The Mummy Demastered is a retro inspired game good enough to both whet the nostalgic urges of people of a certain age whilst fulfilling the needs of newcomers alike. It’s a game I never knew I wanted but am very happy I’ve now played; as it turned out to be one of the best anachronistic video games money can buy. It may have been spawned solely as a means to promote a movie, but it overcomes those unassuming origins and rises to become a tremendous addition to the Metroidvania genre. Like many of the retro games it shares ideals with I firmly believe I’ll return and replay it years from now when the urge takes hold.

Even with frustrating oversights, The Mummy Demastered is a fantastic example of its genre. There’s great creature and boss design, perfectly designed platforming sequences, and a wide enough variety in environments that it can offer unique visuals all the way to the end. As a tight, confident action title, The Mummy Demastered succeeds not just as a love letter to movie-inspired cash-ins from the ’90s, but also as a legitimately great action game in its own right. And, if that wasn’t enough to recommend it, it’s also a rare tie-in that ended up far better than the movie it was adapted from.

Retro visuals, chiptune soundtrack, faithfulness to standards set by Metroid. It’s not a game to remember for the years to come, but it is a beautiful example of how some ideas never get old. [01/2018, p.60]

The Mummy Demastered just feels too generic of a Metroidvania overall to give players any real lasting impression. It’s the kind of game that you’ll play through and mostly enjoy, but when it’s over you’ll have a hard time recalling any defining moments.