This is one of the greatest Metroidvania´s i´ve played.

[Onomoki]

I played it on the Switch, so can´t leave review. I just want to give my whole heartedly recommendation for this game. I can´t believe it was primarily made by two people.

The Tower is huge and full of secrets. The progression is interesting and original. The retro artwork and the music is AMAZING. It´s a large, large game, took me over 20h to max it. If you want to support hard working developers that obviously put their souls into their game. Please buy this!

[Mansen]

While I'll never agree with the way HP and campfires are handled, I definitely enjoyed the game - Enough that I dived into all of the bonus game modes immediately upon finishing the game the first time around.

Definitely worth a place among the better Metroidvanias by indie teams.

[Jauder le Bonette]

My fave part when the game was balanced entirely around completely broken mage and every other character was useless. Such great design, much wow.
Also when knight got dash boots but you couldn't switch to him till 3 hourls later
And when my character select became clogged with completely useless Simon Belmont and literal baby.
Oh and how when a room has entrance above, but separated from all other entrances, making it a functionally separate room, but it isn't actually reflected on the map at all, and most rooms in the games are like that! Such great design!
And every single instance of cyclops and flying meat was such a thoughtful and deep experience!
Ah, and the keys! Everybody knows keys are the greatest part of every metroidvania!
And the idea to not give you ability to collect orbs or use elevator from the get-go is such a smart gamedesign, adds so much!

[Jauder le Bonette]

TLDR: game is a mess, go play Ender Lilies, a metroidvania that at the very least actually respects your time

[Onomoki]

Originally posted by That's way better.:

My fave part when the game was balanced entirely around completely broken mage and every other character was useless. Such great design, much wow.
Also when knight got dash boots but you couldn't switch to him till 3 hourls later
And when my character select became clogged with completely useless Simon Belmont and literal baby.
Oh and how when a room has entrance above, but separated from all other entrances, making it a functionally separate room, but it isn't actually reflected on the map at all, and most rooms in the games are like that! Such great design!
And every single instance of cyclops and flying meat was such a thoughtful and deep experience!
Ah, and the keys! Everybody knows keys are the greatest part of every metroidvania!
And the idea to not give you ability to collect orbs or use elevator from the get-go is such a smart gamedesign, adds so much!

All minor squabbles compared to the well crafted, deep and beautiful experience you get from such a reasonable priced game!

[Chyadosensei]

Originally posted by Onomoki:

I played it on the Switch, so can´t leave review. I just want to give my whole heartedly recommendation for this game. I can´t believe it was primarily made by two people.

The Tower is huge and full of secrets. The progression is interesting and original. The retro artwork and the music is AMAZING. It´s a large, large game, took me over 20h to max it. If you want to support hard working developers that obviously put their souls into their game. Please buy this!

Thank you so much for the kind words! I'm sure both Jon and Matt appreciate you taking the time to praising all their hard work!

[S☯wn-Lﺤuꁅhtǝr]

Originally posted by That's way better.:

TLDR: game is a mess, go play Ender Lilies, a metroidvania that at the very least actually respects your time

thx ill try that cause this one felt like it was Designed to drag out the 2hr refund..

[Pleont]

Originally posted by Sown-Laughter:

Originally posted by That's way better.:

TLDR: game is a mess, go play Ender Lilies, a metroidvania that at the very least actually respects your time

thx ill try that cause this one felt like it was Designed to drag out the 2hr refund..

Eh, Astalon isn't the kind of game that will 'entertain' you for 2 hours and then trick you with the remaining hours of content. Admittedly, I don't disagree with Sown-Laughter's criticisms, but I feel it's more of something the developers will have to think about carefully when designing their next game, since empty praise isn't going to help them understand what parts they did correctly (I only would save posts like OP if I'm going to be trying to impress a future employer).

The game lets you experience what it has to offer immediately without any lengthy prologue or tutorials, so I think the first hour would be enough to determine if it requires a refund. The game is like 'Metroid' and 'Castlevania: Sympthony of the Night', and if you liked those games, then there isn't anything to dislike about Astalon.

I'm not sure why the other poster recommended Ender Lilies; that game targets those who like Soul's-like Platformers (e.g. Salt & Sanctuary) where the combat and build of your character is more important than exploring a big map. The map design are treated as nodes that are mostly flat to suit its combat system. If Salt & Sanctuary is a game you enjoyed far more than something like 'Environmental Station Alpha', then Ender Liliies is the logical choice for you.

