u/AdmirableGiraffe81

I’ve recently started messing around with a few game engines to find my way into the development of games, and in the process made a similar concept of movement like in „The Knight Witch“, which I have realized to enjoy.

I know that this game isn’t really liked around here, and that it doesn’t necessarily qualify as a full on MV either, but I’d still like to talk about it.

What aspect did you enjoy, if any, and which did you not?

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My take on it, don’t have to read to answer the post, I just like to yap…:

I like the concept of combining a bunch of genres into one, however on the Metroidvania‘s end I feel as if it was just too linear. Too many unlocks were solely there to unlock the next area, and the exploration was very limited and sadly did not feel as rewarding

The randomized cards are somewhat annoying, especially with how out of peripheral vision they are displayed, but the concept of deckbuilding spells wasn’t that bad, imo. The powercreep and actual redundancy cards aced was disappointing, I wish there was more of a proper balance around them.

The story was… okay. Nothing really innovative, but then again, it also seems to focus more on building the identity of characters than an actual grand story, which is one approach to storytelling.

I really enjoyed the movement, unlike your average „platformer“ you pretty much had full access to both verticality and horizontality since the start, because, well, you fly. This is kinda necessary for a bullet hell concept, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen this concept be applied in a proper Metroidvania. Are there any out there that use this sort of movement aswell? I feel a if it could be very fun to slap the „upgrading/progressive abilities“ aspect from MVs onto this „flying“ movement.

It definitely isn’t my favorite game out there, and I don’t think it was that strong of a Metroidvania, but I’d love to hear your take on it to see if I can try to not necessarily improve, as I don’t have much knowledge on game development, but more just mess around with the concept to see what it can be used for :D

Note that everything I talk about is my own, personal opinion on how I view and interpreted the story and its characters. Wether you share that opinion or not is up to you, and feel free to add your personal take in the comments :D

Please don’t talk down on anyone else’s views though, thanks.

Spoiler for the new chapter below, and „yap“ analysis session of potential interpretations.

Spoiler warning for the game „A Space for the Unbound“ at the very end, after everything (separately seperate with transition + spoiler). Comparison to a story/game following a similar trope.

Spoiler for the new chapter below, and „yap“ analysis session of two interpretations.

Spoiler warning for the game „A Space for the Unbound“ at the very end, after everything (separately seperate with transition + spoiler). Comparison to a story/game following a similar trope.

>!It could be seen that Rosalina has found her special „someone“ through the family of Luma‘s she’s now raising, as that’s who she returns to after the conversation between the two figures. Rosalina passes on this feeling of hope through personal experience at her past self, proving persistence and the beauty that the idea of not giving up can lead to.!<

>!Her younger self is still „stuck“ with the expectation of finding her way back, instead of finding her way forward, and this conversation between the two is he turning point of what leads to her acceptance of „fate“.!<

>!It could be through either perspective, playing through the imagination of her younger self, imaging a future that could be, and finding serenity by this thought about how her future self ended up by continuing the way she’s planning to live. It could also be that modern Rosalina is imagining a conversation with her past self, to sort of talk herself into the acceptance of the choice that she made the right decision in moving forward. The former would be more about finding your way and letting go of the past, and the latter more about accepting that way of having moved forward after having already walked it, comparing yourself to then and now to confirm that this fate is something you would be happy to accept at any point of your life.!<

>!The comets could be be about Peach and Rosalina considering the movie canon, with the chasing „purple“, visually more bright/pink comet being Peach, „chasing“ Rosalina, and the leading, blue comet to be Rosalina, leaning more into their „big sister“ dynamic, and Rosalina being the indirect mother figure for Peach, taking responsibility for her, leading the way. In the movie, they were separated and later reunited. The „combined sun“ they then form could be further interpreted to portray their sororal (I didn’t know this word existed, I had to search it up, but pretty much the connection between siblings. Kinda the term maternal but for siblings) connection, and how they eventually find their way back each other, because they’re siblings after all, and even after being separated, that connection is never truly lost.!<

>!In context of the conversation, I don’t really like that interpretation though because it goes back on that whole „moving forward“ kinda idea and just retraces a connection back to her (suddenly existing) sister. The special someone would be Peach, her sister, and in context, adult Rosalina having found Peach, while young Rosalina didn’t, doesn’t make much sense. This could play in the time after letting Peach go (for younger Rosalina) because of that „dark force“, but then it would not really be „meet“ her special someone, but rather „reunite“ with her special someone. This concept of „meeting“ someone special as a whole is something I like more as an idea rather than an actual person/being.!<

