Here we go again
Game 1 - World of Warcraft Dragonflight
Platform - PC
Time: Ongoing
Rating: 5/5
Absolutely fantastic expansion, at least so far during the launch patch, fixing every mistake shadowlands made, bringing back spec trees making classes feel better than better (in general at least), great zones, great dungeons, very alt friendly and with tons of content even for solo players, just everything you want from a wow expansion, now they just need to hit a fast patch cadence (so far so good on that front also with 10.0.5 coming out this week!).
Game 2 - Ender Lillies Quietus of the Knights
Platform - Switch
Time: 16 hours
Rating: 4.5/5
Suberb metroidvania with some of the best 2d art around and a really big world and campaign to explore and fight through. The combat is a bit simple, but I really like the spirit system for your attacks, and since I don't usually rate combat overly high in these games (I mean, as long as it gets the job done, I value exploration, level design and abilities more), the rest really resonated with me. Various different endings, lots of secrets to find, I loved it and would easily recommend it to fans of the genre.
Game 3 - Souldiers
Platform - Switch
Time: 25 hours
Rating: 2/5 (specifically for the Switch port)
Rating: 4/5 (otherwise, if it works)
Yeah, there's a reason I'm doing double scores here. As a game, this is a really well made metroidvania, one where the devs clearly had more ambitions then they probably should have, as the game is way too long and ultimately feels quite bloated (I guess they were going for that Hollow Knight epic length), but the fantastic sprite art and great level design, coupled with 3 classes to choose and a ton of weapons and sidequests to do make this, as a game, very good for it's genre. If it works on your desired system. Unfortunately, the Switch version not only runs terribly (and im not just talking about it being 30fps vs 60fps), but it has game breaking bugs and crashes, specifically late game (one of the end game dungeons was so bad I had to resort to teleporting to the main city every time I wanted to save, because it kept crashing if I saved in the end game zone I was in), so I can't in good conscience recommend this particular version to anyone, because even after a lot of patches, it's still busted. It's a huge bummer because, again, the game itself feels like a labour of love.
Game 4 - Wo Long Fallen Dynasty
Platform - Xbox Series X
Time: 30 hours
Rating: 4/5
Was ready to score it lower but it really gre on me as I played more, and level design started getting much better in the second half. A mix of Nioh and Sekiro, that while never gets as good as the Nioh games, it does have satisfying gameplay and it scratched the "souls" itch nicely. It is very reminiscent of Nioh, it pretty much uses the same mission structure (down to side missions reusing levels with different paths) and the gameplay is similar albeit with much more focus on the Sekiro-style parry system. It doesn't overstay it's welcome (I did every side mission and it still only took me about 30 hours) and it's actually much easier than the usual Souls-like once you get the hang of the parry system and level up / upgrade your gear, so overall I had a great time. Still wish it was Nioh 3 instead tho. Amazing gamepass pickup btw.
Game 5 - Salt and Sanctuary
Platform - Switch
Time: 21 hours
Rating: 5/5
Replay on Switch this time (flawless port btw, unlike SOME OTHER METROIDVANIAS IN THIS LIST), and it's still absolutely fantastic. The closest we will probably ever get to a 2d Dark Souls, combat feels meaty, game world is huge and full of bosses, it looks gorgeous (still funny to me how people shat on it just because of the funny NPC faces when literally everything else looks so good), and is just overall one of the best in the genre you will play (and one of the hardest too mind you).
Game 6 - Last Epoch (early access)
Platform - PC
Time: 20 hours
Rating: 4/5
Hadn't played this one in a couple of years, but Diablo 4 beta got me hungry for more ARPG action so decided to jump back in to see how it was shaping up now that it's on patch 0.9, and it's still looking like it would be a very good alternative to the big ones loike Diablo and PoE. Looks much better than last time I tried, and the gameplay is still very good, with some of the best skill trees around. I still think only allowing for 5 skills (in a genre that has standarized 6 skills, which in itself is already low in my opinion) is a fundamental flaw in game design, but it is what it is I guess. Played a new character up to level 58 or so, seems like the campaign is still missing the final chapters but what's there is great (and long damn). Looking forward to the final release of this one (which is probably not so soon since it's still missing some core features like some classes masteries).
