i was genuinely sad when there was no more game left to play. i finished and immediately went back just to tool around because moving around in this game is SO FUN. i would finish challenges and say, out loud, "that was fun", like a simp.

part of it is that it's super legible. you aren't left guessing what you're supposed to do, moving fast is clearly the best option and poking around the shrubbery is obviously pointless. jump points and grind rails are always clear, and the hardest thing is occasionally finding a grapple point with your eyes while you're speeding along (and, ok, fine the boss fights can be a bit... finnicky) (however the difficulty settings are beautiful and reasonable and perfect in that i was able to finish this game without feeling too stressed, but sufficiently challenged)

another part is that the level design is super cool. it takes medium advantage of its setting with a fair number of "impossible" vertical rises and perspective/gravity shifts, but mostly: the colors! the glorious colors!

i actually found the writing super overwrought and while I liked the voice actress I ended up turning the voices off because it just kept tripping over itself. way too invested in its own lore when i would have preferred a Souls-ian lack of exposition. however thats such a minor criticism when its just such a joy to move in this game.