I really love the level design here. It's been a long time since a game made me feel like Super Metroid. You're able to get so much out of order, and the developer really leans into this by letting you get to places you shouldn't with proper wall kicks. I got items from places that are set up to abuse another item I got later on, and I even entered a locked door backwards. The combat could use a bit of work, but I was too entranced with exploring.
I hope they go on to make this a full game, but this free version is well worth playing.
I hope they go on to make this a full game, but this free version is well worth playing.
A really fun modern metroidvania. Somewhat short due to being the jam version, but the movement is top notch in terms of fluidness. It emulates a great atmosphere in it's world with the graphics in conjuction with the music akin to games like King's field.
[fun fact some of the enemies like the eyed-gears and winged eggs are actually heavily similar to Shadow Tower monsters]
[fun fact some of the enemies like the eyed-gears and winged eggs are actually heavily similar to Shadow Tower monsters]
It's worth noting that I am reviewing the full release, not the demo, of Pseudoregalia that launched in late July, 2023.
Games like this don't get made. If this game was merely a straight through 3D platformer it would already be one of the best out there, but it doesn't stop there.
3D metroidvanias barely exist, 3D metroidvanias where there is genuine flexibility in progression are even rarer ( let alone 2D ones ). Rarer then that yet is a game with such fantastic gamefeel, flow, and style with which those things are presented.
Stringing together the moveset in this game became such a simple joy. I reached a pure state of flow and expression, flying through these environments and finding new ways to shmoove, break progression, and get the genuine satisfaction of truly earning items and secrets through my own skill, and not a developers ill conceived and contrived attempts to artificially make me feel special.
The combat, while perhaps it's weakest link, benefits just enough from the games fundamentally fantastic gamefeel to get a pass. It ultimately still feels satisfying, providing a smidge of flexibility when dealing with encounters, while not overstaying it's welcome.
Top that off with some economic but attractive visuals and a great soundtrack that evokes all the right feelings from the era it draws inspiration from and there's very little left to complain about. If anything could be considered a shortcoming it's the simple nature of the games world and story, but that could also be considered an advantage in some regards for how little it gets in the way or distracts from the game's strengths.
In the end I can't really recommend it enough.
Games like this don't get made. If this game was merely a straight through 3D platformer it would already be one of the best out there, but it doesn't stop there.
3D metroidvanias barely exist, 3D metroidvanias where there is genuine flexibility in progression are even rarer ( let alone 2D ones ). Rarer then that yet is a game with such fantastic gamefeel, flow, and style with which those things are presented.
Stringing together the moveset in this game became such a simple joy. I reached a pure state of flow and expression, flying through these environments and finding new ways to shmoove, break progression, and get the genuine satisfaction of truly earning items and secrets through my own skill, and not a developers ill conceived and contrived attempts to artificially make me feel special.
The combat, while perhaps it's weakest link, benefits just enough from the games fundamentally fantastic gamefeel to get a pass. It ultimately still feels satisfying, providing a smidge of flexibility when dealing with encounters, while not overstaying it's welcome.
Top that off with some economic but attractive visuals and a great soundtrack that evokes all the right feelings from the era it draws inspiration from and there's very little left to complain about. If anything could be considered a shortcoming it's the simple nature of the games world and story, but that could also be considered an advantage in some regards for how little it gets in the way or distracts from the game's strengths.
In the end I can't really recommend it enough.
if mario odyssey was a metroidvania it would be good and also this. maybe a 6 bucks game in terms of polish but it's fun at its core. sybil is kind of a baddy 👉👈 also idk why you have the option to just throw away your weapon and lose it for the rest of the game
This review contains spoilers
The movement feels incredible. It's so much fun moving around the game world. The music is great & the N64 style presentation is spot on. Both of these elements mix together really well to create a unique yet familiar atmosphere that I can't get enough of.
Unfortunately the combat & final boss felt extremely out of place & I think the game would have benefited if they weren't in the game at all. When I dropped into that final boss arena instead of a final platforming gauntlet my heart sank & it left a sour taste in my mouth. I also think a (very simple) map would have made navigating the world a bit more bearable as I found it a bit too confusing at times.
Still absolutely worth playing, especially if you like the retro aesthetic & 3D platformers.
