Morkull Ascend to the Gods Review: The Villain Won’t Shut Up (And It’s Brilliant)

TL;DR - The Villain Won. The Audience… Debatable.

You play as a self-aware God of Death trying to escape a videogame so he can go ruin reality properly. Finally. A protagonist with ambition.

It’s a boss-focused 2D action game with combos, charms, and hand-drawn visuals that look like someone actually cared instead of just dragging sliders in Unity until their soul left their body.

But.

Morkull talks. A lot. Imagine if your intrusive thoughts got a microphone, a caffeine addiction, and zero shame.

Result?

Great premise. Solid combat. Risk of wanting to mute your own existence.

Still playing Morkull through bargain-bin speakers? That’s like watching the apocalypse through a wet napkin. Pair this review with the Skullcandy Crusher Evo Wireless Bluetooth Headphones, then slide over to our Crime Hub and give this loudmouthed death god the bassline he thinks he deserves.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gRYjXRwkdY

Criminal Mastermind Score

7.8 / 10

Not a crime empire simulator. Not a heist sandbox. This is more like being trapped in a gladiator arena with a sarcastic god who thinks he’s the main character.

Which, to be fair… he is.

Villain Power Ranking

A-

No redemption arc. No “deep down he’s good.”Just raw, unapologetic “I will rule everything and you will help me” energy.

Finally, a game that doesn’t make the villain rescue kittens halfway through.

Scare Factor

2 / 10

Dark fantasy aesthetic, sure. But the tone is less “ancient horror” and more “stand-up comedian who discovered immortality and won’t shut up about it.”

The Review

Let’s start with the obvious.

You are not misunderstood. You are not morally complex. You are not doing crime “for your family.”

You are a god of death trying to break out of a videogame and dominate existence like it owes you money.

That’s not grey. That’s charcoal dipped in engine oil.

The Good: Boss Fights Instead of Pointless Walking

The smartest thing this game does is this:

It cuts the nonsense.

No endless corridors. No “collect 17 mushrooms while thinking about your life.”No map so large it needs a therapist.

Instead, it says: “Here’s a boss. Try not to die like an idiot.”

And then it repeats that, like a gym coach who hates you.

Combat is tight, responsive, and actually demands that you use your brain instead of button-mashing like a raccoon on espresso. You get skills, charms, combos… enough tools to feel powerful, but not enough to feel safe.

Which is exactly how a villain should feel. Capable. Dangerous. Slightly one mistake away from humiliation.

If your boss fights keep ending with your thumbs tying themselves into legal knots, stop blaming fate. The 8BitDo Ultimate 2C Wireless Controller gives you one less excuse and one more reason to survive, especially after a detour through our Villain Hub.

The Art: Hand-Drawn and Not Embarrassing

Everything is hand-drawn frame by frame, which immediately puts it ahead of half the indie market that looks like someone spilled Photoshop on a keyboard.

Characters are expressive. Bosses look like they belong in nightmares or at least in a tax office. The whole thing has personality, which is rare these days because most games have the artistic identity of beige wallpaper.

This one actually looks like it wants to exist.

The Problem: Morkull Never Stops Talking

Now we get to the dangerous part.

Morkull.

He breaks the fourth wall. Constantly. He comments on everything. He knows he’s in a game. He knows you’re there.

And he will never, ever shut up about it.

At first, it’s charming. Then it’s funny. Then it’s “okay, alright.”

Then it’s “I would like to uninstall his personality.”

This is the kind of character that either becomes your favorite idiot or the reason you lower your volume like you’re hiding from the police.

There is no middle ground.

The Difficulty: Occasionally Punches You in the Spine

Most of the game feels fair. Tough, but fair.

Then suddenly, a boss shows up like it’s been training in a different game entirely. Timing gets stricter, patterns get nastier, and you’re left wondering if the developers briefly lost their minds or just hate happiness.

It’s not broken. It’s just… uneven.

Like a staircase where one step is twice as high and exists purely to ruin your day.

The CRIMENET Verdict

Charge Sheet:

Guilty of letting you play as an actual villain

Guilty of having a proper, focused gameplay loop

Guilty of visual effort in an industry that often doesn’t bother

Under investigation for excessive talking

Under investigation for occasional difficulty mood swings

Final Sentence:

Highly recommended if you like boss fights and don’t mind your protagonist behaving like a stand-up comic trapped in a burning theatre.

Strong Points

You play as a villain who actually wants power instead of therapy

Boss-focused structure keeps the game sharp and engaging

Combat feels responsive and deliberate

Hand-drawn visuals give it real personality

Weak Points

Morkull’s constant commentary will divide players like a bad political debate

Difficulty spikes can feel inconsistent

And if you’re playing this on Switch with a naked screen, that’s not bravery, that’s negligence dressed as confidence. Grab the amFilm Tempered Glass Screen Protector for Nintendo Switch OLED, then head to our Heist Hub before one panicked boss retry turns your console into modern art.

FAQ

What kind of game is Morkull: Ascend to the Gods really? It’s a tight, boss-focused 2D action game that cuts out the wandering and throws you straight into fights that actually matter. Think less “explore the world” and more “survive this angry god trying to rearrange your skeleton.”

Do you actually play as a villain or is it fake edgy marketing? No bait here. You are a self-aware God of Death trying to escape the game and dominate reality. No redemption arc, no emotional growth, just ambition and bad intentions. CRIMENET approved.

Is the combat any good or just flashy nonsense? The combat is sharp, responsive, and demands timing instead of button-mashing like a caffeinated squirrel. You get skills, combos, and charms that actually matter, which is rare and frankly suspicious in a good way.

What’s the biggest downside of the game? Morkull himself. He talks constantly, breaks the fourth wall, and treats silence like a personal enemy. If you click with his humor, you’ll love it. If not, you’ll start fantasizing about a mute button.

Is it hard? Mostly fair, occasionally vindictive. Most bosses feel like a proper challenge, then one shows up like it’s been lifting weights in another game and ruins your evening.

Should you play it now or wait? Right now it’s a promising, slightly chaotic indie with strong personality and not enough public feedback yet. If you enjoy boss fights and bold characters, jump in. If you prefer safe, quiet games… this one will absolutely not respect that.