This is the perfect Metroidbrainia

This is one of those rare games where it is clear that the dev has a true deep understanding of all the mechanics in play and has built the various challenges around said knowledge. Very deep, it took me a bit under ten hours and a pretty solid grasp of things to reach the end and it'd take much more of each to try to 100% it (which is thankfully just for fun). Add in an aesthetic that is both simple yet well developed and the catchiest concussion jingle I've heard in ages and this is an easy recommendation for anyone looking for a somewhat different but well realized take on an exploratory precision platformer.

To say this is one of the greatest platformers I've played would be a major understatement, and I have been into the weeds of precision platformers for somewhere in the ballpark of fifteen to twenty years. The controls are very unique in a way that doesn't feel novel "for the sake of being novel." It's one of those games that's hard to understand how it plays without being the ones with fingers pressing the buttons. Right out of the gate it feels very smooth and satisfying, but the more you play, the more the depth and nuance of your controls unfolds. It is nothing short of magical to discover a new trick, or some strange interaction you weren't expecting. This happens a *lot* of times throughout the course of the game. It is quite rewarding to learn, and it's even more rewarding to apply what you've learned. There were several points in my playthrough where I learned something new and immediately had an idea of somewhere else I'd previously been where the new knowledge may be relevant. It is a very large game just in terms of raw number of rooms, and the scope expands greatly and breathes new life into a large chunk of already-experienced rooms when a revelation presents itself.

The beautiful visuals informed by PICO-8 and very spacey/open sound design only enhances the feeling of being lost in this vast abstract world. Particularly, the jetpack, falling, and landing sound design makes you feel very heavy in a small but important way. The soundtrack is also filled with love, though sparse in some locations.

The introspective text provided in exchange for progression is also very thoughtful and personally hit painfully close to my heart.

I am not even close to 50% of the way done collecting All the things, and I've sunk a day into the game. Derelict Star is a masterpiece, and if you like precision platforms it's required reading. If you don't like precision platformers, this one is VERY different from others and it's still worth your time!

I could never recommend this one enough.