You made me curious, I'm putting it on my Steam Wishlist. I really like this modern crude but still detailed pixelated style, thank you for this review!
Great review as always Joy, I was interested in this game when you shared it in you're Steam Next Fest video the grappling hook physics look so much fun and a rocket launcher jump is a great addition, I am interested in the story and I would like to 100% this game but too much text does put me off a bit. Oooo a level editor? now I'm really interested :D I've been playing lots of games that you have reviewed in the past and having loads of fun, I've just finished Restless Sour I really enjoyed the story and I don't know how the developer fit so many jokes in, I found myself really laughing at some of them haha, this weekend I'm going to start What Remains of Edith Finch. Thanks for sharing another amazing review have a great day Joy 😊
Hey Wicksley, thank you so much! Yeah I remember you were really interested in this game and I'm glad you are still excited for it after watching this review. I really hope it will live up to your expectations when you have the chance to play it! Ah that's awesome, Restless Soul was such a charming but goofy game, I'm glad you liked it haha 😄 Another great decision, it's short but such a powerful game that hopefully will be very memorable! It's my pleasure, you have a great day too and let me know if you liked What Remains of Edith Finch! ☺
@@GamingwithJoy15 Thanks Joy I'm sure it will, Oh I've also finished Hoa, Arise a simple story and Lost Ruins too that was fun but I don't think I used the spells in the best way I might have to do another playthrough soon :) I have loads more to play too like Shady part of Me and Lunistice I'm really looking forward to giving them a go, you have great taste in games I've enjoyed every game I have bought because of you're reviews so I know I'm going to love What Remains of Edith Finch, I didn't get chance to play it last weekend but its the next game I'm wanting to play and I will let you know how I get on 😄 Thank you Joy you are amazing ☺
I think I largely agree with your idea about boss fights. I am just wondering can you do boss fight with mobs or other elements in a way that its not just randomly evading attacks here and there or is it always just as you described? I mean many times it works just like that if you have gimmick in boss fight then the boss become aftertought. You had very nice way of articulating that!
There are bosses in this game that are just straight up 1 versus 1 fights but they sometimes have unfair battle arenas (option A), there are bosses that are invincible and they can only be defeated by killing mobs or by destroying other things (option B) and there are boss fights that require you to do something first before you can actually deal damage to them (option C). Both option B and C have the same design, it's just you evading (random) attacks while the boss is following you. Thankfully there are still a decent amount of option A boss fights, some of them I didn't even show footage of in this review. I hope this answers your question 😅
I played this the last 2 days and it was a hit or miss experience for me. Personally i didn't really vibe with the hook mechanic, it felt inconsistent where sometimes i just tried the same inputs for a while untill one finally launched me the way i intended. Definately a skill issue on my part but as i am nearing the end of my vacation i didn't want to spend too much time learning the movement. So i used the accesibility options a lot, some only in hard areas others the whole game. The mana regen for example i put on low so i could have a constant source of healing, and i also dissabled death pit dmg. This broke some of the boss fights but it made platforming alot more enjoyable. Those two options i left on the whole game. However I did most rooms the intended way, but the harder challenge rooms as well as the time events i sometimes used fly after one too many attempt. I did try them all legitemitely first though! The earlier bosses were fun and nice but some of the later ones i turned their health down to 75 or even 50% because they felt too tanky and spammy. I mostly liked the level design but i HATED the lab, it was awful. The lake on the other hand was such a good level which is the highlight of the game to me for sure, the boss of that area too! Most areas were fine though and i had fun exploring the full map and collecting everything. I got all 4 endings although like i said i cheated bit left and right. I normally don't do this but i didn't want to keep trying each jump more than 5 times. It was a fine game but it's middle of the bunch for me, i played much worse but also much better. I also hated the main character, she was awful and mean to everyone lol. I did like the art and music though and i don't regret playing this, but i can tell you that without the accesibility options i would have ragequit halfway through. I respect anyone who 100%'d