Game 7 - Hi Fi Rush
Platform - Xbox Series X
Time: 12 hours
Rating: 4.5/5
How the hell did this shadowdrop out of nowhere? Absolutely fantastic mix of rhytmn game and devil may cry style character action, gorgeous cel shaded visuals, amazing soundtrack, just an absolute joy to play through. This is a triple A quality title (exclusive no less) with no fanfare, and at a budget price, it's baffling. Speaking of budget, the smaller budget can be felt here and there (especially later in the game, hell they even do a meta joke about it) which made me not go the full 5/5 as I felt it was a bit rushed towards the end, but it's still an absolute must play for pretty much anyone in my opinion.
Game 8 - Hoa
Platform - Switch
Time: 3 hours
Rating: 2.5/5
Gorgeous 2d puzzle platformer in the same vein of other "combatless" games like Gris or Journey and Abzu, although not as good as any of those, it's still worth to play if you are a fan of the genre. Like I said, it's absolutely gorgeous, and the gameplay is good enough for how short it is (even if the last level gets a little too mind-bendy for it's own good), but at the same time most of the levels are very same-y looking, and it never capitalizes on the abilities you get throughout.
Game 9 - Quest Hunter
Platform - Switch
Time: 15 hours
Rating: 3/5
I'll preface that for better or worse, this is clearly a mobile game (at least originally), and you can tell. If you can get past the obvious limitations, it's actually a decent action rpg with lots of content, decent puzzles, lots of loot and skills to unlock, it pretty much tics all the boxes and I enjoyed my time with it. I also played the DLC but the last boss was such a damage sponge that I couldn't be arsed finishing it, so im not gonna list it as I was initially going to.
Game 10 - Imp of the Sun
Platform - Switch
Time: 5 hours
Rating: 2.5/5
Another metroidvania, this one is just ok tho. Great 2d art but the gameplay feels super loose, and it's quite hard early on until you start gettting some upgrades. When it opens up mechanically there's some fun to be had, but it's super short at around 4 to 5 hours, and unless you are into collectibles, there's not even much reason to treat it as a "metroidvania" as you barely do any backtracking. For super fans of the genre only, and only if you find it cheap.
Game 11 - Ghostwire Tokyo
Platform - Xbox Series X
Time: 28 hours
Rating: 4/5
Wasn't sure what to expect going in as I didn't pay much attention when it came out initially, but I sure wasn't expecting Far Cry with ghosts. But you know what, that's what I got and I ended up really enjoying it. I thought it looked good, had some nice enemy variety and some really satisfying gameplay with the different elemental powers. But, it follows the Far Cry formula to a T for better or worse, so if you don't like a big map full of icons to clear, this probably isn't for you. I don't mind that style of gameplay loop and hadn't played one in a while so it really clicked with me. Bonus points for the spirits you have to collect to level up reminding me of the Crackdown orbs, right down to the fact you need to fly around to get a lot of them.
Game 12 - Vernal Edge
Platform - Switch
Time: 10 hours
Rating: 4/5
Another great metroidvania that stands out in a sea of similar games with it's unique take on combat and art style. Combat takes a bit to get used to, especially with the weird healing mechanic (I went through half the game not healing because I didnt understand it until I googled it), and same can be said for the various traversal abilities you aquire (again, everything in this game is unique for better or worse and can take a bit to get used to) but for my money, it all comes together nicely. Perfect length and some really good level design, but it's also brutally difficult at times, so beware if that is not your jam. It's not top tier in the genre, but it's upper tier for sure, and very much worth playing for fans of these games.
Game 13 - Bayonetta
Platform - Switch
Time: 11 hours
Rating: 4.5/5
Another replay, this time to be ready for Bayo 3, and it's still as crazy and awesome as ever. Well, maybe not AS awesome, I actually have some nitpicks with it this time around that never really bothered me before, like the weird random still-image cutscenes, or the fact that the game is very... brown and gold (much like a lot of the 360/ps3 era games). The last few levels also are a bit frustrating, but then it goes back to being awesome with some truly ridiculous last couple of bosses / sequences. I'll save the 5/5 for the sequel which I liked more, but it's still a classic tho (well, as long as you can overlook the ridiculous sexualization, but I'm not going to go there here).
Game 14 - Dorfromantik
Platform - Switch
Time: Ongoing
Rating: 4/5
Super chill and deceptively hard mix of puzzle game and city builder, Dorfromantik doesn't have much going for it, but what it does it executes perfectly. Use your tiles to make bigger and bigger landscapes and get the highest score you can, that's about it. But it's super fun and addictive, and nail the "just one more go" aspect perfectly.
