While not a "typical" metroidvania, it certainly follows enough of the tropes to be considered as one. At the same time, while I've seen some complaints about that specifically, I actually appreciate some of the direction they've taken to branch away from it.

There is a shield mechanic with three ways to refill the bar - either attacking enemies while you have >0% charge, moving to the side and taking a few seconds to recharge a portion of it, or having a fast enough reaction time on a skill-shot bar to fully recharge it quickly. If you have good enough reflexes, this can make the game relatively easy, but it's also worth noting that it's primarily designed around the latter two options.

The sprites, art and overall animation quality are gorgeous. The animations are also just as fluid as the late-game movement mechanics are designed to be and feels silky smooth. This is coupled with a lovely sound score, which has admittedly made me want to listen to the soundtrack separately.

Gameplay difficulty is all over the place. It feels like they had multiple people designing fights without much consideration of progressive scaling or balancing between the boss encounters. While some fights are a definite (but welcome) pain, some others are fairly easy and predictable. The mobs along the way are sprite reskins and don't especially challenge you to learn new mechanics as you progress through the game. Likewise, outside of a boss chamber or specifically-locked rooms, all enemies are considered optional.

Overall, this is a fun game, and it's clear that there was a lot of love put into it. There are a few bugs here and there that can prevent you from completing fights, but it's still a good one-time playthrough.

While not a "typical" metroidvania, it certainly follows enough of the tropes to be considered as one. At the same time, while I've seen some complaints about that specifically, I actually appreciate some of the direction they've taken to branch away from it. There is a shield mechanic with three ways to refill the bar - either attacking enemies while you have >0% charge, moving to the side and taking a few seconds to recharge a portion of it, or having a fast enough reaction time on a skill-shot bar to fully recharge it quickly. If you have good enough reflexes, this can make the game relatively easy, but it's also worth noting that it's primarily designed around the latter two options. The sprites, art and overall animation quality are gorgeous. The animations are also just as fluid as the late-game movement mechanics are designed to be and feels silky smooth. This is coupled with a lovely sound score, which has admittedly made me want to listen to the soundtrack separately. Gameplay difficulty is all over the place. It feels like they had multiple people designing fights without much consideration of progressive scaling or balancing between the boss encounters. While some fights are a definite (but welcome) pain, some others are fairly easy and predictable. The mobs along the way are sprite reskins and don't especially challenge you to learn new mechanics as you progress through the game. Likewise, outside of a boss chamber or specifically-locked rooms, all enemies are considered optional. Overall, this is a fun game, and it's clear that there was a lot of love put into it. There are a few bugs here and there that can prevent you from completing fights, but it's still a good one-time playthrough.