This is a fantastic game to play. Beautiful to look at, pretty sexy girlies, and great music to listen to.
Combat is very satisfying, gear, and gear customization are excellent.
Getting Enemy Cores, equipment, equipment upgrades, and socketing cores into gear -- very fun and engaging. The gameplay and its gear mechanics are brilliant.
I never got bored actually playing the game, and again, the combat and gear is very exciting.
As a game to play, it's really good and I fully recommend it as a fun game.

However, if you're looking for a metroidvania, the studio says it is -- it stops being one after a while.

I have a lot of gripes about its metroidvania aspects.
For the first 30% of the map, it really is a good metroidvania. You get abilities and keys that allow you to go back and explore previous areas you've been to. All of this is very well designed.
But, about after 30% of it, all of it suddenly stops. You do get new abilities, but there is never any reason to use them in previous areas.
You get swimming - no previous areas that require swimming. No areas underwater, no chests to grab you couldn't before.
You get super jump - no hidden chests to get to (you can get one chest with it, but it's possible to get it by using Erza's Dash & Katana).
You get Air Glide - nothing to go back to.
This game even has "colored gems" as keys, which are pretty cool keys to unlocking doors you couldn't before, but, after that first 30% you only get a Yellow Key that is only used in the area it is found in. No more yellow doors to backtrack to in previous areas.
There are "Wind Tunnels" you can activate, but they're only in one area. No previous areas have this cool mechanic you can use.
There are Ancient Coins that open locked doors, but no doors you should miss.

It's like they made a good metroidvania for the first 30% of the game, made a lot of cool abilities and utilities to get around the areas, but were scared to add backtracking.
Each individual area has aspects of a metroidvania with maze-like paths, and paths being blocked off, but there is never a reason to return to areas from before.
As a studio's first metroidvania, they didn't really go full metroidvania.

However, like I said, the game is extremely satisfying to play due to its combat and gear. The Enemy Cores you get from enemies to upgrade your gear is very well done. It's always exciting to get a new core and to figure out how and which cores to optimally socket into your gear.

But as a metroidvania, it's very lacking.
I want to compare it to Afterimage. While Afterimage is not particularly "exciting" in terms of combat or enemy farming, there are chests, items, and equipment even in the first areas of the game you can't get to until the very end of the game. The chests, items, and unexplored pieces of maps always taunt you in every area, pushing you to move forward to discover new abilities so you can eventually get the goodies or big enemies inside. Not in this game.

In this game there are many, many breakable walls with goodies inside -- which is a good thing, -- but why are they in breakable walls and not in chests/ground in areas you couldn't get to before? While it's very nice to find a piece of gear that is a tier above your normal gear and that you can upgrade -- in a metroidvania it's exciting to finally get those chests you had to pass previously. Not very exciting to break a random wall.
Metroidvanias are satisfying when you finally get that item you couldn't get to. It adds excitement and invokes a feeling of being rewarded for not forgetting about things you couldn't get to before.

That's what we play metroidvanias for.

Another gripe for metroidvania - there is no sense of "completion". The game doesn't really tell you anything you've missed. The only things that tell you about your completion is map % and bestiary.
But did I miss an enemy core? I have no idea.
Did I miss a chest that has unique uncraftable gear? I have no idea.
Did I miss a breakable wall? I have no idea.
Castlevania DS games, Bloodstained, Afterimage -- all tell you if you've gotten all drops from an enemy. Frontier Hunter tells you only if you've killed an enemy.
Did you get its core? The game doesn't tell you. No marker on bestiary, no drop being colored in the Enemy Info panel. Nothing.

With the lack of completion stats I feel like the game just doesn't understand that it's extremely important to let the player know they have a 100% save file in a metroidvania. This metroidvania, I feel like it just doesn't care about your 100%. There are even two bestiary placeholders for enemies that aren't in the game (one for normal enemy, one for boss) that you can't complete.

Some Enemy Cores show you on the map where the save and teleportation points are. Why no core to mark rooms with breakable walls, why no core to show unopened chests? It would have been a great utility core to get at the end of the game, like "Peeping Eye" in Castlevania DS games.
The game doesn't tell you if you've missed anything at all.

Now for more nitpicking. I know the development team is like 3-4 non-english speaking people, and that's great, but there is a glaring lack of care put into localization. I'm not talking about dialogue. I'm talking about things like "Map explored89%", "Water BulletVIII", "Equipmen".

