I had a great experience playing this. The story is esoteric but seems interesting, I just wish there was more material. The ending was maybe a little too straightforward?
The soundtrack is just as mystery-inducing. I wouldn't even know how to describe it. It seems like a mix between technological sounds and... "Mystic" ones? In a way it mirrors the game's themes. Some parts of the score are straight beautiful. I've had Panacea on repeat ever since I finished the game.
The visuals are also great, particularly breathtaking is the scenery, especially when you come across one of those robotic/organic giant structures that just lay there, encrusted in the environment after ages of decay. Might seem unobvious to talk about scenery in a 2D game but they pull it out beautifully.
The gameplay is tight as hell. It just
feels great to attack, warp, shoot. The game achieves this by not only having the character be super responsive to your inputs, but also by coupling rich and visceral console rumble and sounds to your actions (plus the sharp animation), which makes playing exhilarating.
For example, being low on health results in the console vibrating like a sick heart. Not just a fast hearbeat, but a slow, difficult one, the one that makes you feel like your pump is trying hard to make it to the next pulse. When I noticed that and how it ties with the game's theme and even the company's story, it was great.
Heart Machine
made the game
The fact that there are a lot of guns and moves to add to your repertoire gives depth to the gameplay without making it messy. There is one tricky move that is necessary to learn to beat certain optional parts of the game (and to make you a better fighter anyway) that is dope to pull off and forces you to train a little.
Exploration is greatly rewarded even though I'm not sure I'm really keen on games that forces you to hug walls to make sure you didn't miss this or that secret entrance.
I finished my first playthrough (far from complete) in 8 or 9 hours.
Overall a great game, that I'd had my eye on for a long time; now the deed is done. I'm trying to complete new game + and I'm still having fun with it.