[S☯wn-Lﺤuꁅhtǝr]

Originally posted by Pleont:

Originally posted by Sown-Laughter:

thx ill try that cause this one felt like it was Designed to drag out the 2hr refund..

Eh, Astalon isn't the kind of game that will 'entertain' you for 2 hours and then trick you with the remaining hours of content. Admittedly, I don't disagree with Sown-Laughter's criticisms, but I feel it's more of something the developers will have to think about carefully when designing their next game, since empty praise isn't going to help them understand what parts they did correctly (I only would save posts like OP if I'm going to be trying to impress a future employer).

The game lets you experience what it has to offer immediately without any lengthy prologue or tutorials, so I think the first hour would be enough to determine if it requires a refund. The game is like 'Metroid' and 'Castlevania: Sympthony of the Night', and if you liked those games, then there isn't anything to dislike about Astalon.

I'm not sure why the other poster recommended Ender Lilies; that game targets those who like Soul's-like Platformers (e.g. Salt & Sanctuary) where the combat and build of your character is more important than exploring a big map. The map design are treated as nodes that are mostly flat to suit its combat system. If Salt & Sanctuary is a game you enjoyed far more than something like 'Environmental Station Alpha', then Ender Liliies is the logical choice for you.

Oh I was aware it would be a mess but same time I wanted to leave the game on well past the refund and support the art and style of the game. Because its rare and Unique for the retro scene, not much gruesome demons in anime style and its mostly zombies or dragons.

Don't get me wrong I understood what I was getting into when i paid for this, but same time there is drawn out, and dragged to death.

If there was some way to make the grind less story based which just seemed dev didn't want to program a fast travel, (Or couldn't bring their self to part from the plot for convenience), and was like Hey Death loop can be plot, then I don't have to do nearly as much.

Which tbh feels more like trading plot for shortcuts selected at random forced by incentive to save up soul points.

The art style is wonderful, the pacing is ok, but the Climb is unbearable.

We get it plot we die and come back to fulfill promise because reasons.

Stop beating it into the player, And its Beaten into us so much to the point its like
Lets get this over with... not oh Wow Neato!

[SNIVY BOI]

Originally posted by Chyadosensei:

Originally posted by Onomoki:

I played it on the Switch, so can´t leave review. I just want to give my whole heartedly recommendation for this game. I can´t believe it was primarily made by two people.

The Tower is huge and full of secrets. The progression is interesting and original. The retro artwork and the music is AMAZING. It´s a large, large game, took me over 20h to max it. If you want to support hard working developers that obviously put their souls into their game. Please buy this!

Thank you so much for the kind words! I'm sure both Jon and Matt appreciate you taking the time to praising all their hard work!

Dude's literally pointed out a bunch of the game's shortcomings albeit in a sharp-tongued manner. So yeah. Maybe they should appreciate it.

[Jauder le Bonette]

Originally posted by Sown-Laughter:

I'm not sure why the other poster recommended Ender Lilies; that game targets those who like Soul's-like Platformers (e.g. Salt & Sanctuary) where the combat and build of your character is more important than exploring a big map. The map design are treated as nodes that are mostly flat to suit its combat system. If Salt & Sanctuary is a game you enjoyed far more than something like 'Environmental Station Alpha', then Ender Liliies is the logical choice for you.

Because A LOT of Astalon is just combat, and not a decent souls-like one but a dull castlevania one. Since you need to save up orbs and every character upgrades separetely AND you can't know the mage would be the best DPS from the get-go, your damage for the most of the game will be so bad every enemy will take forever. Cause most of the game is indeed designed with mage in mind it seems.

Also, later areas of Ender Lilies get extremely vertical, at first ones you simply don't have the tools for vertical traversal. Also every room has a puzzle hidden thing in it, which can't be said about Astalon, much of which's rooms are kinda fillery.

And in Lilies you can pulverize/avoid enemies once you know the layout, and you don't have to do a lot of it cause fast travel points are always 3 rooms away maximum. Meanwhile in Astalon no matte what you do you have to kill everything over and over again, at least for currency, which Lilies doesn't even has.

