setting provides plenty of opportunities for temples, ruins, artifacts, underground passages, and supernatural imagery. Despite drawing inspiration from older side-scrolling adventures, the game has enough personality to avoid feeling like a simple imitation. Its humor is equally important. The unusual protagonist, exaggerated archaeological adventure, eccentric supporting cast, and strange situations establish a consistently playful atmosphere without undermining the sense of discovery.
The biggest limitation is that its ambitions are comparatively modest beside larger modern Metroidvanias. Players expecting enormous maps, elaborate character builds, extensive role-playing systems, or extremely sophisticated combat may find the experience relatively simple. Its old-school structure and peculiar humor will also appeal more naturally to players who enjoy Japanese indie games and retro-inspired adventures. However, the smaller scale allows the experience to remain focused. Instead of padding the journey with excessive systems, it concentrates on exploration, collectibles, platforming, upgrades, and memorable encounters.
Steam Deck compatibility is officially categorized as Playable rather than Verified. The game runs successfully on SteamOS, its interface text is considered legible, and the default graphics configuration performs well. However, some manual preparation may be required. Controller support needs to be enabled through the game's settings, the native Steam Deck resolution may need to be selected manually, and the launcher or certain functions can require touchscreen input, the virtual keyboard, or a community controller configuration. Incorrect controller icons can occasionally appear as well. These inconveniences prevent a completely seamless handheld experience, but once properly configured, the 2D gameplay and controller-friendly structure are well suited to portable sessions.
Ultimately, Pharaoh Rebirth+ succeeds through personality and focused design rather than sheer scale. Its rabbit archaeologist, supernatural Egyptian adventure, interconnected exploration, extensive treasure collecting, ability progression, sub-weapons, bosses, difficulty choices, extra stage, and humorous characters combine into an experience that feels distinctive even within a crowded genre. Players willing to embrace its retro presentation and eccentric premise will find an entertaining adventure that consistently rewards curiosity and exploration.
Rating: 8/10
