This is some of the most satisfying gameplay I've ever played in quite some time. It’s fast-paced, fluid and keeps you on your toes with all the different ways you can traverse. Like, it makes me want to 100% the game. After I finished it, I immediately went back to try out more challenges.

What helps with this is that the levels are short enough that it doesn’t take too long to try again. And they all use the distinct weapons and their sub-abilities for both vertical and horizontal level designs, while also including both shortcuts and exploration to utilize the two different challenges.

One is normal time trials, which the main story centers around completing, and the other is finding the hidden gifts in the levels so you can interact with the other characters, which is done in a more exploratory style. They both are fun to try and complete and add replay value without feeling like the game recycles its content for the sake of longevity.

But I kinda wish the social sim part, which is what the gifts are for, was better. I really enjoy the sidequests, as expected, but the dialogue you can get from the other characters doesn’t feel enough to flesh them out.

And that’s another thing. The story is not good. There’s a few tropes played too straight for my liking and the dialogue, and the whole theme of forgiveness is sloppily executed and makes for an ending that's unsatisfying at best.

Oh, and the music is top-notch.