I am not even sure who Astalon is for. It has classic megaman level design, but it isn't fair cause your character's powers aren't static. So that's not for fans of that.
Metroidvania parts are underdevelopmed and punishing nature of the game goes against exploration, so not for them either.
Combat doesn't exists so...
It has a lot of roguelike elements but misses the main point completely - procedural level design.

[S☯wn-Lﺤuꁅhtǝr]

Originally posted by That's way better.:

Originally posted by Sown-Laughter:

I'm not sure why the other poster recommended Ender Lilies; that game targets those who like Soul's-like Platformers (e.g. Salt & Sanctuary) where the combat and build of your character is more important than exploring a big map. The map design are treated as nodes that are mostly flat to suit its combat system. If Salt & Sanctuary is a game you enjoyed far more than something like 'Environmental Station Alpha', then Ender Liliies is the logical choice for you.

Because A LOT of Astalon is just combat, and not a decent souls-like one but a dull castlevania one. Since you need to save up orbs and every character upgrades separetely AND you can't know the mage would be the best DPS from the get-go, your damage for the most of the game will be so bad every enemy will take forever. Cause most of the game is indeed designed with mage in mind it seems.

Also, later areas of Ender Lilies get extremely vertical, at first ones you simply don't have the tools for vertical traversal. Also every room has a puzzle hidden thing in it, which can't be said about Astalon, much of which's rooms are kinda fillery.

And in Lilies you can pulverize/avoid enemies once you know the layout, and you don't have to do a lot of it cause fast travel points are always 3 rooms away maximum. Meanwhile in Astalon no matte what you do you have to kill everything over and over again, at least for currency, which Lilies doesn't even has.

I am not even sure who Astalon is for. It has classic megaman level design, but it isn't fair cause your character's powers aren't static. So that's not for fans of that.
Metroidvania parts are underdevelopmed and punishing nature of the game goes against exploration, so not for them either.
Combat doesn't exists so...
It has a lot of roguelike elements but misses the main point completely - procedural level design.

As a I said before its beautiful game that feels unfinished and turned into a 2.5 hr refund siphon.

You dont make powerups to act like the same keys you are chasing, and then loop that mechanic over and over.

The first pickup I got worth visually something new was built for a character to pass through a row of fireballs.

IT was 4 hours later.

There really wasnt much but a pretty slog and grind with AI-less enemies.

If anything it was just some ones version of Legend of zelda II: Link the gathering of objects..

Not a Metroidvania.

It looked like one till you realize; that is the game: grab this, get this find this, repeat.

The difference is Castlevania III was more than path, style, and substance.
Castlevania III was Genuinely fun and challenging.

You had Perks with each character that made you want to switch all while it forced you to switch to progress.

This game Does not have that at all.
It may be a love letter to Metroid and Castlevania but it is not a combination or at the least a well played version of one or the other.

It's much less a love letter and more Dear John letter paired with a I.O.U.

[Levi_Athan_VT]

Originally posted by That's way better.:

Originally posted by Sown-Laughter:

I'm not sure why the other poster recommended Ender Lilies; that game targets those who like Soul's-like Platformers (e.g. Salt & Sanctuary) where the combat and build of your character is more important than exploring a big map. The map design are treated as nodes that are mostly flat to suit its combat system. If Salt & Sanctuary is a game you enjoyed far more than something like 'Environmental Station Alpha', then Ender Liliies is the logical choice for you.

Because A LOT of Astalon is just combat, and not a decent souls-like one but a dull castlevania one. Since you need to save up orbs and every character upgrades separetely AND you can't know the mage would be the best DPS from the get-go, your damage for the most of the game will be so bad every enemy will take forever. Cause most of the game is indeed designed with mage in mind it seems.

Also, later areas of Ender Lilies get extremely vertical, at first ones you simply don't have the tools for vertical traversal. Also every room has a puzzle hidden thing in it, which can't be said about Astalon, much of which's rooms are kinda fillery.

And in Lilies you can pulverize/avoid enemies once you know the layout, and you don't have to do a lot of it cause fast travel points are always 3 rooms away maximum. Meanwhile in Astalon no matte what you do you have to kill everything over and over again, at least for currency, which Lilies doesn't even has.

I am not even sure who Astalon is for. It has classic megaman level design, but it isn't fair cause your character's powers aren't static. So that's not for fans of that.
Metroidvania parts are underdevelopmed and punishing nature of the game goes against exploration, so not for them either.
Combat doesn't exists so...
It has a lot of roguelike elements but misses the main point completely - procedural level design.

