a masterpiece of playful design coupled with well thought-out and executed narrative

there's a few instances of Pixel Hunting and slight "guess what the developer is thinking" that can be frustrating by modern standards, but being persistent pays off in incredible ways. it makes sense that several developers, namely Kojima, have said that this is the game that inspired them to make games, because it lays the groundwork for their types of "deadly serious in-world, yet goofy" tones. one of the best endings to a game ever.