the game legit though, some of the challenges were brutal! Now that this game is done though i'm gonna play anima flux, which came out recently and was still on sale till the 21st! Soulsborne seeker seemed quite positive on it so i'm excited to try it out. Probably gonna be the last game for a while, maybe i can squeeze in record of lodoss war or planet alpha in there, we'll see. Holiday ends tuesday so gonna game as much as i can till then :) I've been playing a whole lot recently and got a few games completed. In case you're curious i'll list them below with quick thoughts. - Metal ape: Pretty basic, super short but nice art and costs very little money too (i picked it up for 3,5€) so i can't be to mad about it - Pre dusk: awfull game, played till the final boss but it's just a very cheap feeling game, it's not polished and had some very frustrating parts - Meifumado: Again short game, very hard but in a good way. Felt super rewarding to learn the combat and beat the 4 bosses. - Rin the last child: Also rough around the edges but still a fun game, very pretty and nice music too. Chill game all around - Monster boy: Unironically the SINGLE WORST game i've ever played. Everything about it was horrible, i should not have bought it but the 90% positive on steam tricked me. It's stupidly difficult, which i did NOT expect so i had to cheat a bit too. It was the only way i could stomach beating it :( - Ultros: I was afraid i'd hate it with the reset mechanics so i was warry the first 2 hours seeing if i would refund it but it just amazed me. I think it's tied with Jusant, airhead and chants of sennaar for my favorite game i played so far this year! The art & music are incredible, gameplay is fun and story was super fascinating and well written. - Rusted moss: See above ;)
Hey atleast you were able to finish it with all 4 endings unlocked, I didn't manage to do that, so well done! It has been a while since I reviewed this game, so I don't remember everything, only small snippets and certain boss fights, but I can understand that the hook mechanic frustrated you. I liked it mostly, but as soon as I got the rocket launcher, I used rocket jumping instead for the rest of the game if it was an option. 😅 Don't feel bad about making it a less challenging experience for yourself, you have discovered 100% of the map and that's all what matters! 💪 Yeah most of these game don't really appeal to me or I have tried them out in the past and they didn't really impress me. Maybe I will give Ultros and Anima Flux a try in the future, but I'm not sure yet. I still have so many games on my wishlist and even some in my library that I still need to play, like Lone Fungus for example. Anyways thanks for sharing your experience and your opinion, it's always lovely to read your short reviews! 😊
@@GamingwithJoy15 lone fungus was pretty mediocre imo. There's too many buttons to press in the platforming sections to tie your fingers in a knot. But you like tough platforming so maybe you vibe with it. I would definitely like to see you tackle & review ultros or anima flux :)
How many hours did it take to 100%? I'm not sold on the game yet, the pixel art/anime doesn't click with me that much, and to hear bosses are mediocre is a shame. Music and sound effects also sound very arcadey. As for story the premise doesn't interest me that much but i have no issue with reading lore.
I thought you already had decided you were not going to play this game, but I didn't manage to complete it 100% yet though. I haven't found a few trinkets and some abandoned computer stations, but it took me atleast 10 hours to get where I'm at now. I really enjoyed the gameplay and the level design, I thought it was a very solid metroidvania with some minor issues, so it's in my top 5 games of 2023 for now without a doubt 😁
@@GamingwithJoy15 i'm still on the fence, it's hard for me to resist a MV especially if the movement and level design is good. I just think i'm addicted to the genre and need some help 😅 Also what are the other 4 games if i may ask? :)
Ah okay gotcha! Nah being addicited to metroidvanias is totally understandable! 😁 9 Years of Shadows, Vernal Edge, Silver Axe and Curse of the Sea Rats, but the best game I have reviewed so far this year is Souldiers, there is no question about it!
@@GamingwithJoy15 didn't expect curse of the sea rats on here with the mixed reviews but you played it in coop so that probably made it a lot more fun. I liked elderand too so far tbh. I have 9 years and vernal edge too but haven't got time to play them yet. Currently busy with some puzzle platformers that i've gotta play through first
I was really looking forward to this! Glad it turned out good. The hookshot mechanic looks really fun!
If you look past the minor flaws, then this is definitely a great addition to your metroidvania collection! 😁
You made me curious, I'm putting it on my Steam Wishlist. I really like this modern crude but still detailed pixelated style, thank you for this review!
