Lorera

Lorera is a very small games, don't expect to play it for countless hours (unless you want to speedrun it (wich is super fun)). I beat the game in about a little more than an hour and a half. But the game is great at what it does, it's just a small platformer with a little hook mechanic. - Pixel art is really cool (although I don't like the sprite of the main character), I love the color palet used. - Music is nice and relaxing. - Gameplay is pretty nice, it does feel kinda akward at first but it's very fun to mess around with the abilities you're given. This isn't the best game ever but it's a short and solid platformer.

Quick Description: -A cute little flower saves the day in a grappling hook adventure! A few abrupt difficulty spikes aside, this is a fun and creative mini metroidvania that is well worth the asking price for fans of the genre. What's Good: -Checks most of the boxes for what is expected from a metroidvania. The entire world is interconnected, there are several unlockable upgrades that allow you to explore once unreachable areas, and there are fun collectibles to be found. -Really adorable art design and color scheme. Each biome has it's own theme and color, along w/ new enemies and environmental hazards. -The soundtrack fits well with the theme of the game. It's very soothing, uplifting, and helps push you forward on your adventure. -The grappling hook is the main mechanic, and although not perfect, is really rewarding as you figure out how to use momentum to help you reach hard to reach areas. -Although the story is limited, it is really sweet and heart warming. -Cheap as balls, under $8 and on sale frequently for under $4. Could Use a Few Changes: -Most of the game will involve you using the grappling hook to fling from one screen to the next, but it can feel very abrupt due to the speed at which the grappling hook attaches to almost all surfaces. This lead to a lot of frustrating, accidental deaths. -Very little in the way of a tutorial or guidance in the more challenging areas of the game. The hardest parts are figuring out how to use momentum with the grappling hook to reach the next area of the level. There's quite a bit of trial and error, but nothing really prepares you for a couple of these spots. -A couple major difficulty spikes may turn off causal players. Thoughts: -I had a good time playing Lorera. I think it is able to compete w/ other fun mini metroidvanias like Gato Roboto, Ato, or Enter Digiton. You don't see a ton of pure platformer metroidvania's, so this one has been on my radar for a while. No, it isn't perfect but as long as you moderate your expectations, I think most fans of the genre will have a good experience. Consensus: -Middle of the Road Game (Tier 4 and makes up 25% of my reviews). I think a few accessibility features would be a nice addition in a future update, but outside of that, I don't have too many gripes about my time w/ Lorera. If you are looking for a compact and fun metroidvania, look no further, this is a solid choice. This is such an easy recommendation when on sale. Seriously, who doens't love grappling hooks?