This completely failed to grab me, and I abandoned it in record time, multiple times. I was captivated by this game's gorgeous visuals, but unfortunately that ended up being the only feature I would end up enjoying (that and sometimes the music). I don't dislike the gameplay, story and exploration, sure. But it all fills me with an overwhelming sense of meh.
The controls are ever-so-slightly janky, the inventory management is cumbersome, the exploration is largely unrewarding, and the towns. Oh moy god the towns. They are huge. Well, not really, but they feel huge, and not in a "wow, this place is huge!" sense, but more of a "oh god, there's more?" vibe.
The environment are charming and detailed, sure, but there is so much fluff, so many houses to trespass with nothing to find in them, so many people to talk to who have nothing substantial to say.
The overworld is interesting in theory, with how it incorporates Zelda II's encounter mechanics. But even that idea is explored in a very shallow way.
It all feels so superficial and unoriginal, I tried to pick it up in three different instances and it managed to bore me in a couple of play sessions every single time. Two years later, I'm calling it. This was the final chance for this game to impress me. It's just not for me, I guess.
The controls are ever-so-slightly janky, the inventory management is cumbersome, the exploration is largely unrewarding, and the towns. Oh moy god the towns. They are huge. Well, not really, but they feel huge, and not in a "wow, this place is huge!" sense, but more of a "oh god, there's more?" vibe.
The environment are charming and detailed, sure, but there is so much fluff, so many houses to trespass with nothing to find in them, so many people to talk to who have nothing substantial to say.
The overworld is interesting in theory, with how it incorporates Zelda II's encounter mechanics. But even that idea is explored in a very shallow way.
It all feels so superficial and unoriginal, I tried to pick it up in three different instances and it managed to bore me in a couple of play sessions every single time. Two years later, I'm calling it. This was the final chance for this game to impress me. It's just not for me, I guess.
Incredible mix of metroidvania and Zelda 2. This is one of the best plateformer RPGs I have ever played and my favorite, even when compared with games like Hollow Knight.
This game rocked me.
For some reason, I've noticed a pattern where I get quite far into a game, stop playing for a while, and pick it up again and then finish sooner than I expect, and that's kind of what happened here. It left me wanting more, but in a very, very good way. I hope there's a sequel, this game just hit so well.
For some reason, I've noticed a pattern where I get quite far into a game, stop playing for a while, and pick it up again and then finish sooner than I expect, and that's kind of what happened here. It left me wanting more, but in a very, very good way. I hope there's a sequel, this game just hit so well.
This review contains spoilers
This game is a masterpiece, clearly a hidden gem considering how little spotlight it had and how poorly it sold. Really a shame!
Phoenotopia looks amazing, I couldn't help myself but take dozens of screenshots while I was playing. Last time I did that was when I played Gris.
The gameplay is simply fantastic, there are tons of smart interactions in the game design, the puzzles really test your spatial perception: whether it's activating a switch by angling your slingshot the right way, using projectiles to knock moonstones off their platform, piling up boxes and bombs to gain barely enough height to reach a platform, or completing parkour sections full of arrow traps with well synchronized jumps.
The puzzles where you need to play the correct song with your flute gave me Zelda Ocarina of Time vibes. I liked how musical notes were often hidden in the background, and I had to spot them to know what I would need to play with the bandit's flute.
The GEO dungeons especially had really different kinds of puzzles. One time you'll have to solve a jigsaw puzzle, the next time it'll be a sliding picture puzzle, then it will involve switching lights in the correct order. There's even a puzzle similar to sudoku.
The game always managed to hold my attention with all its brainteasers.
Cooking mechanic is based on reaction time, it's simple and engaging. I noticed there was a frying pan on display in the Antique Shop near Daea city, but I never managed to obtain it during my playthrough. I suppose it would have modified the cooking minigame in a certain way?
Btw, I like how we immediatly drop cooked meat when we kill a mob/animal with an explosion (bomb or spear). Pretty cool that they thought about that!
The Gear Ring allows you to quickly switch up between 8 different items, it's always a good thing to have a weapon wheel in any game I play. It's very ergonomic and it saved me a lot of time from navigating through the menus.