It's my pleasure! I'm glad this game appeals to you and I really hope you will enjoy it when you have the chance to play it!
Hope you are doing good, great review
Thanks trik, I'm doing great! I hope you do too?
Great review as always Joy, I was interested in this game when you shared it in you're Steam Next Fest video the grappling hook physics look so much fun and a rocket launcher jump is a great addition, I am interested in the story and I would like to 100% this game but too much text does put me off a bit. Oooo a level editor? now I'm really interested :D I've been playing lots of games that you have reviewed in the past and having loads of fun, I've just finished Restless Sour I really enjoyed the story and I don't know how the developer fit so many jokes in, I found myself really laughing at some of them haha, this weekend I'm going to start What Remains of Edith Finch. Thanks for sharing another amazing review have a great day Joy 😊
Hey Wicksley, thank you so much! Yeah I remember you were really interested in this game and I'm glad you are still excited for it after watching this review. I really hope it will live up to your expectations when you have the chance to play it! Ah that's awesome, Restless Soul was such a charming but goofy game, I'm glad you liked it haha 😄
Another great decision, it's short but such a powerful game that hopefully will be very memorable! It's my pleasure, you have a great day too and let me know if you liked What Remains of Edith Finch! ☺
@@GamingwithJoy15 Thanks Joy I'm sure it will, Oh I've also finished Hoa, Arise a simple story and Lost Ruins too that was fun but I don't think I used the spells in the best way I might have to do another playthrough soon :) I have loads more to play too like Shady part of Me and Lunistice I'm really looking forward to giving them a go, you have great taste in games I've enjoyed every game I have bought because of you're reviews so I know I'm going to love What Remains of Edith Finch, I didn't get chance to play it last weekend but its the next game I'm wanting to play and I will let you know how I get on 😄 Thank you Joy you are amazing ☺
I think I largely agree with your idea about boss fights. I am just wondering can you do boss fight with mobs or other elements in a way that its not just randomly evading attacks here and there or is it always just as you described? I mean many times it works just like that if you have gimmick in boss fight then the boss become aftertought. You had very nice way of articulating that!
There are bosses in this game that are just straight up 1 versus 1 fights but they sometimes have unfair battle arenas (option A), there are bosses that are invincible and they can only be defeated by killing mobs or by destroying other things (option B) and there are boss fights that require you to do something first before you can actually deal damage to them (option C). Both option B and C have the same design, it's just you evading (random) attacks while the boss is following you. Thankfully there are still a decent amount of option A boss fights, some of them I didn't even show footage of in this review. I hope this answers your question 😅
I played this the last 2 days and it was a hit or miss experience for me. Personally i didn't really vibe with the hook mechanic, it felt inconsistent where sometimes i just tried the same inputs for a while untill one finally launched me the way i intended. Definately a skill issue on my part but as i am nearing the end of my vacation i didn't want to spend too much time learning the movement. So i used the accesibility options a lot, some only in hard areas others the whole game. The mana regen for example i put on low so i could have a constant source of healing, and i also dissabled death pit dmg. This broke some of the boss fights but it made platforming alot more enjoyable. Those two options i left on the whole game. However I did most rooms the intended way, but the harder challenge rooms as well as the time events i sometimes used fly after one too many attempt. I did try them all legitemitely first though! The earlier bosses were fun and nice but some of the later ones i turned their health down to 75 or even 50% because they felt too tanky and spammy. I mostly liked the level design but i HATED the lab, it was awful. The lake on the other hand was such a good level which is the highlight of the game to me for sure, the boss of that area too! Most areas were fine though and i had fun exploring the full map and collecting everything. I got all 4 endings although like i said i cheated bit left and right. I normally don't do this but i didn't want to keep trying each jump more than 5 times. It was a fine game but it's middle of the bunch for me, i played much worse but also much better. I also hated the main character, she was awful and mean to everyone lol. I did like the art and music though and i don't regret playing this, but i can tell you that without the accesibility options i would have ragequit halfway through. I respect anyone who 100%'d the game legit though, some of the challenges were brutal!