I'm pretty late to this conversation but currently for me Kyuli is definitely my most powerful and most used. The game barely has use for Algus at all so far for me, outside of a few situations that requires him. Kyuli's traversal helps far more than Algus, her range is better, and her. That said I upgraded her the most currently, but I use her far more than any character in the game. Algus obviously seems to be better than Arias but that's the nature of his attack compare to Algus'. If anything I would be complaining about the lack of a use for Arias outside of having him cut down the vines. Kyuli is used far more than any character for me for her ability to skip through areas rather quickly and get to areas the others can't. Algus is just used to hit those crystals and Arias is just used to hit the vines, but Algus combat wise is on par with Kyuli currently.

As for the argument of "Who is Astalon for?" and your descriptions: I am a very big fan of Megaman who has played almost every single Megaman game in existence and I'm currently enjoying Astalon a lot as well, regardless if your powers aren't static(and in Megaman your powers aren't exactly static either, since you do get upgrades). I enjoy Metroidvanias and don't feel like the Metroidvania parts are underdeveloped at all. There is a lot of backtracking but there are areas you can teleport around to to get closer and I don't have to fight every enemy in an area to progress. I barely worry about upgrades currently. They're nice but aren't the be all end all as I can make quick work of most enemies within a hit or two. The game isn't that punishing either. The only punishing part of it is that you are sent back to the beginning, which you can alleviate with the elevator and the portals. Combat does exist as well, it's very much like Megaman's combat for me, outside of Algus, but even then the game feels very much like classic Megaman games, but as if Zero was in classic. As for roguelike, procedural level design is not a necessity for a roguelike. It's just a feature that appears in most of them. Roguelike's main feature, and the feature that determines if it's a roguelike, is the dying and coming back. So all four points that you say drive fans off, I appreciate. I will admit there are things I do not like about Avalon currently, but so far none of your complaints, save the one you have for Algus(which is actually wrong as far as usefulness goes. May change if I max out both Kyuli and Algus, but even then Kyuli's ability to get around the map and similar damage with farther range far outclasses Algus' pure damage with a mid range attack requiring you to be much closer and no constant utility to get around the maps, my only problem with this argument is my lack of use for Arias outside of cutting vines because he's worse at combat than all of them, as well as worse at traversal than Kyuli, making him the weakest of the 3 main characters. Fixing Arias to be more useful and have a better traversal ability would really be the only thing I'd ask for, outside of maybe also giving Algus a better traversal ability so that all 3 have a reason to be used outside of just their gimmicks in REGULAR traversal, not just using their gimmicks to get through the map in certain areas).

This game is worth everything I paid for it and more, because it scratches an itch I've had for a while to have more classic style of games. That said, some of your arguments have merit but the way you present them as if they make the game not worth playing is 100% wrong.

[S☯wn-Lﺤuꁅhtǝr]

Originally posted by Levi Athan:

Originally posted by That's way better.:

Because A LOT of Astalon is just combat, and not a decent souls-like one but a dull castlevania one. Since you need to save up orbs and every character upgrades separetely AND you can't know the mage would be the best DPS from the get-go, your damage for the most of the game will be so bad every enemy will take forever. Cause most of the game is indeed designed with mage in mind it seems.

Also, later areas of Ender Lilies get extremely vertical, at first ones you simply don't have the tools for vertical traversal. Also every room has a puzzle hidden thing in it, which can't be said about Astalon, much of which's rooms are kinda fillery.

And in Lilies you can pulverize/avoid enemies once you know the layout, and you don't have to do a lot of it cause fast travel points are always 3 rooms away maximum. Meanwhile in Astalon no matte what you do you have to kill everything over and over again, at least for currency, which Lilies doesn't even has.

I am not even sure who Astalon is for. It has classic megaman level design, but it isn't fair cause your character's powers aren't static. So that's not for fans of that.
Metroidvania parts are underdevelopmed and punishing nature of the game goes against exploration, so not for them either.
Combat doesn't exists so...
It has a lot of roguelike elements but misses the main point completely - procedural level design.

