Crystal Towers 2 XL

This game is surprisingly fun. I played the free version for a few minutes a couple years ago and it didn't catch my interest. Since I actually paid for this version, I spent a little more time with it. There is a lot more to it than it seems at first. I still only have about 90 minutes in it, but my initial impressions are that it is a solid platformer with a lot of spells/abilities, and a screen full of collectible items that I don't even know what they are for yet. You initially go through a level, and it's realtively easy to get to the end. But along the way, you see things you can't reach. After finishing the level, you can do it again, but with an extra challenge, like finish with > X jewels, don't get touched by an insta-death bee, go through it with a hole in your pocket, losing a gem every second or so. If your gems reach 0, you fail, and several others. Later, on some other level, you can find a spell/ability that allows you to reach some of those items on previous levels...

A truly impressive amount of solid platforming in this one! In short, if you liked old-school Sonic the Hedgehog but really wished the levels gave you more reasons to explore them more, this game more than delivers. An impressive number of short-form, get-to-the-end levels made all the more interesting by each having a set of nine additional challenges or goals, such as running the level backwards, avoiding all the gems (think coins/rings), beating the level in a time limit, etc. The challenges are surprisingly varied and the mix for each level is unique. Each takes about a minute or two after you've beaten the level once and know its layout, which gives the a great short-session, "just one more run" feel, and there are a few upgrades to be had that will open some alternate routes or areas in each (not so much that I'd call this a "metroidvania", but still). The controls are solid, the levels and bosses varied enough to stay interesting, and for the price I feel I got much more th...

Really fun platforming game. It has a nice combination of old style graphics and platforming challenges with a bunch of more modern style item collection, challenges, online scoreboards, etc. Not a game you're going to spend 100's of hours on, but 20-40 depending on how much you want to 100% it. Defnitly worth the price.

This game is a nice little hidden gem. Plays with a HUB à la Super Mario 64. All levels have multiple objectives, you then unlock more levels based on your progression and there's plenty of collectables. Loved it.

A very solid game paying tribute to 16-bit Sega Genesis/Mega Drive platformers. What I like the most is how you can explore the main castle and complete various stage objectives in the same style as Super Mario 64 but in 2D. It is incredibly hard, though, so many quests will leave you raging. It's very worth it for the price.

Recommended with some reservations. If you're a completionist, even more highly recommended, but with deeper reservations, oddly enough. The base gameplay and structure flows quite well. The best part of this game is the semi-Metroidvania-like progression of abilities combined with the stack of challenges that pushes you to see each level from many different perspectives and have parts of the architecture take on completely different roles depending on what you're trying to do. This even applies to navigating the peaceful hub area, where the obtainable motion abilities that give you advantages and unlocks in the normal levels are also what you use to reach new areas of the hub with new level portals. The hidden items in the levels, and the use of the Synthesizer, add interwoven background notes of flavor. Some of the challenges have very stressful mechanics, such as resources constantly draining or very difficult time limits, so be prepared to back off and try a different level if you...

Needs more love. Its such a solid good game.