catastrophically yearning transfem-like lanky kong

Went from making me cry in like, the first 10 minutes because I couldn't process how I felt about it...to thoroughly exploring the design space of Celeste movement and design in a 3D space, and it's also nonlinear?

Okay, time to stop hiding the thing: This game is VERY Super-Mario-64-brained (or maybe I'm projecting). I still don't want to spoil what I hope will be someone else's profound joy in seeing (at least) one thing they love represented in a thoughtful and actually faithful way. Despite some occasional jank and rough edges (though what great game doesn't have jank?), it feels like an extremely effective translation of Celeste's mechanical and aesthetic trappings and idiosyncrasies. At the same time, it feels kind of like the world's finest Super Mario 64 romhack? I'm not saying this with the intent to be at all degrading. This is just really good stuff. There's even some bits and pieces that read like a celebration of those romhacking scenes. Granted, I've played very few romhacks myself, but uh, youtube exists. Still, the design of this "silly" spin-off feels like it goes beyond mere homage, like the team just put together something with a sense of earnest enthusiasm for its inspiration. (I feel like I'm running out of vague enough things to say at this point)

I don't want to dig into the meat of what makes this special, at least not yet.

I can say that the game did probably the best job that I can recall, of absolutely decimating the critical and cynical walls surrounding my love of what games have been to me, and what they can still do. Like, I can't not praise a game that basically made me feel like I was plumbing the depths of Peach's Castle for the first time and inspired me with a sense of wanderlust I thought I'd never feel again. Wow, video games.

ALSO: How the hell did EXOK manage to put together something so stunning in less than a MONTH? Like, bravo. If anyone from the team sees this somehow, I am so happy that you put this out into the world. So uh...what are you planning to make after Earthblade???

I almost want to cry (and I'm trying not to)

I've been going through some kind of shit lately

I just see the game, that suddenly exists now

I didn't know that I wanted it

I've only been playing for a few minutes

but this like, feels different

like, I thought (oh fuck I'm crying and I don't know why) that uncritical joy and wonder had just left me forever

Since I beat the first video game I ever loved as a child, when I was still that child, and I became depressed?...because it was over? Is this that which I thought was lost for so long?

I can't think straight. I don't know whether to be upset or euphoric, or both?

The original Celeste didn't even do this to me

But now I'm idling in this spiritual-successor-sequel-whatever and it's

Magical

I think?

Help?

Okay, maybe it's time to stop this crying and just try to play it actually