Top Tier Metroidvania. Flashy combat and some of the best, most dynamic movement in the 2D space. By the end of the game it was just fun to dash and dive and sling yourself all over the game world. Major props for an elegant solution to mapping dead-ends and places to return to after upgrades.

The story has gravity and weight, and the performances lean serious instead of the typical quippy, carefree protagonist. Didn't expect such an emotional wallop from this game, but it delivered beautifully.

There's still a lot of backtracking and a ton of items and upgrades to be found, but I'm not gonna fault a game for having the same Achilles heel as every other game in the genre.