This game released at an oddly fitting time for me - in front of a weekend where I suffered an injury, where I just wasn't in much of a mood to talk to anyone. I was always planning to pick this up as I've been a fan of Dunkey for a while as well as Metroidvanias, but the timing of a game with no dialouge in a time where I had nothing else I could really do, just felt fitting.
So how exactly do you do a Metroidvania in this style? Well, you can go with a combat route, or a no combat route. This game went the no combat route, and relied more upon its puzzles to create engaging moments. This was somewhat of a disappontment to me at first, until I realized that this was where the game was just at its best.
Rather than obtaining "upgrades" or "abilities" that might help you inside or outside of combat, this game offers you tools that act as the keys to access new puzzles to begin with. Most of these puzzles tend to just be ways to find switches, or allow you to interact with the animals of the world to assist you in doing that yourself. And while the idea of a slinky, frisbee, or bubble wand don't exactly sound as thrilling as a wall jump, new beam, or special attack, where these tools differentiate themselves from traditional powerups is in how they are used to solve puzzles. In that regard, they do what traditional upgrades never really could in your classic Metroid titles. Upgrades being in the form of tools additionally makes where to go a true choice, as your health is more or less going to be the same in every area. Some paths are easier than others, but all are equally doable with the resources given.
One of the things that traditionally sells me on Metroidvanias is that I've always enjoyed solving mazes. So again, what I initially found to be more of a puzzle game with maze-like elements was something I worried would turn me off. Yet, the puzzles all felt different, and surprisingly clever. They made good use of timing, mistakes could lead to lost progress, keeping you on your toes, but they were never really frustrating. I never felt the need to look up a guide, and when I didn't know where to go, the Metroid instincts kicked in, and I started searching the map for possible new avenues, which always seemed to work.
Honestly, I didn't know what I was doing at first. I had no understanding of what the objective was, and I think that's fine initially. My favorite game in the genre, Hollow Knight, starts off in a similar way where you kinda find your footing and the story is there if you want it. Eventually, what you need to progress the game becomes clear here too. I appreciate a game that doesn't jam tutorials down your throat always, and lets you get right to things quickly.
That being said, I think I would've appreciated a controls menu or something. Even if they were basic, it actually took me a minute to figure out how to use the inventory with the X button. I wasn't certain what was and wasn't consumable, since the firecrackers, your first tool, is a consumable, and nothing else really is. I didn't instinctively understand what made an item selectable vs not, these were just things I came to understood later. I agree with the decision to keep the animals quiet as opposed to talking, but I do think there are ways to make this more clear without having to make tutorials that break up the pacing.
This game does have some forgiving elements, but it is not exactly consistent. For instance, when you unlock a door, it stays unlocked, even after death. The telephones work like benches do in Hollow Knight in this way, and there is no shade to pick up in this game either - you can just get right back to what you were doing before. Considering there are many things that can instantly kill you throughout the world, this is nice. But the problem is, some sections are counterintuitive to this design philosophy.
Namely, where you respawn in some areas can feel strangely punishing, especially in some of the water sections. You might respawn in a place where you have to backtrack to flip a switch to access the area that you were just in, for instance. Screen transitions can be a bit unfair as well. While instantly loading the next room can be seen cool and smooth, this can sometimes be a detriment to the player, as action is continuous from screen to screen. You will need to quickly react at times despite the screen transitioning, and falling too low on a vertical transition might result in a lot of wasted platforming. This is where the game can actually be unforgiving, depending on the situation.
If I had to guess the potential barrier for rookie gamers fully enjoying this game, it wouldn't be over completion, or figuring out where to go, but rather some not having the ability to do some of the challenges. Some of these platforming windows are quite tight, and often involve significant pressure.
Handheld mode on the Switch was noticeably a little bit tough for me - the player character is just a small little blob, and he fits inside walls (given by visual cue) and underneath cracks that you would only expect a morph ball to fit through. It is admittedly tough to see from a distance at times, as the game is quite dark. It made some of the pressure filled challenges things I had to just play on my TV.
