Game Thoughts: Sanabi
Sanabi was one of those completely random purchases that turned out to be way better than expected.
When I purchased the title on a whim I thought I'd be getting some decent-looking pixel art and some grappling-hook-driven platforming.
I did get those things, and lots of them! The pixel art is gorgeous throughout the game, and the grappling-hook-driven platforming was absolutely fantastic. It wasn't the deepest gameplay in the world but I had a great time zipping through the screen and clearing enemies in the blink of an eye. The bosses were fun and interesting, and the game did a surprisingly good job keeping things fresh throughout.
What was a bonus that made this whole experience not just another one-liner review was the writing. Wow!.
This wasn't a Nobel Prize in literature or anything, but the characters and writing just had so much goddamn heart. The story went places I absolutely did not expect (even though I did suspect). It was funny and cute and sad and intermingled crazy action sequences with goofy banter. It was just an unambiguously good time.
At the end of the day I hit a skill ceiling and died about 20 times in one section of the game that needed some very specific platforming and stopped playing... but I still watched a youtube video of the rest of the game because I was that engrossed in the story. For a grapple-hook-driven platforming game. I'm glad I did because even though I suspected some things, I also didn't suspect some things and just genuinely wanted to see how it ended. I was tearing up at the finale.
Bravo.