Unfortunately the combat & final boss felt extremely out of place & I think the game would have benefited if they weren't in the game at all. When I dropped into that final boss arena instead of a final platforming gauntlet my heart sank & it left a sour taste in my mouth. I also think a (very simple) map would have made navigating the world a bit more bearable as I found it a bit too confusing at times.
Still absolutely worth playing, especially if you like the retro aesthetic & 3D platformers.
Combat is turbo ass, it's a little buggy, and the game needs a map. Other than that the movement is flames and I loved navigating the areas (when I knew where to go). This expanded into something fully fledged would be amazing.
Yeah this game has the sauce. It has a really expansive metroidvania map to get lost in and a lot of movement abilities that you unlock that substantially re-contextualize the gameplay. The movement is easily the best part. I feel like this takes inspiration from games like sly and jak but the momentum based stuff turns it up to 11.
This game is begging to not have a sequence, I had a lot of fun experimenting with ways I can skip a room with my understanding of the movement. Early on if you do a backflip off of the peak speed of your slide you can already access a lot of the game. I really enjoyed the map. Something unique here is that a lot like Metroid 1 there is no map screen or waypoints to look at, so it recreates that similar feeling. I do really enjoy it, though I did often get confused as there are some similar looking level design here and there.
I was surprised how combat centric this game is. There are two main bosses and enemies you sometimes have to fight to progress. While I do really enjoy it, it has some issues. I think the lock on is really bad. The one section you need to use it was really disorienting and I often couldnt see my own character. And the three hit combo itself is a little odd to use because it takes a while not pressing the button for it to reset and the ender has lag. So sometimes id end up using the combo ender at the start of my combo which didnt feel that great. The storytelling is also very light and I didnt really understand what was going on in the ending. But yeah no a lot of my gripes with it are nitpicks and I had a great time. If you really like those movement games like me its a must play. Im looking forward to going back to it.
This game is begging to not have a sequence, I had a lot of fun experimenting with ways I can skip a room with my understanding of the movement. Early on if you do a backflip off of the peak speed of your slide you can already access a lot of the game. I really enjoyed the map. Something unique here is that a lot like Metroid 1 there is no map screen or waypoints to look at, so it recreates that similar feeling. I do really enjoy it, though I did often get confused as there are some similar looking level design here and there.
I was surprised how combat centric this game is. There are two main bosses and enemies you sometimes have to fight to progress. While I do really enjoy it, it has some issues. I think the lock on is really bad. The one section you need to use it was really disorienting and I often couldnt see my own character. And the three hit combo itself is a little odd to use because it takes a while not pressing the button for it to reset and the ender has lag. So sometimes id end up using the combo ender at the start of my combo which didnt feel that great. The storytelling is also very light and I didnt really understand what was going on in the ending. But yeah no a lot of my gripes with it are nitpicks and I had a great time. If you really like those movement games like me its a must play. Im looking forward to going back to it.
Wow what a good game, I'm actually compelled to write a longer review.
--the good--
-Sybil has got cake
-Platforming and movement in general is so smooth and good, it was a blast just backtracking. The many movement options also opened up the game to a lot of sequence breaking and some of my playtime can be attributed to this, because even tho I knew I was going the wrong way I just wanted to prove to myself that that obstacle can be beaten with less upgrades.
-Combat is the same, just so smooth and good, sadly there are only 2 bosses but I guess that isn't the main focus of the game.
-The style is super good, it perfectly encapsulates the retro game feel, while adding a lot to it.
-The music is just phenomenal.
-And these makes the atmosphere amazing too, I just can't really explain it.
-Cheap, like what the fuck how can this game be this cheap.
--the bad--
-Most of my playtime can also be attributed to randomly running in circles, exploration is really bad. Same looking rooms over and over and no clear indication on where you are meant to be going.
-BUT the developer has said that in the next update he will add a map, that will be a good bandage.
-For me achievements are essential to a good game, but there are no.(They will be added in the next update probably too! :D)
-Short.(I guess for the price it is expected, this really isn't a negative tho, with the movement it has some replay value to it too.)
-Sybil rejected my request to sit on my face :(
Overall a very very VERY good game, and for the price it's very worth it! I'd rate it a 4/5, and when the issues I talked about get fixed I would bump it up to 4.5/5.
please for the love of god please Sybil sit on my faaceeeee :(
--the good--
-Sybil has got cake
-Platforming and movement in general is so smooth and good, it was a blast just backtracking. The many movement options also opened up the game to a lot of sequence breaking and some of my playtime can be attributed to this, because even tho I knew I was going the wrong way I just wanted to prove to myself that that obstacle can be beaten with less upgrades.