Game 15 - Bayonetta 2
Platform - Switch
Time: 9 hours
Rating: 4.5/5
Fantastic sequel that looks much better than the first game (one of the best looking games on the Switch especially in a oled portable, so wtf happened with 3? a story for another time I guess), and still has some fantastic set pieces and bosses, but I actually didn't resonate with it as much on this replay, as I felt the second part of the game isn't as strong (hell the game peaks in the first level to be honest) and the story is a time travel mess. Still awesome tho, and im really curious to finally play 3 now.
Game 16 - The Last Case of Benedict Fox
Platform - Xbox Series X
Time: 14 hours
Rating: 3/5
Boy what a bummer this was. On one hand, the visuals and art design are absolutely fantastic, and it has some of the best puzzle design in most of the metroidvanias I've played (it's very akin to Resident Evil style puzzles in fact), but on the other hand, it's also one of the worst playing metroidvanias I've ever played, with super floaty gameplay and horrible combat, so I'm super torn on this one. I guess it depends on what you value more out of these games, if it's the gameplay stay away for sure, if it's the puzzle's and exploration, there is great stuff hidden underneath the terrible gameplay here.
Game 17 - Picross S4
Platform - Switch
Time: 30 hours
Rating: 4/5
Another game in the S series, same quality you expect from the Jupiter picross games. Not much to say really, there's no new puzzle types (unlike 3 which introduced the color puzzles), just another great collection of picross. I wish there was more color puzzles, and the extra puzzles you get from owning the previous games are a bit too big to play portable (the 40X30 grid becomes tiny portable) but thats just a tiny nitpick. If you like this series, you know exactly what to expect.
Game 18 - Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon
Platform - Switch
Time: 20 hours
Rating: 4/5
What a wonderful surprise this was, proving that Platinum isn't a one trick pony and can venture into completely different genres and still excel at it. Absolutely gorgeous and with a unique gameplay hook where you control Cereza and her Demon at the same time, this was a bundle of joy from start to end. It's a bit of a slow starter, but once you start picking up the different elemental powers both for traversal and puzzles, but also combat, it quickly grabs you and doesn't let go until the end. It's a little repetitious and way too easy (until the last boss which was actually kinda tough) but I had a blast and really liked how different it was from the other Bayonetta games.
Game #19 - Remnant II
Platform - XBOX Series X
Time: 40 hours
Rating: 4/5
Great sequel to the surprisingly souls-like shooter from 2019, it improves on everything the first game did, with better combat, better locations and more classes. Just a ton of fun to play once you find a weapon that suits you and your class, the zones are giant and I was enjoying it so much I even replayed the zones to get the alternative versions.
Game #20 - Guild Wars 2
Platform - PC
Time: 90 hours
Rating: 4/5
Finally decided to play this "for real" after dabbling in and out for years, and I'm glad I did. While not to the same degree as Final Fantasy 14, you can play this completely solo just for the story alone (much more than something like World of Warcraft for example) which I did, completing the vanilla story and all it's related instanced content which I actually enjoyed, although there was better (and worse) to come later one. Still looks great to this day, and the gameplay is still super fun (if a bit "floaty" for my tastes), the classes are great, especially with more introduced in later expansions, and the world is huge with tons to explore. A must play for MMO fans.
Game #21 - Guild Wars 2 Heart of Thorns
Platform - PC
Time: 20 hours
Rating: 2/5
And my love / hate relationship with Guild Wars 2 (or it's expansions I guess) begins, and this was a HUGE let down for me. The new zones introduced are a pain in the ass to navigate, the story did nothing for me after the great set up coming into the expansion. But it's the zones that really drag the whole thing down (some people love them tho) as the vertical nature of the early ones coupled with the nightmarish mazes of the later ones just made the whole thing a slog to get through.
Game #22 - Guild Wars 2 Path of Fire
Platform - PC
Time: 15 hours
Rating: 5/5
But we bounce right back with Path of Fire, easily my favorite GW2 expansion, as I loved everything about it from the story to the zones to the new stuff added. I wish the main story had been a little longer as I really wanted a bit more, especially after the slog that Thorns was.
