Mibibli's Quest is a game my buddy has been trying to get me to play for as long as I remember. Ever since I was 12 years old I heard nothing about its virtues and it became a massive inside joke within my friend group. One year he even jokingly dressed up as Mibibli for a Halloween party we threw. So, naturally, when he and I started our game exchange, the first thing I recommended was the enigmatic Mega Man-like.
Calling it a Mega Man-like does the game a disservice I feel. I've been a massive fan of that franchise since I was roughly eight years old in 2011, and Mibibli's Quest thoroughly carves its own path, taking the right lessons from Capcom's Blue Bomber while separating itself. The game has a ton of great ideas nearly pouring out of its ears. Each stage has some new gimmick; whether it be a Dance Dance Revolution-themed rhythm section, a train level, a horizontal shoot-em-up, a level that you play backward, or deliberately anticlimactic boss fights makes Mibibli's Quest a surreal and often subversive experience in a way that entirely lacks pretention. There's even a fighting game bit that is hilarious. The game is quite difficult (I played on Mibibli mode) and often like throwing yourself against a wall until you achieve total mastery but while the game can sometimes be a bit overly difficult I can't call it unfair in any meaningful way. Every challenge can be overcome with mastery and that's not everyone's thing, but for me, it became immensely rewarding. The game follows Mega Man's mechanic of gaining new abilities from defeating bosses, but instead of weapons sometimes you'll even get new mechanics such as double jumping. Each weapon is very useful except for the shield-equivalent, which is too slow to have any practical use outside of select situations. The level design is often inventive and creative and I can't think of situations that were too annoying. It's a game that plays very well and plays with expectations, and while it can feel insurmountable it definitely isn't, especially if you're familiar with Mega Man.
Visually speaking Mibibli's Quest is difficult to evaluate. On one hand, there are plenty of """retro throwback""" games that have more detailed spritework and more fluid animations. Mibibli's Quest isn't necessarily impressive in that regard, but it has almost a Dadaist approach to art direction that is often impressive. NPCs are typically drawn in a Microsoft Paint style, pixels can often be incorrectly sized, et cetera, but it adds to a certain surrealist feeling that the game is aware of and uses to its fullest extent. Enemy designs often feel pulled out of Resni's ass, just random creative designs with little care for cohesion or consistency but that's sort of the point. It gives the game a certain vibe that's enjoyably gonzo. This is also evident in the soundtrack which while typically percussion-heavy 8-bit style music can often break out of that into drum-and-bass or even somewhat haunted, distorted ambiance. While I don't think it necessarily reaches the high peak of a lot of Mega Man soundtracks, Resni has a good ear for catchy chord progressions and an attractive 8-bit flair that makes it pleasant to listen to.
Mibibli's Quest was a surprise. With its creative and inventive gameplay, presentation, and vibe, it really does stand as one of the most unique platformers I've ever played. While it's perhaps overly difficult, the fun and raw originality show through the more you persevere, and beating it will feel like a monumental accomplishment. If you find it too difficult, there's no shame in playing on a lower-difficulty and I highly recommend it to fans of platformers, or anyone looking for a truly unique indie experience.
Calling it a Mega Man-like does the game a disservice I feel. I've been a massive fan of that franchise since I was roughly eight years old in 2011, and Mibibli's Quest thoroughly carves its own path, taking the right lessons from Capcom's Blue Bomber while separating itself. The game has a ton of great ideas nearly pouring out of its ears. Each stage has some new gimmick; whether it be a Dance Dance Revolution-themed rhythm section, a train level, a horizontal shoot-em-up, a level that you play backward, or deliberately anticlimactic boss fights makes Mibibli's Quest a surreal and often subversive experience in a way that entirely lacks pretention. There's even a fighting game bit that is hilarious. The game is quite difficult (I played on Mibibli mode) and often like throwing yourself against a wall until you achieve total mastery but while the game can sometimes be a bit overly difficult I can't call it unfair in any meaningful way. Every challenge can be overcome with mastery and that's not everyone's thing, but for me, it became immensely rewarding. The game follows Mega Man's mechanic of gaining new abilities from defeating bosses, but instead of weapons sometimes you'll even get new mechanics such as double jumping. Each weapon is very useful except for the shield-equivalent, which is too slow to have any practical use outside of select situations. The level design is often inventive and creative and I can't think of situations that were too annoying. It's a game that plays very well and plays with expectations, and while it can feel insurmountable it definitely isn't, especially if you're familiar with Mega Man.
Visually speaking Mibibli's Quest is difficult to evaluate. On one hand, there are plenty of """retro throwback""" games that have more detailed spritework and more fluid animations. Mibibli's Quest isn't necessarily impressive in that regard, but it has almost a Dadaist approach to art direction that is often impressive. NPCs are typically drawn in a Microsoft Paint style, pixels can often be incorrectly sized, et cetera, but it adds to a certain surrealist feeling that the game is aware of and uses to its fullest extent. Enemy designs often feel pulled out of Resni's ass, just random creative designs with little care for cohesion or consistency but that's sort of the point. It gives the game a certain vibe that's enjoyably gonzo. This is also evident in the soundtrack which while typically percussion-heavy 8-bit style music can often break out of that into drum-and-bass or even somewhat haunted, distorted ambiance. While I don't think it necessarily reaches the high peak of a lot of Mega Man soundtracks, Resni has a good ear for catchy chord progressions and an attractive 8-bit flair that makes it pleasant to listen to.
Mibibli's Quest was a surprise. With its creative and inventive gameplay, presentation, and vibe, it really does stand as one of the most unique platformers I've ever played. While it's perhaps overly difficult, the fun and raw originality show through the more you persevere, and beating it will feel like a monumental accomplishment. If you find it too difficult, there's no shame in playing on a lower-difficulty and I highly recommend it to fans of platformers, or anyone looking for a truly unique indie experience.