I really, really, really wanted to like "Elypse". On paper, it's got everything that I want: a tough platformer experience, a moody art style, tight controls that are easy to pick up, hard to master. The main issues with this game are so fundamental, a patch wouldn't fix them. In the end, several unfortunate design choices make this game's potential fall into frustration and in the end, I muscled through and felt relief, not excitement, when I was done. There's talent on display here, and I really want these folks to make another game.

Pros:
- Somber, surreal mood and atmosphere. You're basically escaping hell.
- Movement is tight and precise. You don't get many abilities,
- Level design switches up mechanics and adds new stuff in on the regular.
- Love the score. Not insanely memorable but never found it annoying or out of place.
- I really love the last boss fight's design. A real highlight.
- Accessibility options are a nice addition, and I like that they're there.

Cons:
- Extremely reminiscent of "Ori and the Blind Forest", to the point I couldn't stop noticing it. A floaty multi-jump, a mid-air projectile attack, a grapple mechanic that rockets you forward, bug-like enemies that shoot from their back, flying enemies that both dive and shoot, laser beams, multi-part blue keys that open blue doors, character that speak in soft gibberish, a meandering supernatural plot involving abstract forces. It's not a photocopy, but there's ENOUGH similarities it feels uncreative.
- What is the story of this game? What is happening? I feel totally lost in the jargon heavy narrative with unclear stakes.
- There are way too many blind jumps in this game. There's often no clear idea of where you need to jump, kind of important in, you know, a platformer.
- Why can't I rebind controller inputs? In the year of our Lord 2024?
- The grapple points will sometimes fling you out to the stratosphere, sometimes will just fart you out. I never got the hang of these things.
- Instant kill on any damage is incredibly frustrating in lackluster combat sections. Every boss fight becomes a slog.
- Difficulty spikes on certain encounters are bananas. You can cruise through an entire level and suddenly it's Meat Boy Dark World using a Guitar Hero controller, then back to baby mode. Nokron Tower is a particular offender here.
- Why is there no map? Omission is inexplicable. Half of my time in this game is trying to find blue keys or the blue door. Sometimes you need as many as 5. You have no idea how many you need until you actually find the door, and when you do, it's very easy to get lost on the way back. Both "Ori" game are multitudes more complex level-wise and I never felt lost in those.
- Underwhelming secondary abilities. I never felt the need to use them.

I really, really, really wanted to like "Elypse". On paper, it's got everything that I want: a tough platformer experience, a moody art style, tight controls that are easy to pick up, hard to master. The main issues with this game are so fundamental, a patch wouldn't fix them. In the end, several unfortunate design choices make this game's potential fall into frustration and in the end, I muscled through and felt relief, not excitement, when I was done. There's talent on display here, and I really want these folks to make another game. Pros: - Somber, surreal mood and atmosphere. You're basically escaping hell. - Movement is tight and precise. You don't get many abilities, - Level design switches up mechanics and adds new stuff in on the regular. - Love the score. Not insanely memorable but never found it annoying or out of place. - I really love the last boss fight's design. A real highlight. - Accessibility options are a nice addition, and I like that they're there. Cons: - Extremely reminiscent of "Ori and the Blind Forest", to the point I couldn't stop noticing it. A floaty multi-jump, a mid-air projectile attack, a grapple mechanic that rockets you forward, bug-like enemies that shoot from their back, flying enemies that both dive and shoot, laser beams, multi-part blue keys that open blue doors, character that speak in soft gibberish, a meandering supernatural plot involving abstract forces. It's not a photocopy, but there's ENOUGH similarities it feels uncreative. - What is the story of this game? What is happening? I feel totally lost in the jargon heavy narrative with unclear stakes. - There are way too many blind jumps in this game. There's often no clear idea of where you need to jump, kind of important in, you know, a platformer. - Why can't I rebind controller inputs? In the year of our Lord 2024? - The grapple points will sometimes fling you out to the stratosphere, sometimes will just fart you out. I never got the hang of these things. - Instant kill on any damage is incredibly frustrating in lackluster combat sections. Every boss fight becomes a slog. - Difficulty spikes on certain encounters are bananas. You can cruise through an entire level and suddenly it's Meat Boy Dark World using a Guitar Hero controller, then back to baby mode. Nokron Tower is a particular offender here. - Why is there no map? Omission is inexplicable. Half of my time in this game is trying to find blue keys or the blue door. Sometimes you need as many as 5. You have no idea how many you need until you actually find the door, and when you do, it's very easy to get lost on the way back. Both "Ori" game are multitudes more complex level-wise and I never felt lost in those. - Underwhelming secondary abilities. I never felt the need to use them.