Game #23 - Guild Wars 2 End of Dragons
Platform - PC
Time: 15 hours
Rating: 4/5
Another great expansions, while a notch below PoF story wise in my opinion, I still really liked it and hey, it introduced Mechanic which is my favorite class in the game so it gets bonus points for that. The Samurai setting is a bit "been there done that every mmo needs a Asian setting expansion apparently", but they do it well so I didn't mind it.
Game #24 - Guild Wars 2 Living World
Platform - PC
Time: 40 hours
Rating: 3/5
Wasn't sure if I was going to include this or not, as It's pretty much a collection of content patches book ending each expansion and setting up the next ones, but to this day you still need to pay for them with in game currency or buy the fancy complete edition on Steam, so they are effectively DLC so i'm including it. Content wise, it's very much a mixed bag, with some of my favorite story content in GW2, but also some of the worse. For completionists only probably.
Game #25 - Guild Wars 2 Secrets of the Obscure
Platform - PC
Time: 10 hours
Rating: 2/5
And it ends on a bummer note with another super disappointing expansion, as with much like Heart of Thorns, not only did the story do nothing for me, but the zones were a pain in the ass to navigate due to being made for the dynamic flying mounts which I have to say, after so much hype, felt really disappointing (and were done much better in WoW in that game's latest expansion in my opinion). I was also probably very burned out at this point after playing around 300 hours of Guild Wars 2 back to back, but looking at the reception on Steam for example (mixed reviews) it seems many agree its not very good.
Game #26 - Tiny Tina's Wonderlands
Platform - PC
Time: 30 hours
Rating: 4/5
I really liked this but I am a big Borderlands fanboy, and it's more of that except in a fantasy setting. At this point, you either are a fan of their style of game and you know what you're getting, or you're not a fan and this won't change your mind. Like I said, I'm a fan so I enjoyed it a lot.
Game #27 - Vampire Survivors
Platform - Switch
Time: Ongoing
Rating: 5/5
I had played this last year on the Series X on gamepass and loved it, so when it hit the Switch it was a no brainer to replay at work, especially with how cheap it is. And I was flabergasted with how good the port is, as I was sure the system would buckle under the chaos, but it handles it fine. The game itself is ridiculously addictive as we know, I honestly put it as one of the great games of all time these days especially with the way it keeps putting out new content. It's one of those "perfect games" in my opinion.
Game #28 - Lies of P
Platform - Xbox Series X
Time: 75 hours
Rating: 5/5
Absolutely fantastic Souls-like, easily the best made by anyone not Fromsoft (and even better than some of the Fromsoft ones to be honest), it looks great, it plays fantastic, the world setting is awesome, it's super polished, just a complete win all around for the studio, and I can't wait to see what they do with the DLC and especially with a sequel. It's easily my GOTY and I loved it so much I immediatly replayed it with a different character after I finished (thus the 75 hours, pretty much 40 the first time, 35 the second time). It should count twice!
Game #29 - Diablo 4
Platform - Xbox Series X
Time: Ongoing
Rating: 3.5/5
I'll be honest, I know it's cool to hate on the game, but I really liked it at launch. I loved the campaign, I loved the couple of classes I played, the world, I had a blast. I never reached level 100 because back then levels were slower and whatnot, but I did pretty much everything there was to do. Unfortunately, I also fell off hard, I played very little of season 1 and I've played even less of season 2, so maybe the "ongoing" moniker isn't very accurate. I still want to go back to it one of these days, if only to try out a new class as that's usually fun.
Game #30 - A Plague's Tale Requiem
Platform - Xbox Series X
Time: 20 hours
Rating: 5/5
I was a big fan of the first game and this sequel improves on pretty much everything, tells a better (and much darker) story, and with the recent 60fps patch, looks and runs amazing. It still has the fundamental problem that every stealth game has, it's very trial and error, but that doesn't bother me, especially not when everything else is so good. I can't believe they went there with the ending too, kudos. An absolute must play, just like the first one was.
Game #31 - Lords of the Fallen
Platform - Xbox Series X
Time: 50 hours
Rating: 4/5
Mixed bag with this one, because on one hand I really loved the game, especially the exploration adpect (which I still maintain is some of the best Souls-like exploration around), but on the other hand, the game is VERY janky, has some real asshole enemy placement especially late game, and performance wasn't the best when I played. It's probably more of a 3.5/5, but Im a Souls fanboy and the game scratched all the right itches for me, so I'm being generous.