-Combat is the same, just so smooth and good, sadly there are only 2 bosses but I guess that isn't the main focus of the game.
-The style is super good, it perfectly encapsulates the retro game feel, while adding a lot to it.
-The music is just phenomenal.
-And these makes the atmosphere amazing too, I just can't really explain it.
-Cheap, like what the fuck how can this game be this cheap.
--the bad--
-Most of my playtime can also be attributed to randomly running in circles, exploration is really bad. Same looking rooms over and over and no clear indication on where you are meant to be going.
-BUT the developer has said that in the next update he will add a map, that will be a good bandage.
-For me achievements are essential to a good game, but there are no.(They will be added in the next update probably too! :D)
-Short.(I guess for the price it is expected, this really isn't a negative tho, with the movement it has some replay value to it too.)
-Sybil rejected my request to sit on my face :(
Overall a very very VERY good game, and for the price it's very worth it! I'd rate it a 4/5, and when the issues I talked about get fixed I would bump it up to 4.5/5.
please for the love of god please Sybil sit on my faaceeeee :(
Would've been a 5 if it weren't for the lack of a map and the pretty lame ending.
Slide Jump, Air Kick, Ground Slam, High Jump, Air Kick, Wall Jump, Wall Jump, Ledge Grab.
In all seriousness, this game is pretty cool and interesting. It's indie charm comes through a lot in it's confusing level design, and it's chunky physics, but none of it really enough to pull me away from how interesting I find this game. The strange surreal castle environment, the music, the shmoovement.
I found myself extremely lost very early into this game, almost as soon as you leave the starter area it becomes a confusing maze of interconnected rooms with no real defining features. But after an hour and one restart due to moving from my steam deck to pc, I got a grip on the basic layout of the main hub area and I was on my way. It's a bit chunky at first, the air kick/wall jump is both intuitive and not at the same time. It's simple really, you jump at a wall and then bounce back at an angle relative, but in these early stages I was constantly relying on it to get more height,. However, attacking walls head on isn't the answer, you really have to come at them at an angle. But also being at ledge grab height and bouncing back because you closed the distance with a kick that connected doesn't feel great. All that being said, once you get the core three powers, this game feels very good to move around in. I honestly can't wait to see how a speed run of this game looks. I clocked in at around 4 hours playtime but I feel like if I took a good run at it now I could do it in an hour and a half, maybe less if I actually plotted my route.
I hope the rough edges don't put anyone off trying, or finishing this game. It's got a breezy run time and an extremely affordable price point (honestly the dev should probably be charging more for this.)
In all seriousness, this game is pretty cool and interesting. It's indie charm comes through a lot in it's confusing level design, and it's chunky physics, but none of it really enough to pull me away from how interesting I find this game. The strange surreal castle environment, the music, the shmoovement.
I found myself extremely lost very early into this game, almost as soon as you leave the starter area it becomes a confusing maze of interconnected rooms with no real defining features. But after an hour and one restart due to moving from my steam deck to pc, I got a grip on the basic layout of the main hub area and I was on my way. It's a bit chunky at first, the air kick/wall jump is both intuitive and not at the same time. It's simple really, you jump at a wall and then bounce back at an angle relative, but in these early stages I was constantly relying on it to get more height,. However, attacking walls head on isn't the answer, you really have to come at them at an angle. But also being at ledge grab height and bouncing back because you closed the distance with a kick that connected doesn't feel great. All that being said, once you get the core three powers, this game feels very good to move around in. I honestly can't wait to see how a speed run of this game looks. I clocked in at around 4 hours playtime but I feel like if I took a good run at it now I could do it in an hour and a half, maybe less if I actually plotted my route.
I hope the rough edges don't put anyone off trying, or finishing this game. It's got a breezy run time and an extremely affordable price point (honestly the dev should probably be charging more for this.)