Now that this game is done though i'm gonna play anima flux, which came out recently and was still on sale till the 21st! Soulsborne seeker seemed quite positive on it so i'm excited to try it out. Probably gonna be the last game for a while, maybe i can squeeze in record of lodoss war or planet alpha in there, we'll see. Holiday ends tuesday so gonna game as much as i can till then :) I've been playing a whole lot recently and got a few games completed. In case you're curious i'll list them below with quick thoughts.
- Metal ape: Pretty basic, super short but nice art and costs very little money too (i picked it up for 3,5€) so i can't be to mad about it
- Pre dusk: awfull game, played till the final boss but it's just a very cheap feeling game, it's not polished and had some very frustrating parts
- Meifumado: Again short game, very hard but in a good way. Felt super rewarding to learn the combat and beat the 4 bosses.
- Rin the last child: Also rough around the edges but still a fun game, very pretty and nice music too. Chill game all around
- Monster boy: Unironically the SINGLE WORST game i've ever played. Everything about it was horrible, i should not have bought it but the 90% positive on steam tricked me. It's stupidly difficult, which i did NOT expect so i had to cheat a bit too. It was the only way i could stomach beating it :(
- Ultros: I was afraid i'd hate it with the reset mechanics so i was warry the first 2 hours seeing if i would refund it but it just amazed me. I think it's tied with Jusant, airhead and chants of sennaar for my favorite game i played so far this year! The art & music are incredible, gameplay is fun and story was super fascinating and well written.
- Rusted moss: See above ;)
Hey atleast you were able to finish it with all 4 endings unlocked, I didn't manage to do that, so well done! It has been a while since I reviewed this game, so I don't remember everything, only small snippets and certain boss fights, but I can understand that the hook mechanic frustrated you. I liked it mostly, but as soon as I got the rocket launcher, I used rocket jumping instead for the rest of the game if it was an option. 😅
Don't feel bad about making it a less challenging experience for yourself, you have discovered 100% of the map and that's all what matters! 💪
Yeah most of these game don't really appeal to me or I have tried them out in the past and they didn't really impress me.
Maybe I will give Ultros and Anima Flux a try in the future, but I'm not sure yet. I still have so many games on my wishlist and even some in my library that I still need to play, like Lone Fungus for example. Anyways thanks for sharing your experience and your opinion, it's always lovely to read your short reviews! 😊
@@GamingwithJoy15 lone fungus was pretty mediocre imo. There's too many buttons to press in the platforming sections to tie your fingers in a knot. But you like tough platforming so maybe you vibe with it. I would definitely like to see you tackle & review ultros or anima flux :)
Quake's rocket jumping is boss.
Yeah I loved this mechanic!
Im different then you when it comes to ending's. I like one end so when you're done your done
That's also fair, to each their own! 😉
How many hours did it take to 100%? I'm not sold on the game yet, the pixel art/anime doesn't click with me that much, and to hear bosses are mediocre is a shame. Music and sound effects also sound very arcadey. As for story the premise doesn't interest me that much but i have no issue with reading lore.
I thought you already had decided you were not going to play this game, but I didn't manage to complete it 100% yet though. I haven't found a few trinkets and some abandoned computer stations, but it took me atleast 10 hours to get where I'm at now.
I really enjoyed the gameplay and the level design, I thought it was a very solid metroidvania with some minor issues, so it's in my top 5 games of 2023 for now without a doubt 😁
@@GamingwithJoy15 i'm still on the fence, it's hard for me to resist a MV especially if the movement and level design is good. I just think i'm addicted to the genre and need some help 😅
Also what are the other 4 games if i may ask? :)
Ah okay gotcha! Nah being addicited to metroidvanias is totally understandable! 😁
9 Years of Shadows, Vernal Edge, Silver Axe and Curse of the Sea Rats, but the best game I have reviewed so far this year is Souldiers, there is no question about it!
@@GamingwithJoy15 didn't expect curse of the sea rats on here with the mixed reviews but you played it in coop so that probably made it a lot more fun. I liked elderand too so far tbh. I have 9 years and vernal edge too but haven't got time to play them yet. Currently busy with some puzzle platformers that i've gotta play through first