Graveyard worst level design ever.

[Fracture94]

I have the game on GOG but i guess its the same version as Steam, thoguh i dont think this can be fixed with an update... Well, right to the point, the graveyard was awful. The game was great till that point, with great puzzles and platforming sections mixed with basic but fun combat. But the graveyard is just a mess, and im honestly wondering if im gonna keep playing if there are more levels like this one.

It basically consists on 4 big areas full of repetitive rooms with enemies scattered around randomly, just to find that after reaching the end, you have to backtrack the whole way back to the main area. It was horrible, and i really cant understand why someone will design such a bad level, specially considering that the rest of the game was really fun.

Seriously, there are any more levels like this on the game? I may stop playing it right now if so...

[Dr. Darklight]

I respectfully disagree with you on this. I think everything I've seen in the game is great (I'm currently in the final dungeon). The graveyard was a lot of fun for me. And I loved the banging music track.

[Halfshell]

The Graveyard is long, tedious and repetitive. Even the checkpoints being traps just to force you to do the area again on the way back just really strikes it home. It takes so long to do that even the otherwise amazing soundtrack becomes grating (doesn't help that its the same soundtrack that played in the last area). I'm not going to say its bad, but these two levels are definitely the lowpoint of the game.

[Dr. Darklight]

It didn't bother me. I like that fact that it's not a corridor style level and that there are branches to to go to and return from. Backtracking comes with the territory of metroid style games so I'm not bothered by it.

[Halfshell]

Its more the size of the level and the relative lack of anything new (items or content). Most games would have a transition area like this be a third of the size it is instead of the largest area in the game.. And well, theres a difference between backtrack to find something new to do and backtracking because the devs put an unnecessary checkpoint to force you to do everything again.

I mean, its not horrible the way OP makes it out to be but its not a great area the way you are making it out to be either..

[NLFW]

This game in in sore need of teleports back to some kind of dungeon hub, the Inner Sanctum is almost the same as the Graveyard, with branching paths and backtracking every single time, and the coconut quest is also similar although slightly shorter.

[Fracture94]

I love backtracking, it makes you feel familiar with the environments and helps the immersion, plus its so satisfactory to go back and use your new skills to reach areas you couldn't before, but the backtracking of the graveyard is tedious asf. You literally reach the end just to go back through the same rooms without anything to do on them except avoiding enemies to quickly reach the exit so hopefully the fun starts again... but then it comes the problem of the level design.

Just compare any of the graveyard rooms with any room in Shade Forest or Necromancer's Den... they all have their own puzzles, smart positioned enemies, huge variety on the platforming and the own mechanics of each area... the graveyard on the other hand, feels like the rooms are procedurally generated like a rogue-like game. Just a bunch of platforms and pixels making a random room with no game-design at all. Dont get me wrong, the game is great, but i just find extremely weird the lack of quality on this area compared to the others.

[Hammer Bro Andre]

I agree backtracking is not bad! The game has an intentionally retro feel, sometime people (me) want a game that doesnt hold your hand the whole time. Backtracking is a feature of older games that encourages the player to learn the maps. Some of us like a challenge and i think this game does a great job bringing back all the good retro feels

[MrCrungle]

I would say the backtracking in this game overall is a little much. I really enjoy backtracking when I'm heading to an area with an exit/secret I couldn't get to before; I'm excited to see what I get. But when I'm just backtracking a long way just to get to the warp? It gets old. Another issue with backtracking... that when you get to a main orb dungeon, there usually isn't a quick-to-find warp. I accidentally got to the sunken palace before I wanted to, and found myself in deep. And there is no warp anywhere near most of the dungeon; you really have to go through the whole thing to the end to find the warp right before the boss. There should have been one right near the entrance as well, or not too many screens before the entrance. The game is great; but it needs map tweaking. I can usually only play a few hours before I get tired and have to put it down. The warp placements aren't that great; and do *not* give me a retro-hard feeling. Just more of an annoying feeling; "And now I'm 12 screens from the warp, several of which were fun but a pain to learn?" This happened too many times when I explored too much and found myself ability-walled off from what I thought might be an upgrade, just to go "Uggh, really?"

[Halfshell]

@MrCrungle: I would get used to quitting to warp back to the check point. I almost never quit/ death warp but this game was an exception. Also don't grab the check point if you are just looking to grab 1 item in a backtrack.

[Fracture94]

Fourtunately, i can confirm that the later levels after the graveyard keep the quality of the rest of the game.

[Dr. Darklight]

I got to his third form. This is too much. I don't know if I'm gonna finish this game. The difficulty is to the point where it's no longer fun.

[Dr. Darklight]

I just beat it! I was really about to give up. I got everything but 2 armor augmentations. I guess that isn't bad for a first playthrough. But I don't know if I'll ever go through this game again.

[Riverwind]

Welcome to Metroidvania games.

PD: you have shortcuts on almost every area of the game ;)

[Fracture94]

Dude lets be serious, the shortcout system on this game is horrible. Just take a look at Brightwind, the portal is on a remote area that is not connected to anything. If you find the Graveyard a good designed metroidvania level, then you should play more of them.

[Riverwind]

If you hate backtracking, metroidvania games aren't your thing.