revisiting an old favourite and holy fuck it's still so good! why do i never hear people talking about this game, it's so fun and creative, has such a cool twist gimmick and has one of the most bumping soundtracks known to humankind. Every area feels so distinct and memorable, with fun platforming puzzles and secrets everywhere and tons of unique mechanics, despite having played through it before i was hooked for most of my time replaying it.
I do have my issues with this game, I think the transition into a metroidvania is fucking awesome but the game isn't quite designed for it; you run out of upgrades almost immediately, shopkeeper dialogue and story beats fade out almost entirely until the end, and some of the linear NES gaiden-style level design can be frustrating to replay countless times. I also wish the ending lore had been set up earlier, because you really do learn about the final area and boss right before you head in, barely any foreshadowing or setup other than the loredump right beforehand.
But these are ultimately small nitpicks in a game I truly treasure, it feels like such a passion project from beginning to end and I wish it had the attention it deserves. A joy to replay, please please please try it out if you haven't before