The Spectral Web: Hitodama

Narrow recommendation, It's kind of dull. It plays adequately and is cheap. Every screen looking like random Zelda dungeon rooms just isn't all that compelling to me. Your character has no defensive options (No dash or block), and spaces are tight on every screen, so you will frequently get boxed in by the enemies and take unavoidable damage. This makes playing on anything higher than the default difficulty an absolute slog where you will die every few screens until you get kind of lucky. You need to shoot every tile on every screen because pretty much all of them have a hidden way or thing to collect. This got a bit tedious honestly.

This game is very fun and i would be happy to see this game get more love.

Disclosing upfront, I made some resources and level designs for this game and also did some early testing. I'm no longer involved with the game's development and have no stake in its performance, so I'm writing this review solely because I like the game. Hitodama's a fun little game reminiscent of the NES adventure games of old. Surely this is the first time this comparison has ever been drawn with an indie game. But really, it's a tight mix of Zelda's top down action and Metroid's exploration and secrets, with an added focus on elemental magic. You'll find yourself shooting every wall for hidden goodies but usually not getting frustrated because the game's mechanics and level layouts are balanced well to avoid the usual pitfalls of this kind of design. Combat is very straightforward, but not without depth. Almost every spell has some situation where it's useful and most of them are still viable even outside of those situations. Enemies come in all shapes and sorts, but each of the...

A pretty solid and simple Metroidvania. It's very retro and has simple rules, but holds up well enough for several hours of gameplay. It's very reminiscent of the original Zelda 1 (for NES), for various reasons, which does mean it's somewhat repetitive at times, with the gameplay. It actually has a decent amount of replayability, as you'll find later on with unlocks, but the core gameplay remains mostly the same, so it's really just about picking your favourite flavor. But still, it works very well as a sort of "do a round once a month" sort of deal once you clear all of the unique content. It's actually quite difficult on it's hardest settings, so getting the challenge achievements might take you some time. And then there's getting/finding all of the secret achievements. Without help, it's a daunting task. If you're a completionist, it's going to take a while, and I suggest you don't try and do it all at once. Overall, a charming game, with more content than you'd expect for the pr...

[h3]Content[/h3] Being already familiar with the game I needed about 3.5 hours to complete the main story, so I estimate about 4-5 hours for newcomers. There is a lot of extra content that at least double the time to see most things, plus alternative stories on top of that adding a lot of replayability. [h3]Gameplay[/h3] The gameplay is fun and engaging, with mostly switching between fighting and exploring. To deal with enemies you get 8 different spells that have different attack patterns, elements and cost, so you're always incentivised to pick the right spell for the right occasion. On the exploration side there are a lot of secrets to be found, with most of them being coins that upgrade your character. Some of them are purposely easy to find, while others are more hidden, but none are just hidden in completely random unmarked spots, which is prevents one from just running around forever trying to find that last item. [h3]Difficulty[/h3] I finished on normal difficulty which was...

Plays like a mix of old-school Zelda and Metroidvania, with secret routes and hidden collectibles. Excellent level design that uses the environment itself as the tutorial and sets you up for success, while still being challenging. Definitely recommend!

Definitely really fun! It's very combat and exploration focused, reminds me a lot of Kharon's Crypt. If you enjoy finding secrets, exploring a labyrinth, and fighting a diverse enemy set - check it out!

A marvelous game, an oldschool Metroidvania with Zelda-like gameplay. The price is an absolute STEAL, this would be easily worth at least $15, especially with how packed-full-of-content it is. 2 entire world maps, as well as multiple game modes to play in (unlocked as you go), gives PLENTY of content. I got almost 40 hours of gameplay out of this, and that's just what I needed to finish the achievements- there's entire characters and settings I have yet to try. This game deserves all the love and praise, it's a true passion project that [i][b]delivers[/b][/i] on being an amazing experience- and all for such a low price.

I think the best comparison for if you'll like this game is The Guardian Legend (minus the shooting corridors). Overall, this is a great game, and with the amount of content the achievement list implies there is, it would be worth many times the asking price. Pros: -The combat scenarios are challenging but fair, forgiving and not frustrating -The mechanics are all diverse, implemented to a wide extent, and don't overstay their welcome -The spells have distinct effects and each has a wide use, partly dependent on play style -The music is amazing -The "find secrets" tiers of the skill tree are in very generous positions -The secrets are all in places that shouldn't require much searching if you have a keen eye amid the dangerous enemies -Everything looks distinct and is quite well designed visually -Your power and the enemies' power increases along a fair curve Cons: -The fast travel system is hard to recognize as such at first -Your basic attack doesn't level up much until near the end ...

Ah, Hitodama. I remember first trying you out way back when, and you and the other games associated with you still have a lot of love from me. Seeing it hit the mainstream is a wonderful feeling, and I can't wait to see how much Aevin has improved with his craft! For anyone who enjoys classic top-down 2D Zelda games with a mix of Metroidvania, you are looking at the right game.~