It doesn't take a lot of time to put "Map Explored: 89%", "Water Bullet VIII", and other things that may seem very small, but when you open the UI and see stuff like this, it just isn't very pleasant. Not to mention it's hard to read.
Spacing and labels matter very much how you perceive the niceness of your character's stats and equipment that you earn and equip. There is plenty of space in the UI for nicer looking labels and how equipment/spell names look.
When you see things like "Not on stage5second,increase regeneration" all it says to you is that no care was made for the English/Latin UI to look pleasant. Not talking about the text itself, but how it looks.
Little things and a little care, it matters to a person's impression of your work, and how the work you put into it is perceived - it's very noticeable when it's slapped on without even checking if it looks any good.

Now about the Mother's Trial DLC:
The new cores are nice and all, but, there are some issues --
The new weapons and equipment is very powerful, and have some nice built-in abilities, but some of the built-in effects are very bad to equip -- or something I don't want to equip (like drastically lower your defense for more damage) - Why? This should only be an option as a core, it's not an "upgrade".
The new Shoes weapon that only Ciara can equip has the ability "increase duelist skill damage multiplier". I'm sorry, What? I thought "duelist skills" are the skills that Nia uses with her Dual Blades. Is this a mistranslated "duelist skills" or did no one check that Ciara doesn't use duelist skills before putting that ability on her weapon?
There is one new boss you can use the new weapons and cores on, but the Mother's Trial itself disables all your gear - making all the new stuff you collect with the DLC kind of meaningless for it. It's a Trial, but doesn't have Stages like the Boss challenge. It just disables everything you have equipped form the get go.
It feels a little "unfinished" and little "rushed".

It just shows that some aspects of this game weren't really given a lot of thought as a metroidvania, and after beating the game again with the new DLC, I just can't help but have a feeling that something is lacking. I have no sense of "completing" this metroidvania.

Anyway, I wrote this review because I absolutely loved the gameplay of this game, but feel like it could have been so much better.
I fully recommend this game as a fun game with excellent combat and gear mechanics.

Beautiful game, devs got talent. Looking forward to the next metroidvania project, in which hopefully some things will be more "metroidvania" without being too afraid of it.

Game Review: "Frontier Hunter"

"Frontier Hunter" is a captivating gem in the action RPG genre that stands out with its exceptional blend of innovative mechanics, stunning visuals, and engaging gameplay. From start to finish, this game delivers an experience that's as exhilarating as it is immersive.

Graphics and Art Style: The game shines with its breathtaking graphics and art style. Each environment in "Frontier Hunter" is meticulously designed, showcasing a vivid, high-fidelity world that feels both expansive and detailed. The diverse landscapes—ranging from lush, verdant forests to rugged, desolate wastelands—are beautifully rendered, and the dynamic lighting effects enhance the overall atmosphere. Character models are equally impressive, with fluid animations that bring every battle and interaction to life.

Gameplay: "Frontier Hunter" excels in delivering a gameplay experience that's both accessible and deep. The combat system is a standout feature, combining fast-paced action with strategic elements. Players can engage in thrilling battles using a variety of weapons and abilities, each offering unique playstyles and tactics. The game’s progression system is well-balanced, allowing players to upgrade their skills and gear in meaningful ways. Exploration is rewarding, with a wealth of secrets, challenges, and collectibles scattered throughout the world.

Storyline: The storyline in "Frontier Hunter" is engaging and well-crafted. The narrative unfolds through compelling quests and character interactions, offering a mix of intrigue and adventure. The characters are well-developed, each with their own backstories and motivations that enrich the overall plot. The dialogue is sharp and immersive, drawing players deeper into the game's world and its conflicts.

Soundtrack and Audio: The soundtrack of "Frontier Hunter" is a highlight, featuring a dynamic score that complements the game's various moods and settings. The music enhances the emotional impact of key moments and intensifies the excitement during combat. Sound effects are crisp and immersive, adding to the overall polish of the game and making every action and event feel impactful.

Overall Experience: "Frontier Hunter" is a standout title that successfully combines stunning visuals, engaging gameplay, and a captivating story. It offers a rich, immersive experience that keeps players coming back for more. Whether you're a fan of action RPGs or simply looking for a new adventure, "Frontier Hunter" is a must-play game that promises hours of entertainment and excitement. It’s a testament to the creativity and skill of its developers, and it’s sure to leave a lasting impression on all who venture into its frontier.

If you like Bloodstain Ritual of the Night you'll like this.