This game gives me very mixed feelings.
On one hand, it has great pixel art, an interesting story and characters, enjoyable levels in the main storyline, and good controls.
On the other hand, the late-game content feels like it was designed by someone who thought difficult = unpleasant. The pacing of level progression is constantly interrupted because some areas are overloaded with enemies and obstacles. Some secrets are hard to find, not because they’re cleverly hidden, but because they require items that disappear after one use, forcing you into tedious backtracking.
Overall, I recommend buying this game because the main part is solid, and the frustrating stuff is optional (though you’ll miss some lore without it, but YouTube can help).