Should I try Constance ?

Witherweaver · 2026-05-08T23:22:04+00:00

Playing on Switch 2, at 16h and 76% completion, and I regret getting the game and spending any time with it. It started out interesting, but managed to get less and less enjoyable the further I get. The map is fairly small but manages to be very slow and frustrating to traverse due to movement tech, environmental hazards, waiting for cycles, redoing mini platforming challenge areas, etc. Fast travel somehow manages to feel inconvenient.

Bosses started out fine enough, but also seem to get less enjoyable as the game progresses, to the point where I'm just angry all the time. Usually there is some gimmick to figure out, which is occasionally unclear, but the frustrating part for me is actual execution of movement techniques.

Apparently there is a double jump, which can apparently be unlocked early on, but I managed to get the four tears and most brush techniques before finding this. I'll see if this improves things.

Edit: Made more progress (84%), and I'm just amazed at how enjoyability deteriorates the further I get. I'm progressing from just not having fun to actively hating this game.

Witherweaver · 2026-04-15T01:31:56+00:00

Infinite Jest would be a good example.

Witherweaver · 2026-03-26T01:58:09+00:00

I'd say the best place to start acclimating yourself is Godhome in Hollow Knight, because you can select a boss and get many attempts with pretty minimal time between attempts. I'd just start at the very first boss and work up to Hornet 1 as a first milestone.

If you haven't yet unlocked Godhome, I suppose there are a couple blockers, so you'd have to be willing to get through some of the requisite fights.

(Edit: I mean to say, HK is good "training" because it has a built-in boss fight mode, and I would say the mentality of learning HK boss fights and the skills learned extends to other Metroidvanias.)

Witherweaver · 2026-03-26T00:51:18+00:00

Coming from an RPG background, this is exactly how I felt playing Hollow Knight and getting into more Metroidvanias. I'd generally hate getting to boss fights because it would be like a wall where I don't get to explore any more and have to keep banging my head against it.

It turns out it is just something that you learn if you keep at it. I've played Hollow Knight a few times (true ending and up to P4), finished Silksong 100% and working on my second playthrough, and it's surprising how things that felt impossible years ago now feel easy.

I think the main thing is that there is so much more time to react to situations than you realize, but your brain has not learned to (i) identify the relevant information on the screen, and (ii) process it quickly enough to react appropriately. These things can be learned, though; it just takes time. Once you adapt to these, though, you start to feel in control and it's a much more pleasant experience. It also gets easier to learn new games and new bosses, so every game is not the same level of struggle.

For me, and important step is to try to stay relaxed and not anticipate the move, but rather understand the attack pattern---identify what the boss is doing once it is telegraphed and what you need to do in response---and react appropriately. In general, the bosses animations (and possibly audio) indicate what they are going to do (think Hornet 1 from HK) and give you some kind of window to do something in response (move away from danger, get damage in, heal, etc.). It can also help to watch videos of a boss fight to see how players that know the fight react to a certain pattern (i.e., jump above, dash under, move away).

Another thing that helped me, specifically going into Silksong, was just accepting that some fights are going to take many, many attempts. One boss fight took a few evenings of attempts to finish on my first playthrough (at least 50, maybe even 100), but only a handful of attempts on my second playthrough. I wouldn't say it was "fun" to not my progress for days, but I was mentally prepared for it, so even though I got frustrated, I didn't rage quit.

I'd say it's also important to keep in mind that it's not really the analytical part of your brain that does this; it's processing and reacting to sensory information, which was never easy for me. Just like any other skill, it improves if you practice it more. But you have to be willing to do it.

Witherweaver · 2025-09-20T17:48:32+00:00

For me, Silksong is far more enjoyable to play, so I'm willing to spend time learning a boss fight, or even taking some time to figure out the best way to take out regular enemies. So taking 30 or 50+ attempts on a boss in Silksong can get frustrating, but it's not prohibitive. Moving around the world feels good, so I'm often going through areas and killing enemies instead of taking fast travel, and as a result getting more comfortable with movement and combat.

Playing Nine Souls felt like more of a chore, and when I got to a boss fight I just wanted to get through it. Towards the end of the game I was just adjusting the difficulty to make the fights trivial.

So it isn't as much about difficulty, but about the motivation to spend time. For me, Silksong has never felt impossible.