Just a neat little metroidvania focused on the use and abuse of certain movement techniques you'll earn as the game progresses. Doing long jumps into super side hops into wall runs and wall kicks flows and feels good and when mastered can lead to naturally finding alternative means of solving platforming bits. Besides that, the PS1 low-poly aesthetic has yet to be beaten to death so it's neat here and the combat doesn't really have any reason to exist outside of the movement enhancing ground pound and a C tier end boss. Overall, good use of eight dollars and eighty cents (Canadian currency).
GOAT schmovement and GOAT ass what more can you ask for
Very expressive game, someone made it for themselves and it shows. I hate the walljump and the music doesn't work for me.
Pseudoregalia is one of the best executed 3D metroidvanias I've seen. It's a game almost entirely focused on movement, and it really nails that. Your abilities are fun and interesting, and many of them aren't the generic upgrades you'd expect from many games in the genre. You can find them very out of order and it feels like the game almost encourages sequence breaking with the amount of opportunities it gives for that. The combat for the most part is just there, it's not great but it's not in the way to the point of being annoying either, with the exception being the final boss fight which I found surprisingly fun. The vibes of this are great, you're exploring a huge castle with very N64-inspired visuals, and it gets those right in a way that feels very authentic and nostalgic as someone who grew up with that system. The music is also really good and adds a lot to the tone of the game.
My biggest complaint that while the castle has a variety of areas, navigating between them can be a little confusing. The game doesn't have any sort of map, and I mostly respect that decision. I feel like if it had one I probably would have been over-reliant on checking it constantly, and the challenge of mapping everything out in my head in a complex 3D space was pretty fun. That's a pretty fine line to walk though of balancing that complexity without frustrating the player, and where it failed at that was near the end of the game when I had to backtrack to specific areas. Within a single area I was usually fine with navigating off of memory, and didn't get stuck often at all, but in the later parts of the game I would know a specific location I needed to get to, and remembering where the zone transitions were and figuring out how the areas all connected together was more frustrating than fun.
Overall it's a very neat game that's good at what it does, and it's very short and underpriced for what it is, so it's an easy recommendation. I could see myself replaying it just to see how doing things in a different order went, or trying to speedrun it as it seems like a really good game for that.
My biggest complaint that while the castle has a variety of areas, navigating between them can be a little confusing. The game doesn't have any sort of map, and I mostly respect that decision. I feel like if it had one I probably would have been over-reliant on checking it constantly, and the challenge of mapping everything out in my head in a complex 3D space was pretty fun. That's a pretty fine line to walk though of balancing that complexity without frustrating the player, and where it failed at that was near the end of the game when I had to backtrack to specific areas. Within a single area I was usually fine with navigating off of memory, and didn't get stuck often at all, but in the later parts of the game I would know a specific location I needed to get to, and remembering where the zone transitions were and figuring out how the areas all connected together was more frustrating than fun.
Overall it's a very neat game that's good at what it does, and it's very short and underpriced for what it is, so it's an easy recommendation. I could see myself replaying it just to see how doing things in a different order went, or trying to speedrun it as it seems like a really good game for that.
Am I... a furry now?
This game leaves much to be desired in terms of story, but the platforming is flames. The retro style of the graphics and music made me feel like I was in the early 2000's again.
However... there were a few things about this game that I really disliked. Lacking a map was a big L, and the entire Underbelly sequence was so frustrating to me that it knocked the game down an entire star. I'm not sure if it was my computer or what, but it was so damn dark I couldn't see anything and it was just unfun. Even getting the light weapon upgrade didn't help.
This game leaves much to be desired in terms of story, but the platforming is flames. The retro style of the graphics and music made me feel like I was in the early 2000's again.
However... there were a few things about this game that I really disliked. Lacking a map was a big L, and the entire Underbelly sequence was so frustrating to me that it knocked the game down an entire star. I'm not sure if it was my computer or what, but it was so damn dark I couldn't see anything and it was just unfun. Even getting the light weapon upgrade didn't help.
I’m a movement whore and my god this game is Grindr
This game is extremely fun, it's pretty much exactly what I've been wanting out of a 3D platformer for a while now, though for a metroidvania the combat is pretty heavily de-emphasized and as a result the stuff like health and damage upgrades feel a little useless.
Short and sweet, super cute metroidvania with extremely fluid and fun movement. no issues here, just a ton of fun.
A great time.
Incredibly fun movement which gets deeper as you progress, some very fun platforming, and just a pleasant wee thing overall.
The combat kind of blows, but you very rarely have to engage with it, and there's no map, but usually this isn't a problem.
