Really wonderful game through and through. It took me a bit on the final boss before I really flowed and it only took a couple of runs after that before I cleared it. I initially thought the boss was going to iterate on the initial melody six times, but perhaps that would have been too much. 

Anyhow, the game is perfectly forgiving in those sections. Of course, the game isn't just the boss fight, it's just where my head's at because its where I finished. The story has a simple through-line that's easy to access, and a satisfying depth and interconnectedness if you care to look for it. There's also something very crisp about this style of artwork once you're in it. Nice game. 

Spoilers / Unresolved Questions I Have (Caesar Cipher +13): 

Bxnl V gubhtug nobhg gur tnzr n ovg naq V unir fbzr haerfbyirq vqrnf fgvyy fgveevat va zl urnq.

Univat svavfurq gur tnzr, V guvax jr'er cerggl pyrneyl Yhpl'f (Yhpvsre, une une) puvyq. Naq sebz gur gbzofgbarf va gur tenirlneq, jr xabj gung Yhpl'f ernqf "Yhpl Jhyqevtr". Fb Yhpl zneevrq Fnz, naq qvrq va puvyqovegu. Naq Orgu frrzf gb or gur qnhtugre bs Fnz, fb nyfb gur qnhtugre bs Yhpl. Fb V'z cbfvgvat gung jr ner Orgu, naq gung jr gur bar jub jnf whfg ohevrq (gubhtu creuncf jr jrera'g sbeznyyl vqragvsvrq, onfrq ba jung gur jbzna ba gur fgerrg fnvq nobhg hf ybbxvat yvxr Fnz'f xvq, ohg gung fur unqa'g frra ure erpragyl).

Ohg V fgvyy unir n srj dhrfgvbaf. Jung qb gur rgpuvatf gb gur rzcgl pevo ebbz qbbe va gur Znabe Ubhfr zrna: "ᒐ s Z"? Nyfb, vf gur gurzr bs gur zhfvp obk va gung ebbz cerfrag va nabgure cynpr va gur tnzr (zvtug vaqvpngr fcrpvsvpnyyl jub gur pevo ebbz vf sbe)? Vs jr ner vaqrrq Orgu, gura jul jrer jr yvivat va na becunantr naq abg va gur Znabe, rira orsber Pynver fhttrfgf vg? Urael frrzf yvxr ur jnf sbaq bs Yhpl. 

Jung'f gur fvtavsvpnapr bs gur gurngre cebqhpre Guhaqrezber? V trg gung ur'f fbzrubj pbaarpgrq gb gur Zvar'f havba naq gurve zvfznantrzrag, ohg vf ur fhccbfrq gb or gb oynzr sbe gur zvavat nppvqrag gbb?

Jurer qvq Gbz sbez uvf zheqrebhf vapyvangvba sebz? Jura ur fnlf gur nhqvrapr uhatref sbe oybbq va gur gurngre fprar, gung fbhaqf yvxr n qhqr jub'f nyernql xvyyrq fbzrobql ryfr. Fb znlor ur'f erfcbafvoyr sbe gur uvyy zheqre? Ohg V qba'g ernyyl frr nalguvat ryfr va gur tnzr juvpu vzcyvpngrf uvz. Vavgvnyyl V gubhtug ur'q znlor xvyyrq Yhpl va gur fnzr jnl ur xvyyrq Orgu, be gung Yhpl qvrq ol snyyvat gung fnzr jnl va na nppvqrag (gur frn bs fnq snprf fbegn pbeebobengrf guvf), ohg gur svany cvnab fprar chgf gung gurbel gb erfg. 

Jub vf Rzvyl? Rzvyl vf jevggra ba gur jnyy znal gvzrf va gur svany ebbz bs Rfgure'f Ghaaryf. Vavgvnyyl V gubhtug vg jnf Fnz'f jvsr, ohg gung tbrf ntnvafg gur nobir gurbel gung Fnz zneevrq Yhpl (juvpu vf qrsvavgryl gur pnfr, vgf pbafvfgrag jvgu gur erfg bs gur tnzr'f uvagvat). Pbhyq vg or Rfgure'f byq crg enoovg'f anzr be fbzrguvat? V qba'g frr nalguvat gur anzr pbhyq cynhfvoyl pbaarpg gb. 

Znlor zbfg vzcbegnagyl bs nyy, jub vf gur qrnq crefba ba gur uvyy? Vg pna'g or Pynver, fvapr gur ynql ba gur uvyy vf oybaqr. Gur ynql ba gur uvyy vf oybbqvrq, fb vg'f qrsvavgryl erprag, naq cebonoyl sbhy cynl. Vg pbhyq or guvf Ylqvn qnapre crefba jub'f tbar zvffvat, ohg gb zl rlr gurer'f irel yvggyr pbaarpgvat gb vg va gur erfg bs gur tnzr. Pbhyq or gung Gbz qvq vg, ohg vg'f n ovg bs n thrff. Ba gur raq fperra bs gur tnzr, jr (Orgu) ner fvggvat ba gur fnzr fjvat, ohg V'z abg pregnva jung gung vf fhccbfrq gb ercerfrag, be vs vg'f eryngrq gb gur uvyy tubfg ng nyy. V srry yvxr V zber be yrff haqrefgnaq gur erfg bs gur tnzr, rkprcg sbe guvf uvyy qrngu.

A lovely game that wears its inspiration on its sleeve. The soundtrack to the fights is excellent. I'm thorougly stuck on the final boss, but I got to the first interlude and it gets props for what it's doing there. I just wish it had checkpoints like the battle that is its distant ancestor, haha.

so cool

Thoroughly enjoyable game, excellent music and sufficient difficulty for a fun play experience. Very satisfying final boss fight and end to the game.

Nice like NES visual!

Fun puzzles and an unfolding story, tied together with brilliant music! What more can you literally ask for???

Fascinating and enjoyable game! Particularly loved the music. Man, when I beat that final boss fight I was elated beyond belief lmao