In my recent sort-of replay of Super Metroid I noted that it was a "gamer's game". Now what I meant by that entirely meaningless statement was that it's always eager to let you prove your ability, not by putting challenges in the way of progress but by letting you show how much you've learned by getting stuff without necessary upgrades, substituting them with skill and a little bit of cheese.

All of that is to say, Pseudoregalia is a gamer's game. It might be THE gamer's game, frankly. The second you get the wall kick the movement opens up so much and in so many cool ways that almost all rules laid by the progression become suggestions if you're creative and clever enough. Insanely great stuff, I'd love to see more like this. Even as just a platformer it holds up incredibly well, all the time trials are really tough but very fun, but being a metroidvania grants it so much more opportunity for player experimentation and it's incredibly satisfying. Besides that not much to remark on, I think the indirect storytelling fails to meet its potential but the atmosphere is pretty good, great game.