I'm pretty late to this conversation but currently for me Kyuli is definitely my most powerful and most used. The game barely has use for Algus at all so far for me, outside of a few situations that requires him. Kyuli's traversal helps far more than Algus, her range is better, and her. That said I upgraded her the most currently, but I use her far more than any character in the game. Algus obviously seems to be better than Arias but that's the nature of his attack compare to Algus'. If anything I would be complaining about the lack of a use for Arias outside of having him cut down the vines. Kyuli is used far more than any character for me for her ability to skip through areas rather quickly and get to areas the others can't. Algus is just used to hit those crystals and Arias is just used to hit the vines, but Algus combat wise is on par with Kyuli currently.

As for the argument of "Who is Astalon for?" and your descriptions: I am a very big fan of Megaman who has played almost every single Megaman game in existence and I'm currently enjoying Astalon a lot as well, regardless if your powers aren't static(and in Megaman your powers aren't exactly static either, since you do get upgrades). I enjoy Metroidvanias and don't feel like the Metroidvania parts are underdeveloped at all. There is a lot of backtracking but there are areas you can teleport around to to get closer and I don't have to fight every enemy in an area to progress. I barely worry about upgrades currently. They're nice but aren't the be all end all as I can make quick work of most enemies within a hit or two. The game isn't that punishing either. The only punishing part of it is that you are sent back to the beginning, which you can alleviate with the elevator and the portals. Combat does exist as well, it's very much like Megaman's combat for me, outside of Algus, but even then the game feels very much like classic Megaman games, but as if Zero was in classic. As for roguelike, procedural level design is not a necessity for a roguelike. It's just a feature that appears in most of them. Roguelike's main feature, and the feature that determines if it's a roguelike, is the dying and coming back. So all four points that you say drive fans off, I appreciate. I will admit there are things I do not like about Avalon currently, but so far none of your complaints, save the one you have for Algus(which is actually wrong as far as usefulness goes. May change if I max out both Kyuli and Algus, but even then Kyuli's ability to get around the map and similar damage with farther range far outclasses Algus' pure damage with a mid range attack requiring you to be much closer and no constant utility to get around the maps, my only problem with this argument is my lack of use for Arias outside of cutting vines because he's worse at combat than all of them, as well as worse at traversal than Kyuli, making him the weakest of the 3 main characters. Fixing Arias to be more useful and have a better traversal ability would really be the only thing I'd ask for, outside of maybe also giving Algus a better traversal ability so that all 3 have a reason to be used outside of just their gimmicks in REGULAR traversal, not just using their gimmicks to get through the map in certain areas).

This game is worth everything I paid for it and more, because it scratches an itch I've had for a while to have more classic style of games. That said, some of your arguments have merit but the way you present them as if they make the game not worth playing is 100% wrong.

Ok Necroed post...

My point was there are better games out there that do this better like "The messenger".

A lot of Astalon/Avalon feels more like the art style was a hook at the beginning then waned off, it felt like the ambiance was more than a continuation of the game itself unfinished and rushed focusing on the story more than a culmination of the environments.

The constant running back and forth just wastes player time, and by the time you get anywhere you are bored..

It just feels like a meaty fishing hook game on steam.. Whereas a game like the messenger is a pleasant love letter surprise that keeps getting better rapidly for hours and hours on end; good humor GREAT art-style that fits each level and enemies...

Astalon is trying to be everything from Kid Icarus to Insert obvious 80's-90's anime influences the statues at the start..
The living maze its nice and all nothing new, but falls flat for the evolution of the enemies never making sense to the backgrounds.. It's more more like instances of Joe and mac looking concept art paired with with the durpy Cyclopean enemies..

There is no continuation for the Characters, ( I wouldn't be shocked if the devs made some emergency fix and stuffed the reason why the environments never matched the enemies into the plot).

Anyway..
The Messenger gets perks by even goes as far to reusing the same levels back and forth while embracing the retro as if its a aspect of time travel (going back into NES vs SNES music, sprites, and imagery).

Astalon just preys on the people who don't remember Castlevania 3
(the character abilities enemies and personalities had formula).
Or Metroid (Level layouts being about encouraging explorations not dreading a key or powerup)..

Astalon just feels more predatory, unfinished and even rushed in concept.
There is a good game, and a great game..
As for a 20$ game this wasn't it.

Look if you think locking bland powerups as strict door locks was a good move for Astalon..

Well its issue is how its implemented to "encourage exploration" not create a clever time sink..