Game #32 - Monster Sanctuary
Platform - Switch
Time: 30 hours
Rating: 3.5/5
Really cool mix of genres, as the game is basically your standard metroidvania from a gameplay and exploration perspective, but all the combat is Pokemon battles. The campaign is a bit longer than it should be as I was just about ready to be done with the game long before it ended, and there's a nasty difficulty spike in the end game that made me have to grind out a new team to beat it, but overall I really liked it and thought both genres mixed nicely.
Game #33 - Warcraft Rumble
Platform - Mobile
Time: Ongoing
Rating: 2.5/5
Super fun until it becomes obnoxiously pay-2-win is the best way I can describe this, as I was having a blast with it until late in the campaign where I hit a unpassable roadblock until I managed to level up all my units (very slowly since im not paying for boosts), and then I could finally get pass that, only to run into the next one. And don't even get me started on PVP. Still, it looks great, and it is fun enough to come back every day and do the daily quests for gold and whatnot. Fun timewaster if you don't think too much about it.
Game #34 - Astlibra Revision
Platform - Switch
Time: 33 hours
Rating: 3.5/5
What a bummer this one turned out to be. Gameplay wise, it's a fantastic 2d action rpg (it might look like a metroidvania but it's more akin to Zelda 2 for example), and the writing and story are very serviceable... until the uglyness rears it's head, and some of the worst, cringiest dialogue and disgusting scenarios pop up, as if it was written by a horny 14 year old watching anime for the first time. There's some REALLY dodgy things in it which really drag the whole thing down, which is a shame because the actual game is really good and original.
Game #35 - Portal
Platform - Switch
Time: 4 hours
Rating: 4.5/5
Great port of one of my favorite games ever, it still completely holds up, and the Switch version is basically perfect. Saving the 5/5 for the sequel tho.
Game #36 - Itta
Platform - Switch
Time: 4 hours
Rating: 4/5
Awesome dual stick shooter action adventure, with gorgeous pixel art and satisfying bullet hell gameplay, and a darker than expected story. It's pretty short, but it's one of those cases where that is for it's benefit, as even at just 4 hours it's packed with a ton of bosses and quite a few zones to explore. Just a great little game all around.
Game #37 - Tales From Space Mutant Blob Attack!!!
Platform - Switch
Time: 4 hours
Rating: 4/5
Replay for this one, one of Drinkbox's first games, and it still holds up as a super fun Katamari-esque 2d platformer. Switch port is pretty much perfect and it looks gorgeous on the OLED screen.
Game #38 - Agent A: A Puzzle in Disguise
Platform - Switch
Time: 4 hours
Rating: 3/5
Cute little point and click adventure with a cool stylized spy aesthetic. Some of the puzzles got a little obtuse for me and I had to check a guide a few times, but overall it was a good time and never overstayed it's welcome.
Game #39 - Golf Club Wasteland (or Nostalgia as it's apparently called on Steam)
Platform - Switch
Time: 2 hours
Rating: 1/5
It has some pretty good 2d art... that's about all the positive I can say about this, as I absolutely hated the gameplay, a collection of increasingly frustrating levels where you never feel in control of your golf swings as the game clearly wants you to. Hated my time with it even tho it's very short.
Game #40 - Lost Words Beyond The Page
Platform - Switch
Time: 5 hours
Rating: 3/5
Cute little 2d platformer which some unique mechanics around using words to manipulate the environments, and a surprisingly touching story (although your mileage may vary here as it's one of those "tragic event disguised by a kid's fantasy" tropes). It's not amazing by any means but it looks good and it's not too long.
Game #41 - Anuchard
Platform - Switch
Time: 9 hours
Rating: 3.5/5
This was a cool zelda-esque action rpg with some increasingly good dungeons to wade through as you save various villagers, upgrade your dude and do various side quests, but unfrotunately the writing (and there is A LOT) did nothing for me, as they clearly tried to create their universe here, but none of it was interesting. But the game itself was really fun, the art style is unique but good, and the gameplay is simple but satisfying. I really liked it, even if I ended up ignoring the story completely.
Game #42 - Elli
Platform - Switch
Time: 5 hours
Rating: 3.5/5
Pretty good 3d platformer with tight gameplay, great art style and the exploration and puzzles never get frustrating. Story is super simple but it serves it's purpose, as you go around collecting your mcguffins in various puzzle-y locations. Great Switch version too, ran great portable.