Of course, the game does look really good. The visual style was a big reason I wanted to play it to begin with as well, as it looked unique. It does hold up in that regard. And I did come to appreciate the "bosses" as well, once I was in the appropriate physical setting to tackle them with precision, because that precision was definitely required.
I found that some bosses were quite unsettling, and that you really just wanted them to be over fast, or to find a way to sidestep them. As a blob with no attacking moves, you often can feel helpless, which is where the horror elements really shine, I suppose. Funnily enough though, whenever I did finish these battles, I never felt that they had overstayed their welcome. It was almost paradoxical in a sense, wanting nothing more than for them to be off your screen, and then being kind of sad when they would leave. The platforming in these moments was stressful, but it did feel like an appropriate test.
After big moments, it seemed like there was a strange mix on how backtracking worked. Sometimes there would be a convenient new exit, that would keep the flow of the game where you would want it to be, very much in a Metroid Dread type of style. At other times, there would be slower exits / escapes, depending on what tools you had at your disposal the whole time.
What I also wasn't much of a fan of were the dark sections on the map throughout the game. Not because they weren't fitting, but because they left holes on your map that you can't document. I found myself often returning to these areas when looking for new openings or having to mark them, just to ensure I try something different. I didn't end up going section by section in any organized manner, and it felt easier to just wander around until I felt like the appropriate time appeared to push in one direction. As a result, I didn't know which tool configuration was required for each segment of the map, all I know was it eventually worked. As a result, I think I would've just preferred the map to not have these holes, because I explored each area multiple times throughout the game, spaced just far enough between trips to forget minor details. Eventually, you get a tool to help with this, but it happens very late into the game. What I did like was that picking up new tools allowed for many shortcuts across the map to be found. This also acted as a clever way to make sections easier on a return visit, without just giving the player more health or defense.
So anyways, what are my thoughts? Well, it was a pretty calm playthrough for the most part. There was obviously a lot of love put into the game, and still many secrets for me to uncover if I choose. There's a lot of clever design here, and the puzzles all feel pretty unique despite me thinking that you can only make so many "relatively simple puzzles." But the game gets so much mileage out of all of its tools. Overall, it's a quick game that I would recommend to fans of the genre. It's something I'll consider replaying one day as well. But there's not much else to say on this without getting into a few minor spoilers at the end of this.
Things do get a little spooky near the end, and I will bring that up in a minor spoilers section below - if you happen to read this and want to avoid that, just keep in mind that the game will perhaps make you jump or feel uncomfortable a few times. I don't find it to be an overwhelming type of horror though. Just remember, you don't always have to engage with an enemy, and even without combat abilities: you won't always be the one without control.
== Spoilers ==
The reason why I say minor spoilers is because this game feels like above all else, its focus is just being a game. There are puzzles, exploration, platforming, and some intense moments. But at the end of the day, I am not sure what the premise is exactly. I'm not sure the game cares exactly what it is, or what it's message is supposed to be. It's just a fun few hours of gameplay. And maybe it doesn't really need to have a message. Perhaps that is the point, given that the game doesn't have dialogue. But if this was the case, I'm not exactly sure why it seemed to want to build up to something.
I mean, the game takes place in a giant well for some reason. That alone invokes some mystery about the setting to begin with. You follow a squirrel at times through much of the game, that always seems to be one step ahead. There are random shrieking sounds that you hear every once in a while throughout the game. And yes, it all leads up to something. But then when you finally do catch up to the squirrel, you get an in game clock timer as your reward. You get to jump down the bottom of the well, which takes you back to the top, in a seemingly never ending loop. You get to save after the ending credits, which is cool. But what exactly was the story? Well, I'm not sure what the point was. But it was a pretty fun eight hours nonetheless, that did help to brighten my weekend. Maybe I'm missing the message, or maybe there is more to find in the cryptic secrets of the world - this also wouldn't be surprising, given the attention to detail thus far. But maybe it's also okay for a game to just be pretty fun above all else, or to want more out of a player than just one credits roll. That is one of the cool things about these types of indie games: the developers often don't mind if not every secret or surprise is seen by everyone, but love giving the ones who work for them those rewards.