Astalon was more for forcing you to waste 2 hrs walking back and forth in a obnoxious grind over and over to level as a focus, its not the first game to do that on steam and sadly not the last.

Insert: you died!
you get to waste 2-5 minutes..
grind get more powerful to access the elevator..

Its its own thing, but tbh it fails hard to be what others made it out to be.
As a experience for 20$, it was found better elsewhere on steam..

Even Super house of dead ninjas has a better hook for exploring and grinding to get further and SHODN does it relatively simple.

Astalon just tries to makes its quick buck, soon as 2 hrs are up you have 15 years of NES games that did the formula far better justice.

Summary/TL;DR:

Sry but I'm just not so easily swayed by a anime script; art that changes themes where the enemies become a clear lazy fail to fit the backgrounds properly breaking the immersion.

Hence why you don't hire temps as sprite artists..

The issue I have with Astalon vs the messenger is the messenger was "very long but kept the difficulty and content satisfying not grueling".

Astalon feels predatory and grind-y; & The Messenger has fresh ideas and continually refreshing to play..

[S☯wn-Lﺤuꁅhtǝr]

Look if you want a better game you have the messenger and rogue legacy 2..

Astalon: "We have Metroidvania at home"

[Levi_Athan_VT]

Originally posted by Sown-Laughter:

Originally posted by Levi Athan:

I'm pretty late to this conversation but currently for me Kyuli is definitely my most powerful and most used. The game barely has use for Algus at all so far for me, outside of a few situations that requires him. Kyuli's traversal helps far more than Algus, her range is better, and her. That said I upgraded her the most currently, but I use her far more than any character in the game. Algus obviously seems to be better than Arias but that's the nature of his attack compare to Algus'. If anything I would be complaining about the lack of a use for Arias outside of having him cut down the vines. Kyuli is used far more than any character for me for her ability to skip through areas rather quickly and get to areas the others can't. Algus is just used to hit those crystals and Arias is just used to hit the vines, but Algus combat wise is on par with Kyuli currently.

As for the argument of "Who is Astalon for?" and your descriptions: I am a very big fan of Megaman who has played almost every single Megaman game in existence and I'm currently enjoying Astalon a lot as well, regardless if your powers aren't static(and in Megaman your powers aren't exactly static either, since you do get upgrades). I enjoy Metroidvanias and don't feel like the Metroidvania parts are underdeveloped at all. There is a lot of backtracking but there are areas you can teleport around to to get closer and I don't have to fight every enemy in an area to progress. I barely worry about upgrades currently. They're nice but aren't the be all end all as I can make quick work of most enemies within a hit or two. The game isn't that punishing either. The only punishing part of it is that you are sent back to the beginning, which you can alleviate with the elevator and the portals. Combat does exist as well, it's very much like Megaman's combat for me, outside of Algus, but even then the game feels very much like classic Megaman games, but as if Zero was in classic. As for roguelike, procedural level design is not a necessity for a roguelike. It's just a feature that appears in most of them. Roguelike's main feature, and the feature that determines if it's a roguelike, is the dying and coming back. So all four points that you say drive fans off, I appreciate. I will admit there are things I do not like about Avalon currently, but so far none of your complaints, save the one you have for Algus(which is actually wrong as far as usefulness goes. May change if I max out both Kyuli and Algus, but even then Kyuli's ability to get around the map and similar damage with farther range far outclasses Algus' pure damage with a mid range attack requiring you to be much closer and no constant utility to get around the maps, my only problem with this argument is my lack of use for Arias outside of cutting vines because he's worse at combat than all of them, as well as worse at traversal than Kyuli, making him the weakest of the 3 main characters. Fixing Arias to be more useful and have a better traversal ability would really be the only thing I'd ask for, outside of maybe also giving Algus a better traversal ability so that all 3 have a reason to be used outside of just their gimmicks in REGULAR traversal, not just using their gimmicks to get through the map in certain areas).

This game is worth everything I paid for it and more, because it scratches an itch I've had for a while to have more classic style of games. That said, some of your arguments have merit but the way you present them as if they make the game not worth playing is 100% wrong.

Ok Necroed post...

My point was there are better games out there that do this better like "The messenger".

A lot of Astalon/Avalon feels more like the art style was a hook at the beginning then waned off, it felt like the ambiance was more than a continuation of the game itself unfinished and rushed focusing on the story more than a culmination of the environments.

