Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet

What I expected:  A metroidvania game with a killer art style.  Basically another Shadow Complex.

What I got:  A metroidvania game with a killer art style.  Basically another Shadow Complex, but much shorter and not as satisfying.

What I liked:  Art style.  I feel like I'm writing about the art style in a positive way more and more often.  This is a good thing I think.  The shadow style is very reminiscent of the game Jose pitched for Guildhall, but with all my concerns addressed.  Even though the environment is all black (with a few very select highlights), the enemies are all very vibrant.

Exploration:  Even though the art style is all black, they very intelligently created a few very different environments.  Exploring the areas was a ton of fun. I was always excited to get to the next area just to see what it looks like.  I would post pictures, but I'm lazy.

World Map:  Best world map I've seen in a metroidvania game ever.  Wherever there is a progression gate, it marks it on your map and with the icon of the item you need to get past it.  NOTE: it only does this for gates you need to get past.  It does not mark "secret" areas.  This makes progression easy, while maintaining the allure of exploration.

What I didn't like:  Length:  I beat the game in 5 hours.  The campaign is super short, and I could rush through it much much faster.

The Ice World:  The only area I didn't like was the Ice area.  I hated this place for a couple reasons.  1)  ruins the art style.  Everything turns white and blue instead of black.  2)  The crystals that bounce lasers around are EXTREMELY BUGGY.  It is very hard to put the crystals in the sockets, and sometimes they don't even bounce light correctly.  Hard to properly describe how frustrating this was.

Items:  In metroid and Shadow Complex you get a lot of really interesting weapons and abilities to help you explore.  In Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet, you only really get weapons.  I think this is primarily due to the fact that you fly around.  There are only so many ways you can manipulate your movement here.  Not like you can gain a double jump here.

Final thoughts:  Really fun, albeit short, game.  The art style is top notch, and would love to see more.  I really wish the gameplay stuff was a bit more imaginative, but O well.

How much did I pay:  $2

How many hours did I play:   5

Dollar per Hour:  $0.40

How much would I pay for this game in perfect hindsight:  $5

Why?  Basically everything I said in my final thoughts, plus I didn't feel like I wasted my time at all.