The ending just sort of... ended, but I wasn't here for the plot anyhoo.
Incredibly fun movement which gets deeper as you progress, some very fun platforming, and just a pleasant wee thing overall.
The combat kind of blows, but you very rarely have to engage with it, and there's no map, but usually this isn't a problem.
The ending just sort of... ended, but I wasn't here for the plot anyhoo.
One of, if not the, best movement I've ever seen in a 3D platformer. Game has slight issues with combat and doesn't have much of a story, but the gameplay is just that good that carries the entire experience. A masterclass in OG game design. You don't need a lot of buttons or a lot of mechanics, you just need a system with high enough skill ceiling and a great level design to put it to test.
I always think I'm over platformers until the right one comes along, and oh boy is that an understatement for Pseudoregalia, which dares to ask, "what if Super Mario 64 was a metroidvania?" and then whispers, "what if it made you feel the way you did about Super Mario 64 in 1996?"
Uncanny atmosphere, barely implied unanswered questions, and the most analog platforming I've ever seen in a shmoovement engine abound across beautiful N64 vistas and platforming challenges that are only as diabolical as you want them to be: It just depends on the extent of your determination and imagination.
Uncanny atmosphere, barely implied unanswered questions, and the most analog platforming I've ever seen in a shmoovement engine abound across beautiful N64 vistas and platforming challenges that are only as diabolical as you want them to be: It just depends on the extent of your determination and imagination.
Loved this. Expressive, free form movement worked so so well. It feels like Mario Odyssey movement in a metroidvania space, and that combination just clicks. Gaining mastery over the controls and the expanding moveset is super satisfying. Level design is phenomenal as well. A manageably sized space meant that even without a map, I never felt too overwhelmed. Areas were distinct and interesting, which really helped when backtracking later on. Never felt stuck for too long, and there was always another interesting platforming challenge around the corner.
Combat didn't really work for me, attacks felt too light and weak to be satisfying. Disliked the final boss (disliked that there was a final boss, would have loved the final encounter to be a chase or a Metroid-style escape sequence) and the story is nonexistent, but that's really not what you're here for. Looks great, feels phenomenal, does not overstay its welcome. Most fun I've had with a game in 2023 so far.
Combat didn't really work for me, attacks felt too light and weak to be satisfying. Disliked the final boss (disliked that there was a final boss, would have loved the final encounter to be a chase or a Metroid-style escape sequence) and the story is nonexistent, but that's really not what you're here for. Looks great, feels phenomenal, does not overstay its welcome. Most fun I've had with a game in 2023 so far.
had a lot of fun here, the movement is realllyy smooth and the gameplay feels so great
unfortunately the protag is a furry... BUT the game still rocks, trust me!
unfortunately the protag is a furry... BUT the game still rocks, trust me!
only real complaints are the story being scarce and the lack of a map (likely to come in an update, as hinted by the UI).
the platforming bangs real good and it's a steal at 6 dollars
the platforming bangs real good and it's a steal at 6 dollars
A streamer I keep up with had retweeted this small indie game's announcement post, and with how cheap it is and how cute it looked... an impulse purchase may have occurred.
Now something important to note: I do not usually enjoy platformers, in fact before I played this game the only other one I can confidently say I enjoyed was A Hat in Time. On top of that I have never beaten a metroidvania due to my habit of falling into analysis paralysis and also getting lost or confused easily, and to rub salt in that wound, this game doesn't even have any kind of map. With all of this in mind I would think this is a recipe for disaster, maybe just another game for the backlog, but once I actually got into the game, I was pleasantly surprised.
This game is in absolutely no rush to explain anything to you, there are zero cutscenes and the closest thing you get to a tutorial is a pop up every time you gain a new ability or upgrade. At first I felt uneasy, while I do not need my hand held I always appreciate something to act as a guiding light forward, due to the aforementioned attention issues. The closest thing you get to that in this game is a small note in the equipment menu that boils down to "Collect 5 keys and beat the game," and that's all. Combining all of this with the lack of a map I spent my first hour or two bumbling around lost and unsure if I was making progress.