The constant running back and forth just wastes player time, and by the time you get anywhere you are bored..

It just feels like a meaty fishing hook game on steam.. Whereas a game like the messenger is a pleasant love letter surprise that keeps getting better rapidly for hours and hours on end; good humor GREAT art-style that fits each level and enemies...

Astalon is trying to be everything from Kid Icarus to Insert obvious 80's-90's anime influences the statues at the start..
The living maze its nice and all nothing new, but falls flat for the evolution of the enemies never making sense to the backgrounds.. It's more more like instances of Joe and mac looking concept art paired with with the durpy Cyclopean enemies..

There is no continuation for the Characters, ( I wouldn't be shocked if the devs made some emergency fix and stuffed the reason why the environments never matched the enemies into the plot).

Anyway..
The Messenger gets perks by even goes as far to reusing the same levels back and forth while embracing the retro as if its a aspect of time travel (going back into NES vs SNES music, sprites, and imagery).

Astalon just preys on the people who don't remember Castlevania 3
(the character abilities enemies and personalities had formula).
Or Metroid (Level layouts being about encouraging explorations not dreading a key or powerup)..

Astalon just feels more predatory, unfinished and even rushed in concept.
There is a good game, and a great game..
As for a 20$ game this wasn't it.

Look if you think locking bland powerups as strict door locks was a good move for Astalon..

Well its issue is how its implemented to "encourage exploration" not create a clever time sink..

Astalon was more for forcing you to waste 2 hrs walking back and forth in a obnoxious grind over and over to level as a focus, its not the first game to do that on steam and sadly not the last.

Insert: you died!
you get to waste 2-5 minutes..
grind get more powerful to access the elevator..

Its its own thing, but tbh it fails hard to be what others made it out to be.
As a experience for 20$, it was found better elsewhere on steam..

Even Super house of dead ninjas has a better hook for exploring and grinding to get further and SHODN does it relatively simple.

Astalon just tries to makes its quick buck, soon as 2 hrs are up you have 15 years of NES games that did the formula far better justice.

Summary/TL;DR:

Sry but I'm just not so easily swayed by a anime script; art that changes themes where the enemies become a clear lazy fail to fit the backgrounds properly breaking the immersion.

Hence why you don't hire temps as sprite artists..

The issue I have with Astalon vs the messenger is the messenger was "very long but kept the difficulty and content satisfying not grueling".

Astalon feels predatory and grind-y; & The Messenger has fresh ideas and continually refreshing to play..

Nothing has broken my immersion so far, outside of what I assume is a bug where the music sounds like you're hearing a worse version of a song 2 rooms away. Then again I don't pay much attention to an enemy's looks. Yes, Astalon has a lot more backtracking than other games, I can agree with that, but the idea that it's a predatory game is ridiculous. Yeah, maybe it has outdated mechanics based off what would normally be NES styled controls, not really sure if it was intended to fit the atmosphere or not, but it doesn't take that much away from it. There are some complaints I have about the game(like I personally think teleporting between campfires would have been a much better mechanic than the way teleporting and the elevator are implemented), but I don't see how anyone could complain about grind. You literally get all the orbs you want if you break the statues. I grinded a bit early on but aside from that I haven't had any problems getting orbs whatsoever after finding at least 2 of the statues. Yeah maybe there are a bit too many keys, but in most cases you can get them all on your way. Death doesn't feel that punishing at all since usually where I'm going, unless I was backtracking, is not that time consuming. There were a few areas that it took me a bit to figure out how to get to, which was rather time consuming, but actually dying and getting back to where I was, unless again, I was far away from an area the story was pushing me looking for secrets, was not. If you're having problems with death, I'd recommend upping your defense stat, or, you could cheese the death mechanic by getting gift, going to altars and resetting the candles to get your health back. Death really isn't that big of a deal. It takes me generally 30 minutes to an hour before a death, so I don't see the issue.

My point is, calling a game predatory because it has very minor things that you dislike about it is silly. Not really sure I see the reason for constantly comparing this game to other games either. It seems kind of pointless because they're different games. Not every game is going to be The Messenger, or Ender Lilies, or whatever else is popular at the time, but it seems like you're just wanting to tear the game down for some minor inconveniences. Also pretty sure I was replying to That's Way Better, unless you're the same person.