MONUMENTUM

It's good! Smart design and button mapping. The trigger ones were finnicky and frustrating at times but I think I just needed momentum coming in.

Really loved how this game handled momentum-based platforming and micro-metroidvania elements. Really my only grasps are the lack of colors with the different elements which doesn't feel great for readability, the way it felt like it was never really useful to let go of X, and the lack of a soundtrack (for which I'm glad Chasm Shift is going to have seraph_engine in it, that's going to be great).

Monumentum is a short platformer that wears its heart on its sleeve. With just the title, the aesthetic, and the first 30 seconds of gameplay you know what you’re in for. The intricately detailed monument you find your avatar (a small cube) moving through is a mechanical temple. As you quickly realize, the space is full of machines meant to propel. First you unlock jump pads which launch you into the air with a bass-y thrum. As you continue you unlock a handful more abilities which let you use the other machines here. Overall, movement feels good, if a little slippery. This could be a major knock in a game that set its sights higher - aiming for the mechanical precision of something like Hopshot or Celeste. However in this 45-90 minute experience, it only grates a little and is contrasted with the joy of mastering this beautiful clockwork. There were a couple challenges, one of which pushed a little close to overstaying its welcome, but overall it was very doable to clear each section in 1-3 tries. When I think back on this, I think what will mainly stick with me is the aesthetic, but that’s just fine with me. I do like a machine temple vibrating with unexplained energy.