And I'm thankful that we can use all our weapons as much as we want, without having to worry about ammo.
It's very satisfying when you struggle while exploring an area for the 1st time, having to use your gear in a clever way, dealing with all the enemies and barely surviving. And then when you revisit the same area later in the game with a new ability, you can make it through in a much simpler way. The abilities that you get for traversal exploration are really game-changing. I was so excited to backtrack everytime I got a new one.
Phoenotopia Awakening is very charming, and has a lot of light-hearted moments. I never got tired of listening to "Merry Fellowship" everytime Gail came back to her hometown after a mission, checking in with her brothers & sisters to see if they're okay. The game even manages to be funny sometimes. For example, when Gail and Fran use the teleporter for the 1st time, and Gail thinks Fran died during the teleportation as she watches the pile of dust on the ground, only for Fran to reappear out of nowhere with a big smile on her face.
The game also managed to do the exact opposite on several occasions. I was very anxious during that moment in EDEN's Lab, when you're quietly exploring the rooms and reading notes about those harpys in their stasis chamber. As you progress, you suddently hear glass breaking, and when you turn around, you notice all the harpys broke out.
Those moments, whether tense or joyful, are always accompanied by excellent music. My personal favorites are "Merry/Mellow Fellowship", "Boss battle", "The White Towers", "Katash's theme", "Wheat Road" and "Caves of Mul".
You can't put markers on a map to remember points of interest. So I had to write down informations on a notepad regularly to not get lost and not forget things like treasure chests, entrances to dungeons, or song stones. There are tons of stuff to do and optional content, so having a quest log and a map available at all times would have been useful, but it was definitely manageable without it.
I loved the last part of the game that consists of 3 Boss fights back-to-back. The first one against Mother Computer was the most challenging fight in the entire game. Then you have this amazing showdown with your own shadows, and finally the duel vs Katash.
I have to say this last battle felt a bit anticlimactic. I had encountered Adam earlier in the lab, and I thought I would have to fight this thing, but instead it was a second duel with Katash.
I'm pretty sure (and I hope) that I will have to fight Adam when I'll come back to this game to get the true ending, and I can't wait for it.
I unlocked the first ending after 60 hours with a completion of 62%. I played enough and I don't want to push myself, so I won't go for 100%. However, I will surely come back to this game in a few months to do some more things. Notably exploring Aurantia, beating Katash' 2nd encounter, and accessing the locked room at the top of Pristine City to fight Phalanx.
I don't know how they did it, but the game was never boring, never frustrating, never too hard, never too easy, never repetitive, never bad. There was the right amount of everything: fights, exploration, puzzles and platforming.
Really, as I said earlier, the only thing that people could have a problem with is that it can be difficult to keep track of everything. But it's really not that big of a deal if you pay attention, and of course if you write things down on a notepad or a piece of paper.
This is why I give this game a perfect score. This is one of the best games I've played this year! I'm still a bit salty that this game is so unknown...
----------Playtime & Completion----------
[Started on September 25th & finished on October 8th 2023]
Playtime: 60 hours
I stopped after getting the first ending, when Gail manages to free all the Phoenix so they can help Humans defend themselves against the alien invasion.
I got a 62% completion.
Phoenotopia looks amazing, I couldn't help myself but take dozens of screenshots while I was playing. Last time I did that was when I played Gris.
The gameplay is simply fantastic, there are tons of smart interactions in the game design, the puzzles really test your spatial perception: whether it's activating a switch by angling your slingshot the right way, using projectiles to knock moonstones off their platform, piling up boxes and bombs to gain barely enough height to reach a platform, or completing parkour sections full of arrow traps with well synchronized jumps.
The puzzles where you need to play the correct song with your flute gave me Zelda Ocarina of Time vibes. I liked how musical notes were often hidden in the background, and I had to spot them to know what I would need to play with the bandit's flute.
The GEO dungeons especially had really different kinds of puzzles. One time you'll have to solve a jigsaw puzzle, the next time it'll be a sliding picture puzzle, then it will involve switching lights in the correct order. There's even a puzzle similar to sudoku.
