REVIEW
Written byMizuni
A beautiful metroidvania with a unique art style that stands out among so many other games in the genre. The gameplay is smooth, but the game is relatively short and easy, which can be seen as either a positive or a negative, depending on personal preference.
The story is relatively simple: the queen ordered all birds to be hunted down, and you're one of the last survivors, along with your family. But one day, a hunter captures your family, and you set off on an adventure to rescue them, using your matchstick as a weapon.
The gameplay starts off relatively simple, like most metroidvanias, but quickly introduces something different: the ability to use your matchstick against walls as a springboard. This already makes you think a little more about how you're going to navigate the map.
Something that definitely stands out is the bosses, mainly because of how different their art style is compared to the rest of the game. They were clearly designed to look somewhat grotesque and be more memorable. I can definitely see this being one of the things that sticks with people long after they've finished the game.
But when it comes to difficulty, there are two issues. However, if you're the type of person who just wants a good, easy metroidvania to enjoy, you can pretty much ignore this part of the review.
I want to make it clear that I'm the kind of player who's used to difficult games. Those bosses that kill you 10+ times tend to stick in your memory, like Pure Vessel from Hollow Knight or True Eigong from Nine Sols. Those fights become so memorable that you hardly ever forget the first time you finally beat them.
That being said, the bosses here are relatively easy. I defeated most of them on my first try, or at most my second, even after switching the difficulty to Hard.
Another thing that ends up trivializing the difficulty is that the Trinket slots are "technically unlimited," which kind of defeats the whole idea of creating a build. As you progress through the game, your character becomes extremely powerful.
With all that said, whether you're a fan of difficult games or a more casual player, I highly recommend this game!
And for achievement hunters, this is a pretty easy game to 100%.
In fact, it's been a long time since I've seen a game with such a high percentage of players reaching the end: 54.7% of players have defeated the final boss!
— Mizuni / Noobsnoplay