Wow wow WOW! This is the most fun I've had moving a character within a 3D space since Mario Odyssey! Not to mention, the only good 3D Metroidvania I've ever played. And for a game made by a solo dev (and a bit of help), it's nothing but impressive in terms of scale, aesthetic, atmosphere, and overall game feel.
So for starters, this game is a bit weird, but weird in a fun and intriguing way
The game immerses you into this huge castle with a dreamy atmosphere that reeks of Castlevania 64, and I mean in that in the absolute best way possible! Textures are a little muddy, the character inherently moves at a reduced frame rate, and there's a charming CRT haze (you can remove the latter 2 if they are too distracting).You play as a h̶o̶t̶, t̶a̶l̶l̶, g̶i̶a̶n̶t̶ s̶w̶o̶r̶d̶-̶w̶i̶e̶l̶d̶i̶n̶g̶, t̶h̶i̶c̶k̶-̶t̶h̶i̶g̶h̶e̶d̶ pantsless bunny-goat-cat lady (you can give her pants if her backside is too distracting) and have no idea as to how you're there, or how this castle and it's inhabitants came to be. You acquire Big Sword and search for way forward to wake the princess. The corridors are narrow and dark, opening up occasionally into larger rooms that are filled with enemies and hazards. You pull levers to open doors and leap from ledge to ledge. You take down the big boss and the whole castle opens up for you to run amok. You spend time wandering through corridors full of sentient swords and murderous maids; over pools of murky deathwater; and crossing chasms that make you seriously wonder "okay, seriously, WHAT happened here?" And there isn't any answer! You do get vague monologues from these (adorable) little goat butlers. But there isn't any answer! It's kinda Soulsy in this way, except there really IS no answer no matter where you look. And...that is okay! Because the whole time you're not thinking about an answer, you're thinking "I'm gonna jump off that cliff."
After some point through (you'll know it when you get the power-up) this game slowly tricks you into playing what feels like a 3D Mario game because mobility feels so damn good and suddenly you're bouncing off every single wall to find hidden goodies and shortcuts. A couple more powers ups and you feel like an untouchable speedrunner! Fights become slight distractions, or a means of recovering health (it makes more sense when you play it). The real enemy here is the murky deathwater that resets your progress when you can't clear a jump. The last thing you want is some Medusa Head interrupting you mid-jump. You become so unburdened that platforming becomes the challenge and soul of this game. It definitely starts shifting away from the original Metroidvania aspect, but it also gets more fun. At the sum of the vague lore, ever-shifting gameplay, dreamy atmosphere, and the cute bunny-goat-cat lady, this game managed to craft an identity of its own without relying too heavily on its inspirations.
And while I do think the game severely lacks bosses, some enemy variety, a bit more lore or lil goat monologues, and maybe a more climactic final boss, it was fun enough for me to enjoy and not really ask for 300 more grueling hours out of a solo dev.
Four Stars would have given if I probably played before the (absolutely essential) map update, but thankfully that wasn't the case for me.
Five Stars for you, friend. 🐇🗡️
So for starters, this game is a bit weird, but weird in a fun and intriguing way
The game immerses you into this huge castle with a dreamy atmosphere that reeks of Castlevania 64, and I mean in that in the absolute best way possible! Textures are a little muddy, the character inherently moves at a reduced frame rate, and there's a charming CRT haze (you can remove the latter 2 if they are too distracting).You play as a h̶o̶t̶, t̶a̶l̶l̶, g̶i̶a̶n̶t̶ s̶w̶o̶r̶d̶-̶w̶i̶e̶l̶d̶i̶n̶g̶, t̶h̶i̶c̶k̶-̶t̶h̶i̶g̶h̶e̶d̶ pantsless bunny-goat-cat lady (you can give her pants if her backside is too distracting) and have no idea as to how you're there, or how this castle and it's inhabitants came to be. You acquire Big Sword and search for way forward to wake the princess. The corridors are narrow and dark, opening up occasionally into larger rooms that are filled with enemies and hazards. You pull levers to open doors and leap from ledge to ledge. You take down the big boss and the whole castle opens up for you to run amok. You spend time wandering through corridors full of sentient swords and murderous maids; over pools of murky deathwater; and crossing chasms that make you seriously wonder "okay, seriously, WHAT happened here?" And there isn't any answer! You do get vague monologues from these (adorable) little goat butlers. But there isn't any answer! It's kinda Soulsy in this way, except there really IS no answer no matter where you look. And...that is okay! Because the whole time you're not thinking about an answer, you're thinking "I'm gonna jump off that cliff."
After some point through (you'll know it when you get the power-up) this game slowly tricks you into playing what feels like a 3D Mario game because mobility feels so damn good and suddenly you're bouncing off every single wall to find hidden goodies and shortcuts. A couple more powers ups and you feel like an untouchable speedrunner! Fights become slight distractions, or a means of recovering health (it makes more sense when you play it). The real enemy here is the murky deathwater that resets your progress when you can't clear a jump. The last thing you want is some Medusa Head interrupting you mid-jump. You become so unburdened that platforming becomes the challenge and soul of this game. It definitely starts shifting away from the original Metroidvania aspect, but it also gets more fun. At the sum of the vague lore, ever-shifting gameplay, dreamy atmosphere, and the cute bunny-goat-cat lady, this game managed to craft an identity of its own without relying too heavily on its inspirations.
And while I do think the game severely lacks bosses, some enemy variety, a bit more lore or lil goat monologues, and maybe a more climactic final boss, it was fun enough for me to enjoy and not really ask for 300 more grueling hours out of a solo dev.
Four Stars would have given if I probably played before the (absolutely essential) map update, but thankfully that wasn't the case for me.
Five Stars for you, friend. 🐇🗡️