Fun game with some good challenge and lots of exploration. Some of the secrets were a bit too out of the way or basically unfindable without a guide.

As with most all metroidvanias, you gain more abilities and attack options as you progress through the game, beating mini-bosses and bosses alike. You'll be backtracking along to explore those previously locked places with new gear in tow. Fortunately, there are plenty of fast travel locations and shortcuts unlocked through switches and the like after harrowing fights.

The spirits themselves, while varied, seemed mostly unnecessary. The Umbral Knight, Siegrid, Headless Knight, Gerod <hammer guy>, Eilene <witch ranged attack>, and Caster Sorceress basically stayed with me the whole game. And those six spirits were obtained in the first 2 or 3 areas. Any changes to my spirits were to get some of the really out of the way secrets.

The relics <items with different effects> were varied, but much more useful on the other hand. Plenty of situations had me swapping out to better combat a boss or area.

The OST was great BGM and one of the final places has an unsettling song that really fits the atmosphere and where you are on the journey.

Just like Binary Haze's other game, Redemption Reapers, getting 100% achievements is doable without having to do New Game+ or ridiculous grind. The game also adds extra difficulty after beating the final boss or all endings?

Finally, the story was grim and only given to you in brief flashbacks, world design, and journal entries you find along the way. The story had me vested, and it had good world building, but I found myself wishing for a bit more concrete explanation of certain aspects of the world and enemies.

Overall, I enjoyed the game very much and it's nicely paced, 100%-able at around 17 hours. Give it a solid 8/10 and it frequently goes on sale for dirt cheap.

This game offers a refreshing and distinct experience from its Hollow Knight counterpart. The combat is fast-paced, brutal, and varied, largely due to the diverse spirits you can equip. However, I wish there had been a small tutorial area encouraging experimentation with new spirits as you acquire them, as this might have pushed me to explore their potential more fully.

The story is engaging, becoming clearer as you progress, especially through optional logs that provide valuable context. While it feels obscure at first, everything ties together nicely by the end. The world is filled with dangerous foes, creating plenty of tense moments where you're just as likely to kill as be killed.

My only minor complaint is that some areas felt underdesigned, which led me to rely on the map more than I would have liked—though that might just be a personal preference. The boss fights are distinct and offer a satisfying challenge without being overwhelmingly difficult, though they might not push you to the brink if you're seeking a truly punishing experience.

Also as a habitual self-saboteur in the relentless pursuit of 100% completion, I appreciate the game's careful balance of optional content. However a few more optional challenges sprinkled throughout wouldn't have gone amiss.

Good Stuffs:
+ Amazing and beautiful story.
+ Beautiful world and background music that'll make you immerse in the game
+ Great mechanics and progression
+ The length of the game is just right

Now, the bad stuffs:
- You might dislike how the attacks mechanics if you played games with fluid movement like HK (but i've grown to liking it)
- The game itself is not so hard and death gives no penalty
- The hardest challenge of this game is not the final boss, but the environment itself


now for the paragraph if you want to read it lol

i bought just because it looks like Hollow Knight but i stayed because of how beautiful the game is. Tbh, i finished the game in my 3rd playthrough because i just can't make myself to finish the game before but i regretted that decision after i finished the game. Such a fun and immersive game with beautiful world and OSTs.