Once I got to a point where the areas I had been exploring started to properly connect I was able to understand the layout of everything. Doorways leading into new areas were decorated in such a way that they were memorable and these entrances all had a bright heavenly glow, as opposed to standard ones that are just dark fog. Eventually I reached a point where it was no longer forcing myself to remember every detail of how to get around and it and it simply became a matter of time til I reached my destination. The games level design is great at grabbing your attention and making everything memorable in such a way that even I do not think the game is in (serious) need of a map.
These levels and areas are boosted a significant amount thanks to the games absolutely incredible movement, it is downright addicting and a highlight of the game, I did not even mind not knowing where to go next because I would just challenge myself with all kinds of jumps and parkour. If you want a form of movement this game has got it, wall kicks, wall runs, ground pound boosted jumps, back flips, slides, slide jumps that enhance your other movement options, and that is not even mentioning environmental things that assist in movement like bubbles that grant you an air dash and hold you in the air. The movement grants so much freedom that you can get away with stuff that I doubt was intentional. This is some of the most fun movement I have experienced in my limited catalogue of games completed.
Something else worth lots of love is the games graphics and sense of style, the game maintains a certain amount of ambience that is alluring but also concerning. The game is deliberately styled to look exactly like a Nintendo 64 game with the low res textures, heavy amount of polygons, and its use of fog to hide structures far in the distance. I have never been a stickler for graphics and would always prefer a game chase its own look rather than everything try to go hyper realistic like triple A games, this games look is incredibly refreshing and works well with the feelings it is trying to invoke. The music is also incredibly catchy while also having this odd sense of mysticality, it is relaxing and invigorating and I find it hard to explain, it would be best to just experience it along your adventure.
The only thing I struggle to praise is the story... Moreso the complete lack of one. The only cutscene you get is one at the end which is just a few textboxes on a pure white background. There are some npcs you can talk to, ones you meet early on speak super ominously but as you go on they mainly are used for gags. There is a chance I might be missing something, I have heard that small blank pieces of paper or hard to find npcs might allude to the games story, but it is still easy to miss out on and not exactly present. Maybe it is just me but this is not an entirely bad thing, this is not a game I would want to be overloaded with cutscenes and text boxes, and the games ambiance is much more enticing without all of that bogging it down.
The game may only be a few hours long, not even half a day, but I still spent so long on it just trying to parkour my way around the games levels and finding secrets or weird areas to look down from.
In the end I am so happy I went through with playing this and let the game grab me, with how cheap it is this is honestly something I would recommend to anyone, with the experience I got from this game 6 bucks is an absolute steal. If this game can make me love something that plays out in such a "vague" way, then this must be an even better challenge for people already well versed in similar genres while being a great entry point for people like me who lack experience with them. I promise that you will not be disappointed.
also goat thighs kek
Now something important to note: I do not usually enjoy platformers, in fact before I played this game the only other one I can confidently say I enjoyed was A Hat in Time. On top of that I have never beaten a metroidvania due to my habit of falling into analysis paralysis and also getting lost or confused easily, and to rub salt in that wound, this game doesn't even have any kind of map. With all of this in mind I would think this is a recipe for disaster, maybe just another game for the backlog, but once I actually got into the game, I was pleasantly surprised.
This game is in absolutely no rush to explain anything to you, there are zero cutscenes and the closest thing you get to a tutorial is a pop up every time you gain a new ability or upgrade. At first I felt uneasy, while I do not need my hand held I always appreciate something to act as a guiding light forward, due to the aforementioned attention issues. The closest thing you get to that in this game is a small note in the equipment menu that boils down to "Collect 5 keys and beat the game," and that's all. Combining all of this with the lack of a map I spent my first hour or two bumbling around lost and unsure if I was making progress.
Once I got to a point where the areas I had been exploring started to properly connect I was able to understand the layout of everything. Doorways leading into new areas were decorated in such a way that they were memorable and these entrances all had a bright heavenly glow, as opposed to standard ones that are just dark fog. Eventually I reached a point where it was no longer forcing myself to remember every detail of how to get around and it and it simply became a matter of time til I reached my destination. The games level design is great at grabbing your attention and making everything memorable in such a way that even I do not think the game is in (serious) need of a map.
