Also: having only a single fake wall (without a more instructive instance) was permissible, given the Metroidvania context- the author has a right to expect us to expect fake walls. Having only a single instance of invisible platforms was really just over that line, however. And requiring the player to pixel-hunt and make the invisible-platform jump with perfect accuracy was fucking obnoxious. Stop that.

I enjoyed this game a bunch — I’ve liked all of MNWS’s stuff that’s been posted here — but Redder is pretty much a masterpiece. You can take Redder’s similar tricksiness as equivalent to what’s going on here, but it also supports a more forcefully political reading beyond its game-about-a-certain-game-trope surface.

In this game it feels like the environment has punished you for your transgressions. In Redder it feels…well, you should find out.

I guess I should go play Redder.

As for the ending: it left me feeling anxious and looking for more meaning. I thought “oh, maybe I have to get hidden hearts? Maybe I can get the key if I…”, which is exactly the emotion the authors intended to evoke. Good on them! Great game, great ending. Reminded me a little of “Don’t Look Back” at least in the visual style.

But the platforming was super solid and awesomely satisfying.

I really like the wrap-around mechanics, they were done really well. The ending is also pretty smart.