The game always managed to hold my attention with all its brainteasers.
Cooking mechanic is based on reaction time, it's simple and engaging. I noticed there was a frying pan on display in the Antique Shop near Daea city, but I never managed to obtain it during my playthrough. I suppose it would have modified the cooking minigame in a certain way?
Btw, I like how we immediatly drop cooked meat when we kill a mob/animal with an explosion (bomb or spear). Pretty cool that they thought about that!
The Gear Ring allows you to quickly switch up between 8 different items, it's always a good thing to have a weapon wheel in any game I play. It's very ergonomic and it saved me a lot of time from navigating through the menus.
And I'm thankful that we can use all our weapons as much as we want, without having to worry about ammo.
It's very satisfying when you struggle while exploring an area for the 1st time, having to use your gear in a clever way, dealing with all the enemies and barely surviving. And then when you revisit the same area later in the game with a new ability, you can make it through in a much simpler way. The abilities that you get for traversal exploration are really game-changing. I was so excited to backtrack everytime I got a new one.
Phoenotopia Awakening is very charming, and has a lot of light-hearted moments. I never got tired of listening to "Merry Fellowship" everytime Gail came back to her hometown after a mission, checking in with her brothers & sisters to see if they're okay. The game even manages to be funny sometimes. For example, when Gail and Fran use the teleporter for the 1st time, and Gail thinks Fran died during the teleportation as she watches the pile of dust on the ground, only for Fran to reappear out of nowhere with a big smile on her face.
The game also managed to do the exact opposite on several occasions. I was very anxious during that moment in EDEN's Lab, when you're quietly exploring the rooms and reading notes about those harpys in their stasis chamber. As you progress, you suddently hear glass breaking, and when you turn around, you notice all the harpys broke out.
Those moments, whether tense or joyful, are always accompanied by excellent music. My personal favorites are "Merry/Mellow Fellowship", "Boss battle", "The White Towers", "Katash's theme", "Wheat Road" and "Caves of Mul".
You can't put markers on a map to remember points of interest. So I had to write down informations on a notepad regularly to not get lost and not forget things like treasure chests, entrances to dungeons, or song stones. There are tons of stuff to do and optional content, so having a quest log and a map available at all times would have been useful, but it was definitely manageable without it.
I loved the last part of the game that consists of 3 Boss fights back-to-back. The first one against Mother Computer was the most challenging fight in the entire game. Then you have this amazing showdown with your own shadows, and finally the duel vs Katash.
I have to say this last battle felt a bit anticlimactic. I had encountered Adam earlier in the lab, and I thought I would have to fight this thing, but instead it was a second duel with Katash.
I'm pretty sure (and I hope) that I will have to fight Adam when I'll come back to this game to get the true ending, and I can't wait for it.
I unlocked the first ending after 60 hours with a completion of 62%. I played enough and I don't want to push myself, so I won't go for 100%. However, I will surely come back to this game in a few months to do some more things. Notably exploring Aurantia, beating Katash' 2nd encounter, and accessing the locked room at the top of Pristine City to fight Phalanx.
I don't know how they did it, but the game was never boring, never frustrating, never too hard, never too easy, never repetitive, never bad. There was the right amount of everything: fights, exploration, puzzles and platforming.
Really, as I said earlier, the only thing that people could have a problem with is that it can be difficult to keep track of everything. But it's really not that big of a deal if you pay attention, and of course if you write things down on a notepad or a piece of paper.
This is why I give this game a perfect score. This is one of the best games I've played this year! I'm still a bit salty that this game is so unknown...
----------Playtime & Completion----------
[Started on September 25th & finished on October 8th 2023]
Playtime: 60 hours
I stopped after getting the first ending, when Gail manages to free all the Phoenix so they can help Humans defend themselves against the alien invasion.
I got a 62% completion.
This game deserves so much more love. A fantastic love letter to Zelda and Metroidvanias while having an identity of its own. Everything about it clicks with me so well that it feels almost as if it was designed to cater to my own interests.
This game is SOOOO good. It doesn't get near the recognition it deserves.
