Fun and cheap.

I remember when this was released for the MSX computer. I do own a working MSX computer, but 25 euros + shipping was too expensive for me.

So now I finally bought the Steam version. And after I first booted it, I didn't stop playing it up until I got all items and finished the game.

I don't know if this made first for the MSX, or both versions were made at the same time, nor how much they are close to each other (I'd willing to bet the MSX version doesn't have the saving/load from this version, being able only to save at the first screen or something like that), but it's obvious the game was designed to work around the MSX limitations. As an MSX game, this is *insanely* good (Even on this Steam version I can see how the 4 sprites per scanline limitation was so well avoided here). It does have the feeling of an MSX game and it draws inspiration from some of its classics (mostly obvious "The Maze of Galious" and "The Goonies")

It's a Metroidvania with flip screen instead of scrolling, which allows for some really interesting room designs. Controls are tight, level and enemy design is brilliant (No, for real, it's brilliant), the way the map is designed is great. Also not having so many conventions of this type of game (Ya know... double jumps, wall jumps), but instead having simple but tight controls made it feel..... fresh. And it's a lot fun to play.

The game is insanely polished (even more considering the price range), menus, presentation, options.... the author really knew what he was doing here, there's zero janky here which I found really, REALLY amazing.

If I had something to complain about the game....

At some points you need to keep moving to "respawn" enemies so you can get enough cubes to buy items, which is kinda annoying and boring, but it's something expected from this type of game (Remember doing this a lot in the Metroid games to recover items).

Using a controller with Turbo will break the game, making it even easier... but you can just not use it :D

The bosses are really easy if you get to them with all possible items (Again, something not that uncommon on this type of game) - about that, I saw some people complaining about the third boss and, honestly, git gud. It needs skills to get the no hit achievement on it (I didn't), but it's the easiest boss in the game. Alas, except by the last one (Which, again, will be *really* easy if you use a controller with turbo), they are all pretty easy to kill.

The Load/Save option make the game *really* easy (of course, you can refrain to use it, and there are achievements for it). Since very early you'll get the item to get back to first room which is very close to a room where you can recover all your health, if you have the patience you will never die.

But overall, this is an awesome game. And you can even download new maps or create your own, which gives you a lot of content..... for, damn it, such a LOW PRICE. Just the main game is worth it. It's a very short game, but it's a great one, and now I want to play all the other games from the same dev. (Shame he never made another MSX game AFAIK, but it's understandable :D)

thats pretty fun

Nice!

Great little game! Short but sweet, and very affordable. It was originally a 32kb cartridge game for the MSX computers that Unepic_Fran released in 2017. The Steam version expands and updates the original game a little bit, while also adding great character, level and tileset editors. You can upload to and download stuff from the Steam Workshop. Highly recommended.

I absolutely LOVE how you're able to customize the tileset, character sprites, and are even able to make your own open world maps in this game! I'd really love to see you do more stuff like this. I hope you implement this INSANE amount of customization into Pampas & Selene: The Maze of Demons.

This is a fun little metroidvania in a very retro style. There's not much that'll blow your mind, but it's fun and challenging. In addition, there's plenty of mods available in the Steam Workshop if you want to play as a different character. The bosses are pretty brutal, though...

You move pretty slowly, its pretty simple, and dying to run back without being able to teleport is annoying. Straight up levels might have suited the game better.

the dev really succeeded in replicating that retro tedium
but, in the pursuit of that, he un(?)willingly made the game way more tedious than it is fun
найс духота

Can't really recommend this one. It's fun for a bit, but as you progress, the boss design goes from serviceable to bad to abysmal. Additionally, there's a lot of tedium. There's no reasonable way to heal, for one. You heal a single unit of health every time you fill up your XP bar, which takes ages, otherwise, the only way to heal is to die, which also causes you to lose all of your money. Money which you need an awful lot of if you're wanting to buy all the items in the game. Money you're going to have to grind for to get enough.

Maybe if you've got far more patience than I do and can tolerate the terrible boss design, you might find this to be worth a look, but I would still wait for a sale in that case, even with the low base price.