We first reported on Okko The Exiled back in 2025, when the game was announced and set for a release later that year. The game has been delayed but is out now and available on PC, priced at $14.99, with console ports to PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S expected early in 2027. Okko The Exiled has been developed by Frozen Flame Interactive and published by EastAsiaSoft. We’ve been looking forward to playing this one as it looks gorgeous, featuring some detailed pixel art. For our review, we’re playing the game on Steam.
Okko The Exiled is an action platformer starring a young boy who is coming of age. His mentor has sent him on a quest to explore the world with the experience needed to save it. We won’t spoil the story, but suffice it to say it sticks with the kinds of themes you’d expect from a game of this type. The game starts with an introductory section that gives you a chance to practice the basic jumping, attacking, and puzzle-solving elements prevalent during the main levels. After that, you head out on your own and begin a quest to take down six dangerous enemies, with each one fought after a couple of standard levels.
One aspect of Okko The Exiled we enjoyed was how the game is structured. Each area has its own theme with two levels to beat, each with mini-bosses, before heading into the area’s big boss fight. The separate levels also have their own secrets, and you’re told right from the off how many secrets there are to uncover. This was great because if we finished a level and then realised we’d only missed one or two things, it made sense to go back and explore some more. We also loved the difficulty curve of the enemies, as we rarely saw a spike and found that with each new ability gained, we could tackle the next set of monsters.
During play, you have a normal health meter that, once depleted, will send you to the last checkpoint, of which there are plenty. You also have two other bars, one for a focus mode that allows you to perform harder attacks and a special meter that gives you access to a super move once full. There are various ways to fill the meters, and it was good that you had to work at getting them filled. We found that the balance of everything in Okko The Exiled was just right. There are, of course, potions and areas that replenish your meters faster, but these are few and far between, and you quickly learn not to waste your harder attacks.
The other abilities at your disposal are a mix of attacks using the sword. You’ll use this the most in Okko The Exiled, and the range of attacks you can perform is impressive. While a simple button press of the standard or hard attack will swing the sword in the direction you’re facing, holding directions aim the sword, and this is very useful for taking down aerial enemies. The sword is also used to bat back projectiles with a well-timed swing, and you will need to learn this technique for some of the boss battles.
You also pick up the odd projectile in Okko The Exiled, which can be used to take enemies out that you don’t wish to get near, or saved for the boss fights where they can deal some serious damage. The final mechanic to discuss is a simple jump that begins to get upgraded as you progress. These jump upgrades are also used to unlock more areas in the main town section where the game begins, so it’s well worth exploring this each time you beat a boss and get a new ability.
The overall gameplay in Okko The Exile is excellent, with great pacing to the story and a difficulty curve that most indie games would die to produce. But for how good the game is to play, its presentation is also of a very high standard and, dare we say, sets a new benchmark for games at this price point. Firstly, the pixel art and overall animation are sublime. While many of the levels do have a similar look in places, none of this matters when it looks this good. The colors and array of design on show is fantastic, and we were always excited to reach a screen-filling boss or new set of enemies to look at.
The music is also brilliant and matches the action superbly. The music will up its tempo at the right moments and calm back down when needed. The sound direction in Okko The Exiled is staggering given the low cost of the game, and we feel that the soundtrack is good enough to be listened to on its own. The overall presentation is amazing and, coupled with the excellent game design, makes us feel this game would be great value at twice the price. Our overall thoughts on Okko The Exiled? From great gameplay to breathtaking presentation, alongside some secrets that create longevity, this game is a must-play for action platformer fans.
