Akuji the Demon

5 akuji the demon is just too adorable.
in play, akuji is a post-sotn castlevania, minus the frills.

you collect upgrades at a brisk pace, following a fairly linear path while the difficulty curve slowly climbs. once a new ability is introduced, you are challenged to use it competently alongside the rest of your skills in order to progress. kleptomania and backtracking are kept to a blissful minimum.

because it’s fairly straightforward, like the knytt games, it’s fun in small doses, or as a distraction from some other activity that permits you to split your attention.

the aesthetic is about as charming as doujin games get. every pixel is perfectly placed, and the subtle highlighting gives the game a sort of candy-gloss. as for the vampiric protagonist, akuji the demon is just too adorable.

5 Playable
It does not take too much time to finish the game, however this is not a downside; provides a short but complete and fun experiencie. Of course Cave Story is much better, but this is a fine game. Play it.