Played the flash version when I was a kid, really enjoyed the artstyle and how much content there was for a browser game. Bought the remake and oh my god this is epic. The background art is stunning (I wish they had some dynamic backgrounds but other than that the art slaps), they fixed most of the iffy bossfights, and the story (although still having a mediocre ending) is a lot better. Can't wait to play the sequel in 30 years
The only thing in Phoenotopia that isn’t at least great is the combat, which starts off as frustrating but improves to satisfying but overall okay. It’s a shame the ending is rushed as hell and only serves to set up a sequel that’s like a decade away, if it even comes out at all. It still works as a charming standalone adventure with an absolutely flabbergasting amount of things to do. I’m dead serious it took me over 40 hours to first beat this game and that was with 65% completion.
Everything everyone says about the combat is true.
Its a beautiful game, very charming, and the world is engaging and fun to explore.
But the combat, jesus lord. It truly does break the game. Even when it isnt difficult, it is a pain in the ass. The weapons are horrible, the physics are bad and unintuitive, just awful all around. Would have been a much better game with either turn based combat or nothing at all
Its a beautiful game, very charming, and the world is engaging and fun to explore.
But the combat, jesus lord. It truly does break the game. Even when it isnt difficult, it is a pain in the ass. The weapons are horrible, the physics are bad and unintuitive, just awful all around. Would have been a much better game with either turn based combat or nothing at all
Feel horrible for this bc I was so excited to get this day one and... it just wasn't fun. It was so close, I enjoyed the presentation and exploration but the combat felt stiff and way overly brutal. I made it to the third boss and had to call it quits. They patched in ways to make it easier later but the things they added felt more like cheaty band-aids rather than a potential "easy" mode.
Really fun and chill game, its easy to get lost in the world of this game.. Its hard for me to enjoy playing games nowadays and I don't usually play a game for more than 2 hours at a time due to boredom but this game was able to break that curse, its just pure fun and a really well made game
I FREAKING LOVE THIS GAME!!!
Truly a hidden gem, this game feels like a love letter to old school nintendo classics. The gameplay is a bit of a mix of dungeon crawling and exploring the overworld talking to npcs. Finding little hidden secrets is satisfying, npc dialogue is charming and legitimately funny. The difficulty is one point of contention, this game is really hard. Expect to die many times if your ego is too inflated to tone down the difficulty. Would also do well to keep some paper on hand as there is no journal tracking sidequests and a lot of puzzles are very difficult to work out mentally. If you have fondness or nostalgia for retro adventure games like Zeldas at all, you simply need to play this game.
finding sequence breaks for collectibles makes me feel so goated
ending could've been better
ending could've been better
Fun game with an enjoyable story, characters, and art. Exploration was fun but I found combat to be a mixed bag. I hit some odd difficulty spikes and the settings to turn the challenge higher or lower are not significant enough. The game would be benefit from better difficulty options because I don’t think the game is worth grinding out a boss for 1-2 hours.
Came onto my radar after my Zelda 2 video after people said it was that game done right, but imo it's very basic and only expanded the areas I didn't really enjoy about Zelda 2 (mainly, the towns. Huge areas with dozens of people to talk to). Fine, but I stopped after an hour.
Pretty good! The world is charming and feels lived in, and the general vibe of the game is fun. As others have said, combat is definitely annoying, but I had a much better time after turning on all the "make the game a bit easier" options. I was happy to focus more on the exploration/environment/story and have combat take a back seat since the options were there, but that may not be the case for everyone.
Overall, I liked the game!
Overall, I liked the game!
This review contains spoilers
Game feels really nice, dialogue feels nice, witty and is a plesure to read. Went out of my way to talk to all the npcs because of this and i feel like i never do that. The hardest combat difficulty made the bosses a challenge, but the stamina system could be frustrating to some. There are ways around it with items but im not sure how others would approach or appreciate that. The easier combat difficulties remove the stamina aspect and it seems like that may trivialize many encounters. There is also a fairly long fetch quest that i did not personally have the patience for and looked up. But in my opinion these are minor issues. The puzzles soundtrack and visual design are astonishingly good for a game this far under the rador in my opinion. Must play for metroidvania and zelda fans.
