I don't even like platformers - in fact I usually dislike them. It's hard to find anything to complain about. It's like a Pixar movie or something - I would eagerly encourage young gamers to try this out (it's liable to spark a love for gaming in kids IMO) but at the same time everything here is of a calibre to easily appeal to the old timer who's been playing games for a decade and has seen everything. The writing is charming, wholesome and (amazingly, given how 'out there' the world building is) grounded and mature enough to have the broadest appeal possible. Every moment is packed with character, artistry, dazzling visuals and mind-bending and challenging gameplay. There is an element of RPG progression in leveling up your powers and buying a few items that modify them, and then there's the collectibles (which I typically don't care for in games), but that's secondary to what really makes this game compelling - the spectacular level design and the way it's integrated into the world and the narrative. Rather, you keep playing to see what fresh wonders lie around the corner. You keep playing not because of a gimmicky gameplay loop, not because you're trying to get that dopamine hit from progression, or any of the other cheap tricks games use to keep a player invested. It's one of those games that goes exceptionally well with some smoke (if you like to indulge), and pulls you into a wondrous and charming world that makes you recall what it was like to play a really immersive video game for the first time as a child. Not because it's got hyper detailed graphics or mechanics, but because it seems to push the enveloppe for the medium of gaming, and is just packed to the brim with meticulous design. It's one of few recent games that makes me feel like we're in the "next gen". I never played much of the original (but obviously heard tell of how imaginative it was) - whenever I tried it just felt dated.
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