These levels and areas are boosted a significant amount thanks to the games absolutely incredible movement, it is downright addicting and a highlight of the game, I did not even mind not knowing where to go next because I would just challenge myself with all kinds of jumps and parkour. If you want a form of movement this game has got it, wall kicks, wall runs, ground pound boosted jumps, back flips, slides, slide jumps that enhance your other movement options, and that is not even mentioning environmental things that assist in movement like bubbles that grant you an air dash and hold you in the air. The movement grants so much freedom that you can get away with stuff that I doubt was intentional. This is some of the most fun movement I have experienced in my limited catalogue of games completed.
Something else worth lots of love is the games graphics and sense of style, the game maintains a certain amount of ambience that is alluring but also concerning. The game is deliberately styled to look exactly like a Nintendo 64 game with the low res textures, heavy amount of polygons, and its use of fog to hide structures far in the distance. I have never been a stickler for graphics and would always prefer a game chase its own look rather than everything try to go hyper realistic like triple A games, this games look is incredibly refreshing and works well with the feelings it is trying to invoke. The music is also incredibly catchy while also having this odd sense of mysticality, it is relaxing and invigorating and I find it hard to explain, it would be best to just experience it along your adventure.
The only thing I struggle to praise is the story... Moreso the complete lack of one. The only cutscene you get is one at the end which is just a few textboxes on a pure white background. There are some npcs you can talk to, ones you meet early on speak super ominously but as you go on they mainly are used for gags. There is a chance I might be missing something, I have heard that small blank pieces of paper or hard to find npcs might allude to the games story, but it is still easy to miss out on and not exactly present. Maybe it is just me but this is not an entirely bad thing, this is not a game I would want to be overloaded with cutscenes and text boxes, and the games ambiance is much more enticing without all of that bogging it down.
The game may only be a few hours long, not even half a day, but I still spent so long on it just trying to parkour my way around the games levels and finding secrets or weird areas to look down from.
In the end I am so happy I went through with playing this and let the game grab me, with how cheap it is this is honestly something I would recommend to anyone, with the experience I got from this game 6 bucks is an absolute steal. If this game can make me love something that plays out in such a "vague" way, then this must be an even better challenge for people already well versed in similar genres while being a great entry point for people like me who lack experience with them. I promise that you will not be disappointed.
also goat thighs kek
Honestly the most awesome I've ever felt doing platforming. Actually felt like I was using mechanics given to "jank" myself around the maps. The movement felt tight as hell.
I kept comparing it to what I think Mario games are like (I dont play them) and I was like "Damn, I probably like thsi more than Mario." I think the main thing is the game is structured like a Metroidvania and not in levels with multiple goals. If this game had some time limit objectives or other quirky bullshit I would probably hate it, but it doesnt! Just fun platformer movement and Metroidvania brain addiction.
Definitely wish there was a map of some sort because the areas don't super stick in my head (and I think i;m pretty good at that type of memory). There was some shit I knew I missed cause I just couldn't remember where shit was.
Anyways, dope as hell game.
I kept comparing it to what I think Mario games are like (I dont play them) and I was like "Damn, I probably like thsi more than Mario." I think the main thing is the game is structured like a Metroidvania and not in levels with multiple goals. If this game had some time limit objectives or other quirky bullshit I would probably hate it, but it doesnt! Just fun platformer movement and Metroidvania brain addiction.
Definitely wish there was a map of some sort because the areas don't super stick in my head (and I think i;m pretty good at that type of memory). There was some shit I knew I missed cause I just couldn't remember where shit was.
Anyways, dope as hell game.
Super fun little game, love the movement and the music is so fantastic.
Finished in one sitting. Very nice little game with incredible movement. Worth the price for sure.
Need to emphasize that the movement in this game is really just so damn fun. Lots of sequence break potential using the open ended tools and exploration. The game basically feels designed for it.
Level design is intricate and super fun to zip through as you unlock more movement mechanics. Without a map it becomes confusing at times though.
Combat is extremely barebones and the lock-on cam is just straight up terrible, don't use it on the final boss like I did or you'll just end up with a headache as it snaps all over the place with neither you nor the boss in center frame.
Art direction is the ol' PS1/N64 era style and it looks really nice.
Music is really charming as well with a couple standouts.
Game is dirt cheap and easily worth your time for a fun afternoon. If you like replayability then good news, this game is so open ended that you can easily take completely different routes every time you play.
Need to emphasize that the movement in this game is really just so damn fun. Lots of sequence break potential using the open ended tools and exploration. The game basically feels designed for it.
Level design is intricate and super fun to zip through as you unlock more movement mechanics. Without a map it becomes confusing at times though.