>!I’d rather interpret these comets to be her younger and older self, which makes sense that younger and older Rosalina „meet“ in the exact moment these stars „merge“ into one. The purple (brighter, pink) comet is young Rosalina, and the change in color could be tied back to her aging transition regarding state of mind. Purple could represent her instability, her being ruled by emotion rather than reason, yet still brave to continue walking her path to make it her own. The color blue is often tied to being sad/depressed, which could be considered to be a state that modern Rosalina is in. Ultimately she knows she’s all alone and will never find her way back, but on the other hand the color blue can also be seen to represent confidence, security, and peace, the „opposite“ of what purple could stand for. Keep in mind that this is completely up to personal interpretation, the meaning of color is heavily debated and there isn‘t necessarily no right or wrong when it comes to their mean. Things like accessories (star vs circular ear rings), the color used for her hair on (page 11 of the new Epilogue her younger self has a more light auburn color), however this could just come down to lighting. She has been portrayed with a matching/similar tone in the original story during flashbacks at her younger self, specifically those tied to her mother. This could just be the cause because of lightning and the effect it has on her already unique color, but it could be interpreted as another differentiation between her two „mental“ states throughout time.!<

>! Yeah, it’s definitely to differentiate he from her old/young self. The color used for her hair on page 11 of the new Epilogue has her with more light auburn color, but this could just come down to lighting. She has ben portrayed with a matching/similar tone in the original story during flashbacks at her younger self, specifically those tied to her mother. This could just be the cause because of lightning and the effect it has on her already unique color, but it could be interpreted as another differentiation between her two „mental“ states throughout time. The purple comet „catching up“ with the blue one shows this precise moment on time of her finding her acceptance. She doesn’t have to chase after her future anymore, neither does she have to run from her past. "The strongest force in all the universe is a heart that never gives up." is a line that confirms that this idea of hope and continuation is the mindset Rosalina follows. The agreement by young Rosalina further confirms this acceptance. She’s ready to walk the path she has laid out for herself.!<

That’s how I like to see it. Ultimately it all comes down to what you see in her character and her story, and what you interpret through said story.

Comparison to a Space for the Unbound (VERY HEAVY spoiler warning for the game. If you ever plan to play it, don’t read… very beautiful game and story, definitely should play):

>!A Space for the Unbound is the first game besides Galaxy to have ever made me cry, and the combination of its soundtrack with the emotional weight of its story is the reason on why for both. It follows a similar trope of this self confronting yourself across time, but the trope is pretty much flipped. Raya‘s story centers around her older self who cannot let go of her past. Rather than moving forward, she constructs an entire fantasy world to stay frozen in a moment, because moving on means confronting a grief and a life she has never able to find herself in. Her attempt at suicide, which leads to forming this „Space of the Unbound“, her fantasy world, is implied at the end and can be read out of the dialogue just as well. The event that completely ruins her, the death of a childhood friend (who can equally be interpreted to have been imaginary) is the cause for her denial of acceptance. Whereas Rosalina's older self has already walked the path and provides acceptance to herself, Raya, being her „old self“ (with her full name being „Raya Fitri Nirmala“) is the one that needs saving, and it's her younger self, referred to as Nirmala, who is the one eventually „calming“ Raya ,into acceptance. Rosalina passes hope downward, from experience to „innocence“, while Nirmala receives it from said innocence. The lack of worry from that past version of herself is one that has not yet given up. Both „characters“ are portrayed as seperate figures too at first, with their connection coming more evident as the story progresses. Galaxy leans into this similarly, not just through the height difference, but accessories as well, for example through Circular and Star ear rings, lighter and darker hair, and „speech“ patterns that more so reflect experience. In „A Space for the Unbound“, Raya is portrayed as a „normal“ person, usually in school uniform, blending into everyone else. What makes her distinct from others and stand out is her blue hair. Nirmala is also portrayed with blue hair, but unlike Raya, she‘s usually seen in yellow clothing and a green bucket hat. First of all, this contrasts their personality (young Nirmala wants to stand out, she sees a future in her stories), while Raya tries to dress monotone to blend in and „disappear“ among those around her.!<

>!It’s a very similar take incoherent same „trope“, however with opposite direction and a somewhat completely different emotional conclusion. One is about accepting the choices you made (moving on), while the other the other is about accepting the choices you didn’t make (not moving on and being „stuck“ in your own world) and having to actively reach for it to make it out.!<