Can you get permanently stuck?

[hexaae]

Wondering if it's normal this game has some situations where you get permanently stuck...
I reached a location in the Temple of the Sun where there is no exit, secret door, block to destroy, platform to be activated with weights... and I just have very basic equipment (whip + shuriken, nothing else)... So I wonder if this is a bug, by design, or maybe I should insist because "there is always a way..."

EDIT: CONFIRMED, read below

[コトラ]

I want to say no, but I don't remember. You do get something that makes it impossible to ever get stuck quite early into the game, though a skeleton's hint that leads to it may imply it's of no importance (the skeleton says "I found a secret exit!" as opposed to "I found a secret passage!", with the former implying it's not something you should bother with since the point of the game is to dive further into the ruins instead of exiting them).

[hexaae]

But I'm completely stuck at the bottom of this chamber where I fell and tried everything... that's why I wondered if it's something "unexpected" by the devs that a player could reach it without proper equipement...

[コトラ]

Oh, right. If it's the one I'm thinking of (with the big lizard statue and spikes?) then yeah, that one has no exit and requires you to either have the item from Gate of Guidance I mentioned or to have pushed a minecart with you to this room and to have an Ankh Jewel with you.

[hexaae]

I'm here with minimal equipment:
https://i.ibb.co/JxHNKBK/20231130170629-1.jpg
https://i.ibb.co/LzVFQKp/20231130170233-1.jpg

Oh, thanks... this confirms what I thought: as a matter of fact there are some locations where you'll get trapped if you don't have a special item. I'd call it a game design problem... but well, you can always continue from a previous save game (sigh)

[Ganbatte Castle]

Originally posted by hexaae:

I'd call it a game design problem...

Yeah, it's pretty unfortunately. The fix that problem in the sequel. You did not ask for gameplay advice but I do feel the need to say: if you're bothered by things like this, you ***really*** do not want to venture further until you get that special item.

[H U G E]

Yes, the item that allows you to return to save points is practically essential. Unless you want to hate life I recommend finding it in the gate first thing.

[hexaae]

Originally posted by Ganbatte Castle:

Originally posted by hexaae:

I'd call it a game design problem...

Yeah, it's pretty unfortunately. The fix that problem in the sequel. You did not ask for gameplay advice but I do feel the need to say: if you're bothered by things like this, you ***really*** do not want to venture further until you get that special item.

Yep, it was my first run... so I thought "let's see how far I can get, knowing nothing and without planning" thinking the usual "a well designed games shouldn't get me stuck. At worst I shouldn't be able to open doors or reach some points...".
Instead this happened and confirmed my concerns.

A pity, for such a lovely game that should have taken into consideration some "barriers" to avoid such situations if you still don't have the required special item to exit/go on... 🫤
It is frustrating to have to reload an old savegame and redo half the level to correct the error....

[コトラ]

This game is designed to hate the player. It's part of the appeal.
Almost nothing in La-Mulana is "friendly", but the more you play and learn about the game, the more you can enjoy it for what it is.

[hexaae]

Does La Mulana 2 correct this, with more attention to dead-end situations?

[コトラ]

I haven't actually played the sequel yet, though it was mentioned that it does.
Also, that room should be the only time it can realistically happen in the first game as it's crazy to even consider venturing further into the game without grabbing that item in Gate of Guidance.