The game begins with a vignette in which Kazuma, trapped in a shelter, attempts to make contact with a friend. With that initial mystery, you are dropped inside a cave. Lacking weapons, you dodge flying bats until you reach a yawning cat’s maw, the entrance to the Hermit Gunsmith’s hovel. Ransacking the treasure chest inside, you find Polar Star, an energy weapon of formidable strength that can break special blocks barring your path.
Cave story is a Metroidvania that unfolds a story about xenophobia, war, and the obsession for power. Your character ventures through various landscapes via teleportation, helping the Mimiga to avoid enslavement.
I really enjoyed the different characters involved, and how they contributed to the story. Looking at the graphics, you might expect a very light-hearted story, but it turned out to be fairly serious.
The platforming aspects were very solid. I think if I have one complaint, it’s that there weren’t as many parts that required backtracking as I’d expect–although I only completed half of the achievements. Usually, backtracking was limited to a single location, as in the case of the Bushlands area which requires backtracking to retrieve Jellyfish Juice.
Next, I’m either planning on another playthough to get the “good” ending, or to move on to another well respected Metroidvania, Gaucamelee! Gold Edition.