The only PlayStation 5 exclusive that knows it's a PS5 exclusive/actually utilizes the PS5's technology? Correct.

Would've been a 4/5 if it did a little bit more with the history of PlayStation which it already does very well here. Just wanted a little extra oomph there but of course if I missed out on any Intelligent Qube references please alert me and I will change my rating to a 5/5 but also I won't do that until they vastly improve their PSN classics catalogue, like COME ON. Grateful that the PS3 PSN store and their excellent PS1 catalog is still open and available but just don't remind Sony of that. If they want to release this "loving" ode to their history then they actually gotta show it in real life, too.

But, I digress. As a platformer, a lot of you need to calm down lol but I was never not having a good time with all the small details here and I'm very much hoping that the upcoming Astro Bot will be the Portal 2 to this one's Portal. Lots of great stuff here that can absolutely be fleshed out into something truly outstanding.

Normally would've waited a LONG time for a BIG discount on something like this (no matter the quality, I think) but being that bastard Dunkey threw his hat into this and with all the years of entertainment he's provided me I bought this at full price to show my gratitude.

Of course, it's not he who matters here but Billy Basso who dreamt/built this entire game all on their own. Love to be this inspired. Even better that it's actually PRETTY good. Almost impossible for me not to admire a 3-4 hour puzzle-Metroidvania with still a good amount to explore when the main adventure is complete. The ambiance alone is enough for me to recommend this and the fact that I wasn't bored once during means that it can win GOTY and I'd be completely fine with that. I've read on here a complaint about how this world lacks a history which I don't entirely agree with. It still survives on it's own means, architecture & vibes but I feel it's able to evoke enough imagination to make this world something to wonder and worth exploring. Main complaints are with the save system/runbacks in here being a bit silly and if what I'm reading is correct and there's a puzzle(s?) where I'm required to go the game's Discord in order to solve it (no matter it's importance) I'll probably have to burn down Dunkey's house but other than those things I very much enjoyed my time here.

"oh no, he's playing classical music"

Never cared about the first one, both back when it came out and now, but this one? Perfect game. Not sure if I realized it then, though I HIGHLY enjoyed it when it came out, but I certainly do now. The experiment/test-run that was the first game (as much as I admire it's bare bones/simplicity) constructed and paced to the highest degree. Never realized how hard I associate this game with 2011/my mid-teenage years. Definitely felt my body being transported back to those horribly awkward/demented years. So glad it's over. So glad to finally revisit this and see it even more for what it truly is.