Axel Quest

The game feels very fluid, with precise controls and simple but satisfying combat. The metroidvania-style progression, with new abilities unlocking paths and encouraging exploration, makes the adventure even more engaging. I highly recommend it for fans of metroidvanias and classic platformers.

First of all, just so you know, this really is "a platformer with Metroidvania elements," as advertised, not a proper Metroidvania. Most of the content is all along one straight path. Think Wonder Boy as opposed to Metroid. In addition, the game systems aren't all that complex or development-intensive. That said, this game is fun for what it tries to be and for its price. It is fairly difficult though.

The premise is fairly standard and opens with demonic forces attacking your village. Refusing to let them escape, you set off in pursuit armed with nothing but your ability to grab and throw objects. Fortunately, early on you find a sword in the first chest along the road, and a merchant provides you with a bow that has unlimited ammunition. Although you can jump, you cannot damage enemies by stomping on them. Instead, combat follows a more traditional approach with sword slashes or downward thrusts performed mid-jump. Throwing objects is also possible, but it is used mainly for moving unbreakable items such as barrels and springs to help you reach higher areas. Progression is straightforward. Movement is limited to left and right as you face threats along the way. The world consists of individual screens that transition when you reach the edge or find an opening to the next area. Screens are never locked, so you can always backtrack if needed. The game features the usual pits, spikes, and other environmental hazards, along with a variety of enemies. Most foes can be defeated with just a few slashes, but they deal significant damage in return, meaning you can survive only …

It's simple, but in a good way. Axel Quest provides enough challenge and doesn't over complicate its world, graphics, or mechanics. It's fairly short, but it provides enough progression and is well paced. I have a couple gripes: -enemies are able to finish their attacks even if i've delivered the killing blow. This becomes very persistent towards the end, and it's really a bit insulting to a player to allow this in a game, period. -ground-stabbing feels awkward and imprecise. I can see why the game benefits from this ability being a tad clunky, but this was probably a place where some real innovation would've been a good choice -(nitpick) the merchants/upgraders in the town are spread unecessarily far apart. I'm in town to improve my gear and there is nothing interesting about wandering back and forth repeatedly, especially when the npcs are so boring and featureless. -tileset art occasionally looks solid/like a platform when it isn't. -weapon damage isn't actually revealed. This is a big issue for several reasons: weapons are upgradeable, there are various weapons that you find that do not fall into an obvious hierarchy, the weapons' upgrades do not contribute to your attack…