Imagine a gaming world dominated by non-atmospheric insta-fun titles – and then *this* comes out!

"SM" is a 2D side-scrolling action-adventure with item-based progression that bears no hand-holding whatsoever – which is SUPERBLY AWESOME. If you don't know how to explore a control scheme (and refuse to learn it), you're gonna be utterly lost. As one game of the eponymous metroidvania genre, players find themselves in front of closed doors that open based on *their* individual progress.

Smart game design: you constantly find something new to learn which, as a result, changes the game, even in the later "levels". Also, there are a handful of unique moments – where you *really* have to think outside the box.

Iconic music: especially Maridia's theme really stands out to me in how dark and moving it is.

Unfortunately, the map doesn't mark which items you already got, only those that you discovered; an extreme nuisance for the 1oo% score. But that doesn't lessen the overall experience.