Game #43 - Figment
Platform - Switch
Time: 5 hours
Rating: 3.5/5
Isometric action - puzzle game with gorgeous 2d art and great voice acting (and singing!), the weird locales you visit are really imaginative, and the puzzles never get frustrating which is always my fear with puzzle games. The only downside unfortunately is the fact that the Switch version completely tanks performance in the last level, to the point that it made it hard to finish, and thus made me dock a little score. Great game overall tho, I'm very curious about the sequel now.
Game #44 - Mystik Belle Enchanted Edition
Platform - Switch
Time: 4 hours
Rating: 3/5
Cute little metroidvania with very good pixel art but a little too much "object hunting" (it almost feels like a point and click adventure to be honest), the whole thing is pretty easy and shrot, always feeling like "my first metroidvania", but it's well made and charming, so I enjoyed it. Definitely not as good as many others in the genre, and these days there are a lot.
Game #45 - Down in Bermuda
Platform - Switch
Time: 3 hours
Rating: 2/5
Hidden object puzzle game with some cute 2d art, but some of the puzzles seemed quite obtuse in my opinion, and the whole thing just didn't do much for me. It's not terrible by any means, but I guess hidden object games just aren't my jam as I already hadn't enjoyed Hidden Folks last year for example.
Game #46 - Old Man's Journey
Platform - Switch
Time: 2 hours
Rating: 2/5
Very short walking sim with some good 2d art and a cool background manipulation mechanic marred by super flimsy controls (at least on the Switch) that made the whole thing more grating than enjoyable. Much like Down in Bermuda, it's not terrible but it did absolutely nothing for me.
Game #47 - The Almost Gone
Platform - Switch
Time: 3 hours
Rating: 3.5/5
This on the other hand tickled all the right itches for me, from the gorgeous isometric minimalistic art style, to the puzzles and story, at least until the end game, where it got a bit too hard for me and send me straight into a guide (especially the hospital level with the tubes >_>), but it's one of those games (much like another one later) where I loved the vibe so much, I can look past some of the weaker points.
Game #48 - The Lightbringer
Platform - Switch
Time: 5 hours
Rating: 1.5/5
What was an enjoyable if unremarkable isometric 3d platformer for the first half of the game completely falls apart in the second half thanks to levels becoming more and more in need of pixel perfect jumps and the game's gameplay (or camera) is nowhere near as precise as it needed to be for it. And the worst part (something that actually happened again with another game later) is that if you lose all your lives, you need to restart the whole level over from scratch, and the second half levels get quite long. Horribly dated system, ain't nobody have the time or the patience for that shit these days, especially not with a game that is already middling to start with. Shame, I actually enjoyed the first half.
Game #49 - Silt
Platform - Switch
Time: 3 hours
Rating: 4/5
Absolutely gorgeous (and creepy) underwater puzzle game, where you swim around possessing various sea creatures to progress. It's very simple mechanically, and there is a heavy amount of trial and error, and it's very short, but damn if it isn't completely carried by the amazing aesthetic. I probably loved it more than most, mostly for the art style and just overall vibe of the game, but I still think it's a unique (and again, gorgeous) game worth playing, especially for horror fans.
Game #50 - Moon Raider
Platform - Switch
Time: 4 hours
Rating: 3/5
This was a cute little indie 2d shooter, reminiscent of Megaman for example (no boss power stealing tho) that doesn't really do anything particularly new or amazing but it's well made, its fun to play and it's short and breezy.
Game #51 - Cleo A Pirate's Tale
Platform - Switch
Time: 4 hours
Rating: 3.5/5
Very cool little pirate adventure game with great pixel art and shockingly good voice acting. It's pretty short and the puzzles are on the easy side (I didn't have to check a guide for once!) but both are actually pluses for me with adventure games these days anyway. Cool little story too, Guybrush Threepwood would aprove.
Game #52 - Shu
Platform - Switch
Time: 4 hours
Rating: 2/5
A very by-the-numbers 2d platformer with some decent art style and variety of abilities in various levels with the buddies you are saving, but it's very short, barely has any story and the old school "gem collecting" 2d platformer doesn't do much for me these days. It also commits the same sin as Lightbringer earlier, where when you lose all your lives you need to restart the whole level, which made the very last level of the game one of the most frustrating things I can remember and kinda soured me on the whole thing. Please stop doing this devs, I don't mind banging my head against a section of a level, but if you make me restart the whole thing, it's just going to make me hate your game.
