Cross-posting from another thread
This game frustrates the hell out of me but I’ll be damned if I don’t feel a real sense of progress when I figure shit out. The map does not track your location in real-time. You can look at what you’ve uncovered whenever, but you only get the little “you are here” dot in save rooms. There is no life bar, though it’s clear when you’re badly hurt. You have more or less no direct offensive capability. Even the one “gun” you get seems like more of a tool.
While it does gate progress behind the acquisition of powerups, only some of the paths are like HEY COME BACK LATER WITH A POWERUP, which is nice.
I dare say this the rare Metroidvania that’s more Metroid than 'Vania
edit: In fact, fuck it, it’s really not 'Vania at all.