tried to do a platforming section with annoying bees and fell and then the annoying bees respawned without me leaving the screen so I just alt-f4'd. shame cause the music was good
Very clunky but charming story
i so desperately wanted to finish this to give it a good review because i love the world and lore and pixel graphics, but the combat fought me every step of the way. eventually i reached a point where it wasn't fun anymore and had to accept i'm not going to finish it. it's truly unfortunate i just couldn't get through the endgame areas even with the accessibility tweaks on.
if you're the type of person who likes a challenge platformer, i highly recommend it. it's a love letter to old-school zelda-types and it was a fun 36 hours with a unique, beautiful world and adorable characters. the best word i can give the vibe is "magical." so much love has gone into this world and it's amazing to consider how many of the puzzles and hidden areas will never be seen by most players since they're entirely optional. these developers clearly love this world and i'm sad a sequel won't be happening so they could work on making the combat more accessible.
if you're the type of person who likes a challenge platformer, i highly recommend it. it's a love letter to old-school zelda-types and it was a fun 36 hours with a unique, beautiful world and adorable characters. the best word i can give the vibe is "magical." so much love has gone into this world and it's amazing to consider how many of the puzzles and hidden areas will never be seen by most players since they're entirely optional. these developers clearly love this world and i'm sad a sequel won't be happening so they could work on making the combat more accessible.
Unfortunately this was a huge disappointment for me. Positive 1st though...
The soundtrack is amazing. The graphics go for a more simplistic pixel art style with no hard outlines and softer colors, and I think it looks unique and cozy. The world design is excellent. All the little details in each and every room feel meticulously thought out. The cast of characters are alright, but the protagonist specifically is adorable and endearing. Exploration is done pretty well, and there are a lot of great puzzles. The variety in tone is also huge plus.
That seems like a lot of positives so, what could possibly drag this game down?
The combat is AWFUL. There are so many bullshit systems at play that don't work well together at all. Nothing feels right. There's little impact from your attacks, but the moment your enemy attacks, you go literally flying and bouncing around the area like a fucking pinball. Why does my attack degrade over time? Why does it take up stamina? Why do I have to eat in real time when there's no real time to eat?? The bosses are genuinely the worst I have ever fought in a video game. Katash specifically is the definition of a shitshow. The story and its pacing are easily what pisses me off the most. It's objectively unfinished, has terrible setup, and has zero payoff. It makes YiiK and Metroid Other M look like works of Shakespeare, and it's something you can't just fix in an update.
The soundtrack is amazing. The graphics go for a more simplistic pixel art style with no hard outlines and softer colors, and I think it looks unique and cozy. The world design is excellent. All the little details in each and every room feel meticulously thought out. The cast of characters are alright, but the protagonist specifically is adorable and endearing. Exploration is done pretty well, and there are a lot of great puzzles. The variety in tone is also huge plus.
That seems like a lot of positives so, what could possibly drag this game down?
The combat is AWFUL. There are so many bullshit systems at play that don't work well together at all. Nothing feels right. There's little impact from your attacks, but the moment your enemy attacks, you go literally flying and bouncing around the area like a fucking pinball. Why does my attack degrade over time? Why does it take up stamina? Why do I have to eat in real time when there's no real time to eat?? The bosses are genuinely the worst I have ever fought in a video game. Katash specifically is the definition of a shitshow. The story and its pacing are easily what pisses me off the most. It's objectively unfinished, has terrible setup, and has zero payoff. It makes YiiK and Metroid Other M look like works of Shakespeare, and it's something you can't just fix in an update.
caught me off guard with how fun it is to explore, but the combat just sucks
Good game that I don't plan to play any further. It's cute, plays well for what it is, graphics and presentation are solid and it does what it sets out to do, and I'm just not really vibing with what that is. It's oldschool and something as fun as a Zelda II homage in that you have sidescrolling levels with an overworld, as well as movement that feels oldschool blocky and these tiny little melee weapons or cumbersome ranged weapons, all of which just make me feel like maybe Zelda II nostalgia isn't necessary after all. I'm kidding and the game is actually good, just not one I want to play any more after a few hours, because even though I spent many hours with this game's inspirations, I'm not sure I want to be back playing them. If you're some kind of pervert that thinks II is the best Zelda, you should definitely check this out.