So how exactly do you do a Metroidvania in this style? Well, you can go with a combat route, or a no combat route. This game went the no combat route, and relied more upon its puzzles to create engaging moments. This was somewhat of a disappontment to me at first, until I realized that this was where the game was just at its best.
Rather than obtaining "upgrades" or "abilities" that might help you inside or outside of combat, this game offers you tools that act as the keys to access new puzzles to begin with. Most of these puzzles tend to just be ways to find switches, or allow you to interact with the animals of the world to assist you in doing that yourself. And while the idea of a slinky, frisbee, or bubble wand don't exactly sound as thrilling as a wall jump, new beam, or special attack, where these tools differentiate themselves from traditional powerups is in how they are used to solve puzzles. In that regard, they do what traditional upgrades never really could in your classic Metroid titles. Upgrades being in the form of tools additionally makes where to go a true choice, as your health is more or less going to be the same in every area. Some paths are easier than others, but all are equally doable with the resources given.
One of the things that traditionally sells me on Metroidvanias is that I've always enjoyed solving mazes. So again, what I initially found to be more of a puzzle game with maze-like elements was something I worried would turn me off. Yet, the puzzles all felt different, and surprisingly clever. They made good use of timing, mistakes could lead to lost progress, keeping you on your toes, but they were never really frustrating. I never felt the need to look up a guide, and when I didn't know where to go, the Metroid instincts kicked in, and I started searching the map for possible new avenues, which always seemed to work.
Honestly, I didn't know what I was doing at first. I had no understanding of what the objective was, and I think that's fine initially. My favorite game in the genre, Hollow Knight, starts off in a similar way where you kinda find your footing and the story is there if you want it. Eventually, what you need to progress the game becomes clear here too. I appreciate a game that doesn't jam tutorials down your throat always, and lets you get right to things quickly.
That being said, I think I would've appreciated a controls menu or something. Even if they were basic, it actually took me a minute to figure out how to use the inventory with the X button. I wasn't certain what was and wasn't consumable, since the firecrackers, your first tool, is a consumable, and nothing else really is. I didn't instinctively understand what made an item selectable vs not, these were just things I came to understood later. I agree with the decision to keep the animals quiet as opposed to talking, but I do think there are ways to make this more clear without having to make tutorials that break up the pacing.
This game does have some forgiving elements, but it is not exactly consistent. For instance, when you unlock a door, it stays unlocked, even after death. The telephones work like benches do in Hollow Knight in this way, and there is no shade to pick up in this game either - you can just get right back to what you were doing before. Considering there are many things that can instantly kill you throughout the world, this is nice. But the problem is, some sections are counterintuitive to this design philosophy.
Namely, where you respawn in some areas can feel strangely punishing, especially in some of the water sections. You might respawn in a place where you have to backtrack to flip a switch to access the area that you were just in, for instance. Screen transitions can be a bit unfair as well. While instantly loading the next room can be seen cool and smooth, this can sometimes be a detriment to the player, as action is continuous from screen to screen. You will need to quickly react at times despite the screen transitioning, and falling too low on a vertical transition might result in a lot of wasted platforming. This is where the game can actually be unforgiving, depending on the situation.
If I had to guess the potential barrier for rookie gamers fully enjoying this game, it wouldn't be over completion, or figuring out where to go, but rather some not having the ability to do some of the challenges. Some of these platforming windows are quite tight, and often involve significant pressure.
Handheld mode on the Switch was noticeably a little bit tough for me - the player character is just a small little blob, and he fits inside walls (given by visual cue) and underneath cracks that you would only expect a morph ball to fit through. It is admittedly tough to see from a distance at times, as the game is quite dark. It made some of the pressure filled challenges things I had to just play on my TV.
Of course, the game does look really good. The visual style was a big reason I wanted to play it to begin with as well, as it looked unique. It does hold up in that regard. And I did come to appreciate the "bosses" as well, once I was in the appropriate physical setting to tackle them with precision, because that precision was definitely required.
