I think the best way to describe this game is that it is to independent game development what Super Mario Bros was to console game development. Despite being made by only one guy as a non-profit side project, it's still one of the best games ever made. It's inspired by several NES games, but seemingly most of all Blaster Master. The subpar implementation of the weapon upgrades in Blaster Master has been transformed into one of the best game mechanics for encouraging the player to engage with enemies. It's a consistent game of trying even harder not to get hit while collecting crystals to increase your gun's strength. Even though the alternate endings are decided by seemingly irrelevant player choices, I still love replaying the game because of the different possibilities of what guns and upgrades you can have. The gameplay is super engaging and I love it.

The story is also pretty good, but moreso in how it's presented. While the main narrative going on is solid in and of itself, certain details are left for the player to discover themselves. It's the perfect sweetspot between uncovering important mysteries and a satisfying main narrative.

The visuals and sound depend on the version you're playing. You really shouldn't pay for this game, as it is still free for the PC, but I'd be lying if I said some of the visual options in the paid versions weren't better. The music though? Original all the way, and in general an incredible soundtrack.

Even if this game was just 'OK', what it represents is extremely important: Pure creative expression in the form of a game. It deserves to be remembered in the vein of games like Super Mario Bros, Final Fantasy VI, Street Fighter II, Ocarina of Time and many others. You need to play this game.