this is the third time i've tried to get into phoenotopia - i got really frustrated by some of the difficulty, e.g. no i-frames after taking damage, consuming food (i.e. potions) in real-time, and rapidly depleting stamina when attacking. but i was in the mood for this type of game (i.e. a light-hearted, low stakes zelda-like), so i figured i'd give it another go.
this time, i turned down every difficulty setting as low as it will go, and i will say it definitely improved my experience. i was hoping this would let the exploration and puzzle solving take more of a leading role in the game, which i suppose it did - however, it just wasn't that exceptional in my opinion (this assessment is after ~8hrs of gameplay. i had just turned in the bounty for Birdy). everything is "fine", from the story to the music to the secrets. but when i considered that HLTB lists this game as 35hrs for the main story alone, i decided that i didn't want another ~30h of "fine".
this time, i turned down every difficulty setting as low as it will go, and i will say it definitely improved my experience. i was hoping this would let the exploration and puzzle solving take more of a leading role in the game, which i suppose it did - however, it just wasn't that exceptional in my opinion (this assessment is after ~8hrs of gameplay. i had just turned in the bounty for Birdy). everything is "fine", from the story to the music to the secrets. but when i considered that HLTB lists this game as 35hrs for the main story alone, i decided that i didn't want another ~30h of "fine".
This game absolutely rules. It's such a cute, charming experience the whole way through with some twists and turns here and there. The story is a bit lacking, and isn't overall satisfying, but it's hard to care when I'm enjoying myself so much. It kinda feels like Zelda 2... but if it was really well-done. So, if you like Zelda 2, definitely pick it up. If you wanted to like Zelda 2 but it didn't quite click with you, maybe give this a try? It may be more what you're looking for.
For the uninitiated, Phoenotopia Awakening (pronounced "fee-no-toe-pia", like phoenix and utopia) is a reimagining of a 2014 flash game simply called Phoenotopia. It takes elements of that game, expands upon it, and then adds a whole buncha new stuff on top of that. The game is comprised of three major points, combat, puzzles, and exploration, much like a Zelda or Metroid game. Zeltroid?
The combat, while a bit clunky at first, is loads of fun. Dodging in an out of enemy attacks and finding just the right moment to strike. A whole arsenal of weapons and items at your disposal, it's just a solid, satisfactory package I can't recommend enough. The game runs on a stamina meter you need to manage, especially during combat. Everything is tied to stamina, running, rolling, attacking. Jumping is the only thing exempt from this. Combining your knowledge of stamina management and combat prowess makes for a very thrilling and challenging experience. If you're not into difficult games, there are some accessibility options you can toggle on or off. I personally played without the bat taking any stamina, and I think that made me enjoy it more than I would have otherwise.
The puzzles are pretty well-made and thought provoking. They kinda remind me of Fez in a way, where some are pretty cryptic but feel great when you finally figure it out. Phoenotopia takes cues from Zelda and adds a flute into the game, but takes it so much further than any Zelda ever did. It's not just "play X song here" and you solve the puzzle, no no no no no, there are environmental cues everywhere. Symbols on the wall, a series of different colored flowers, or even something akin to that Pipe Maze mini game from Mario Party. You really gotta keep your eyes peeled and ascend to a higher level of thinking to solve some of the trickier puzzles.
Exploring in this game is an absolute joy. There's tons of secrets both on the world map as well as in towns, caves, and just about everything else. Generally when you come across a secret, you'll be rewarded with a Heart Ruby, which increases your HP, an Energy Gem, which increases your stamina, or a Moonstone, which have various uses tied to them. Upon beating the game I went back and got all the collectibles because I didn't want it to be over... I don't think I can recommend getting all the Moonstones, there's too many and I eventually had to resort to scouring the internet for answers since there isn't a guide. (I'm in the midst of fixing that.) There were a couple Heart Rubies and Energy Gems that were also pretty annoying to get, but I personally still think it's worth it for... a secret thing you can do at the very end of the game.