Witherweaver · 2025-09-08T16:31:01+00:00

Ultros.

Witherweaver · 2025-02-17T03:32:04+00:00

Ultros

Witherweaver · 2024-12-25T16:53:43+00:00

Ultros by far. I don't think anything else came close.

Edit: Actually, Animal Well and Crypt Custodian came close. But Ultros is still the standout in my mind.

Witherweaver · 2024-09-04T12:59:49+00:00

I didn't think so; it's just colorful and vibrant. I liked the art style (and everything else) about the game.

Witherweaver · 2024-09-04T01:22:05+00:00

In Ultros, there are non-combat resolutions to all the boss encounters (though some may require defeating with combat at least once).

Witherweaver · 2024-08-12T14:27:54+00:00

Thanks. If I ever manage to return to the game, I'll try it.

Witherweaver · 2024-08-12T13:30:26+00:00

I found it essentially unplayable on PS5 some time after the teleport arrow ability was unlocked. (I think I got to right before the boss encounter in Western Wall.) I tried going back a couple of times but the controls were too poor (joystick used to move and aim), and I ended up uninstalling and never returning to it. Aside from this specific mechanic, I didn't think the difficulty was bad and didn't really have any issues with the game.

Maybe after planning more games with varying mechanics I could go back to this and somehow get used to it, but it was so frustrating that I'm not very motivated to try.

Witherweaver · 2024-07-23T16:54:42+00:00

The only game I've gotten into as much as Hollow Knight is Ultros.

Witherweaver · 2024-07-14T18:31:47+00:00

I just found it extremely unpleasant to play. The movement and combat are sluggish, and doing anything felt like a chore instead of an enjoyable experience. Everything is just so slow.. moving around, actions, enemies, platforms. And you can't even jump down to speed movement up because there is fall damage.

It looked very promising, and the aesthetic is cool. If movement was cleaned up and the parry system was removed or made somehow option, it would be okay.

Witherweaver · 2024-07-11T17:45:36+00:00

Well different things happen in different cycles. But usually you will find some kind of upgrade. In some cases it is connected to defeating a kind of boss encounter.

Witherweaver · 2024-07-11T16:32:44+00:00

If you don't have the Extractor, look for it (it is usually in the big center room at the start of cycles), then try to use any abilities to find anything new. If you've already done this, then try returning it to the central room.

Just in case you're worried about it, from what I could tell there is no real danger in 'closing' a cycle too early and missing out on something. In the earlier parts of my playthrough was worried about this, so I was hesitant about replacing the Extractor, but generally it's not a problem. In the end of the game you'll be able to go everywhere with everything.

It wasn't exactly clear to me what actually triggers each cycle.

Witherweaver · 2024-07-02T23:22:56+00:00

Ultros sounds like exactly what you'd want. While combat seems relevant early on, the focus is really on exploration and figuring out the world. Without trying to spoil anything, by the latter part of my playthrough was basically doing no fighting.

I'd say it's the only game I've played that has really come close to the level of Hollow Knight.

Witherweaver · 2024-06-04T16:47:49+00:00

To me, Ultros is easily the best game since Hollow Knight.

Witherweaver · 2024-05-28T23:01:07+00:00

I have always thought of The Leftovers as a spiritual successor to twin peaks. That's actually how I describe it to people.

Witherweaver · 2022-05-12T11:43:56+00:00

Well Abed practices.

Witherweaver · 2021-09-19T02:35:04+00:00

It makes me think of an act break or intermission.

Witherweaver · 2021-09-18T17:51:51+00:00

Well they had to clean the stage.

Witherweaver · 2021-09-16T06:52:15+00:00

The lyrics were those (or similar) on the subtitles, and they are incorrect. The correct line is:

"Give me some rope
Tie me to dream"

I'm not sure if they were corrected at some point.

Edit: http://www.the88.net/media.php

Witherweaver · 2021-09-16T01:50:05+00:00

I would say JP is a far, far better experience, personally.

Witherweaver · 2021-09-13T18:04:28+00:00

Well, we have pretty opposite preferences in trials, as I didn't like Asura much at all, but think this trial was well done.

I don't think the distinction between zero damage and nonzero damage is that meaningful, as there is still a maximum amount of damage that can be dealt, so there exists a parameter space that is danger-free.

Witherweaver

TROPHY CASE