Combat is extremely barebones and the lock-on cam is just straight up terrible, don't use it on the final boss like I did or you'll just end up with a headache as it snaps all over the place with neither you nor the boss in center frame.
Art direction is the ol' PS1/N64 era style and it looks really nice.
Music is really charming as well with a couple standouts.
Game is dirt cheap and easily worth your time for a fun afternoon. If you like replayability then good news, this game is so open ended that you can easily take completely different routes every time you play.
Super fun set of movement tools in this game. Really had a blast seeing a location I just BARELY couldn't get to and then spending like 20 minutes trying the same set of jumps over and over until it's pixel perfect and manage to make it.
The game goes for a very specific look/vibe of n64 platformer and it executes on it exceptionally well. Good music, textures are muddy in just the right way and the models animate just right.
Not a huge fan of the combat. Sometimes struggled to tell when I was colliding with an enemy and something about the lock-on camera just felt... not right, even with the follow option on. The menus are kinda ugly and I wish there had been a map of some sort, or like an item screen with collected/totals in the zone or something. Can't fault it that hard though, menus and maps are hard and I have to assume it's from a solo dev.
Absolutely worth checking out if you like movement heavy platformers. Recommend paying full price too, it's such a good value at only 6 bucks.
The game goes for a very specific look/vibe of n64 platformer and it executes on it exceptionally well. Good music, textures are muddy in just the right way and the models animate just right.
Not a huge fan of the combat. Sometimes struggled to tell when I was colliding with an enemy and something about the lock-on camera just felt... not right, even with the follow option on. The menus are kinda ugly and I wish there had been a map of some sort, or like an item screen with collected/totals in the zone or something. Can't fault it that hard though, menus and maps are hard and I have to assume it's from a solo dev.
Absolutely worth checking out if you like movement heavy platformers. Recommend paying full price too, it's such a good value at only 6 bucks.
its pretty sick. i really appreciate the little bonus flip cancel you can do in the air. my desire for a sequel to mario odyssey hasn't been satiated, but it seems that a renaissance of indie 3d platformers is on the horizon, and pseudoregalia is an appropriate herald.
i think i obtained everything, aside from a piece of heart. this game really could have used a map, but i somehow mostly made it through alright, despite combing the same parts of the Underbelly over and over looking for the key. i had to look that one up, and unfortunately, it isn't in a very fitting place. some spots in this game feel a bit incomplete, but the majority feels intuitive and kinda genius, taking sequence breaking into account. theres a section you can complete early, using wall kicks and the aforementioned mid-air flip, and it rocks. wall run who???
pretty much the only bits of writing in this game are a sentence or two long, spoken by these bunny kids. the humor is very twitter/tumblr-esque, if that makes sense. i think the atmosphere in this game is neat and i wish the writing was used to flesh out the world more. the ending is an underwhelming and honestly pathetic show of introspection from the author, the exact thing you would see on the locked twitter account of someone who broke up with their ex a couple months prior. i'm under the assumption they'd rather move onto making new projects instead of perfecting this one, and i totally get the mindset behind that, but the basis is so damn good that i can't help but find it a shame. regardless, im looking forward to playing their past game jam stuff, and to whatever comes in the future!
i think i obtained everything, aside from a piece of heart. this game really could have used a map, but i somehow mostly made it through alright, despite combing the same parts of the Underbelly over and over looking for the key. i had to look that one up, and unfortunately, it isn't in a very fitting place. some spots in this game feel a bit incomplete, but the majority feels intuitive and kinda genius, taking sequence breaking into account. theres a section you can complete early, using wall kicks and the aforementioned mid-air flip, and it rocks. wall run who???
pretty much the only bits of writing in this game are a sentence or two long, spoken by these bunny kids. the humor is very twitter/tumblr-esque, if that makes sense. i think the atmosphere in this game is neat and i wish the writing was used to flesh out the world more. the ending is an underwhelming and honestly pathetic show of introspection from the author, the exact thing you would see on the locked twitter account of someone who broke up with their ex a couple months prior. i'm under the assumption they'd rather move onto making new projects instead of perfecting this one, and i totally get the mindset behind that, but the basis is so damn good that i can't help but find it a shame. regardless, im looking forward to playing their past game jam stuff, and to whatever comes in the future!