Collecting every Heart Ruby, Energy Gem, Moonstone, and the doing the secret awesome bonus thing is required if you want to 100% the game. There's also some achievements you can do. You will not get them all on your first playthrough. It requires things like beating the game without any health or stamina upgrades, or getting to the final save point in a certain amount of time. Unfortunately, if you didn't fill those requirements beforehand, you're locked out of them permanently... so you'll need to start up a new save. It's a bit annoying, but thankfully there's no tangible reward for that, aside from some concept art.
Also the music is an ABSOLUTE jam. Thomas' Lab is all bouncy and fun, Katash's Theme gets me pumped, and then you have the serene melody of Sanctuary that envelops you in a warm, gentle hug.
And... I think that wraps up my review. So, if I convinced you... please play this game. I really wish more people knew about Phoenotopia because it is a marvelous experience. It deserves to sit up there with the titans of the indie world, along with the likes of Hollow Knight, Hades, and Celeste.
For the uninitiated, Phoenotopia Awakening (pronounced "fee-no-toe-pia", like phoenix and utopia) is a reimagining of a 2014 flash game simply called Phoenotopia. It takes elements of that game, expands upon it, and then adds a whole buncha new stuff on top of that. The game is comprised of three major points, combat, puzzles, and exploration, much like a Zelda or Metroid game. Zeltroid?
The combat, while a bit clunky at first, is loads of fun. Dodging in an out of enemy attacks and finding just the right moment to strike. A whole arsenal of weapons and items at your disposal, it's just a solid, satisfactory package I can't recommend enough. The game runs on a stamina meter you need to manage, especially during combat. Everything is tied to stamina, running, rolling, attacking. Jumping is the only thing exempt from this. Combining your knowledge of stamina management and combat prowess makes for a very thrilling and challenging experience. If you're not into difficult games, there are some accessibility options you can toggle on or off. I personally played without the bat taking any stamina, and I think that made me enjoy it more than I would have otherwise.
The puzzles are pretty well-made and thought provoking. They kinda remind me of Fez in a way, where some are pretty cryptic but feel great when you finally figure it out. Phoenotopia takes cues from Zelda and adds a flute into the game, but takes it so much further than any Zelda ever did. It's not just "play X song here" and you solve the puzzle, no no no no no, there are environmental cues everywhere. Symbols on the wall, a series of different colored flowers, or even something akin to that Pipe Maze mini game from Mario Party. You really gotta keep your eyes peeled and ascend to a higher level of thinking to solve some of the trickier puzzles.
Exploring in this game is an absolute joy. There's tons of secrets both on the world map as well as in towns, caves, and just about everything else. Generally when you come across a secret, you'll be rewarded with a Heart Ruby, which increases your HP, an Energy Gem, which increases your stamina, or a Moonstone, which have various uses tied to them. Upon beating the game I went back and got all the collectibles because I didn't want it to be over... I don't think I can recommend getting all the Moonstones, there's too many and I eventually had to resort to scouring the internet for answers since there isn't a guide. (I'm in the midst of fixing that.) There were a couple Heart Rubies and Energy Gems that were also pretty annoying to get, but I personally still think it's worth it for... a secret thing you can do at the very end of the game.
Collecting every Heart Ruby, Energy Gem, Moonstone, and the doing the secret awesome bonus thing is required if you want to 100% the game. There's also some achievements you can do. You will not get them all on your first playthrough. It requires things like beating the game without any health or stamina upgrades, or getting to the final save point in a certain amount of time. Unfortunately, if you didn't fill those requirements beforehand, you're locked out of them permanently... so you'll need to start up a new save. It's a bit annoying, but thankfully there's no tangible reward for that, aside from some concept art.
Also the music is an ABSOLUTE jam. Thomas' Lab is all bouncy and fun, Katash's Theme gets me pumped, and then you have the serene melody of Sanctuary that envelops you in a warm, gentle hug.
And... I think that wraps up my review. So, if I convinced you... please play this game. I really wish more people knew about Phoenotopia because it is a marvelous experience. It deserves to sit up there with the titans of the indie world, along with the likes of Hollow Knight, Hades, and Celeste.