Recent reviews by Radioactive DK

I went in expecting Momodora with guns and a grappling hook. By the end it was TF2 Soldier simulator with Touhou boss fights and fairies…and a grappling hook.

This isn't a traditional metroidvania; there are very few abilities and therefore few ability gates. Truth is most of the map is accessible upon acquiring the "grappling hook", and entering those areas depends on how creative/patient you are with using the hook in tandem with your weapons. This game's non-linear structure is actually one of its strengths in my opinion. There are multiple endings, it's designed with speedrunning in mind (deliberately inserted sequence breaks) and, while not apparent at first, all but two of the boss fights are optional.

The grappling hook/bungee mechanic is implemented very well; it's more intuitive and less frustrating than using the one in Umihara Kawase. It is simple to learn/understand, but difficult to master.

My hours played and 100% achievements should indicate that overall I enjoyed the game and am amazed at what the devs accomplished. My issue is that it is very difficult to recommend to someone; The boss fights are creative and challenging, yet can be very frustrating. Most of the boss fights are either bullet hell or require correct timing with the grappling hook. Using the grappling hook is fun, but knowing how to use it is required to beat this game; it's not just a gimmick. Some of the flag and climbing challenges might require over 100 attempts. Some players are not going to find the protagonist likable (though there is a lore explanation for that). Oh yeah, and then there's the bonus outlast-style boss fight before reaching ending D.

If for no other reason I like this game because it's unlike any other game I've played before. How many other games have you use a shotgun to propel yourself through a zero-gravity fairyland? Also it has a great soundtrack.

Excellent with buddies (when they are not blowing you up). The devs deserve all the love/money they get.

I started fooling around and realized I have no creativity and no time/patience for making images or videos with this thing. Then I used it to teach myself Lua scripting. Now I use it as a testing environment for the models I create in Blender.

Bottom line: If you had any initial curiosity, "Garry's Mod" probably has something to offer you.

This game must be doing something right because I technically bought it twice!

One of the finest examples of a Metroidvania platformer, with polished game controls/mechanics, absolutely stunning visuals and artwork, and a great soundtrack to boot. The love and effort that went into this game clearly shows. This easily 10+ hour experience is only marred by the fact that you (as Ori) will die…a lot.

If you already played the original, then the definitive edition is basically the same thing with some extras. Namely, you get two more abilities, two more areas to explore, and the save points now also function as warp points, resulting in shorter speed run times and fewer "points of no return" than there were in the previous edition.