I found that some bosses were quite unsettling, and that you really just wanted them to be over fast, or to find a way to sidestep them. As a blob with no attacking moves, you often can feel helpless, which is where the horror elements really shine, I suppose. Funnily enough though, whenever I did finish these battles, I never felt that they had overstayed their welcome. It was almost paradoxical in a sense, wanting nothing more than for them to be off your screen, and then being kind of sad when they would leave. The platforming in these moments was stressful, but it did feel like an appropriate test.
After big moments, it seemed like there was a strange mix on how backtracking worked. Sometimes there would be a convenient new exit, that would keep the flow of the game where you would want it to be, very much in a Metroid Dread type of style. At other times, there would be slower exits / escapes, depending on what tools you had at your disposal the whole time.
What I also wasn't much of a fan of were the dark sections on the map throughout the game. Not because they weren't fitting, but because they left holes on your map that you can't document. I found myself often returning to these areas when looking for new openings or having to mark them, just to ensure I try something different. I didn't end up going section by section in any organized manner, and it felt easier to just wander around until I felt like the appropriate time appeared to push in one direction. As a result, I didn't know which tool configuration was required for each segment of the map, all I know was it eventually worked. As a result, I think I would've just preferred the map to not have these holes, because I explored each area multiple times throughout the game, spaced just far enough between trips to forget minor details. Eventually, you get a tool to help with this, but it happens very late into the game. What I did like was that picking up new tools allowed for many shortcuts across the map to be found. This also acted as a clever way to make sections easier on a return visit, without just giving the player more health or defense.
So anyways, what are my thoughts? Well, it was a pretty calm playthrough for the most part. There was obviously a lot of love put into the game, and still many secrets for me to uncover if I choose. There's a lot of clever design here, and the puzzles all feel pretty unique despite me thinking that you can only make so many "relatively simple puzzles." But the game gets so much mileage out of all of its tools. Overall, it's a quick game that I would recommend to fans of the genre. It's something I'll consider replaying one day as well. But there's not much else to say on this without getting into a few minor spoilers at the end of this.
Things do get a little spooky near the end, and I will bring that up in a minor spoilers section below - if you happen to read this and want to avoid that, just keep in mind that the game will perhaps make you jump or feel uncomfortable a few times. I don't find it to be an overwhelming type of horror though. Just remember, you don't always have to engage with an enemy, and even without combat abilities: you won't always be the one without control.
== Spoilers ==
The reason why I say minor spoilers is because this game feels like above all else, its focus is just being a game. There are puzzles, exploration, platforming, and some intense moments. But at the end of the day, I am not sure what the premise is exactly. I'm not sure the game cares exactly what it is, or what it's message is supposed to be. It's just a fun few hours of gameplay. And maybe it doesn't really need to have a message. Perhaps that is the point, given that the game doesn't have dialogue. But if this was the case, I'm not exactly sure why it seemed to want to build up to something.
I mean, the game takes place in a giant well for some reason. That alone invokes some mystery about the setting to begin with. You follow a squirrel at times through much of the game, that always seems to be one step ahead. There are random shrieking sounds that you hear every once in a while throughout the game. And yes, it all leads up to something. But then when you finally do catch up to the squirrel, you get an in game clock timer as your reward. You get to jump down the bottom of the well, which takes you back to the top, in a seemingly never ending loop. You get to save after the ending credits, which is cool. But what exactly was the story? Well, I'm not sure what the point was. But it was a pretty fun eight hours nonetheless, that did help to brighten my weekend. Maybe I'm missing the message, or maybe there is more to find in the cryptic secrets of the world - this also wouldn't be surprising, given the attention to detail thus far. But maybe it's also okay for a game to just be pretty fun above all else, or to want more out of a player than just one credits roll. That is one of the cool things about these types of indie games: the developers often don't mind if not every secret or surprise is seen by everyone, but love giving the ones who work for them those rewards.