I enjoyed almost all of my time with Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse. The art, music, and story kept me immersed throughout my playthrough. While I was a little skeptical about combat due to the trailers I’d seen making it look more like a 2D Soulslike, the game handles it well. Instead of the departure I expected the combat to be, the fighting felt more diverse and fast-paced while still straightforward enough for a Castlevania game.
Lifted brings together the joy of watching your favorite movie with a simple platformer, and I had a blast playing it. There were a lot of cutscenes that gave the enjoyment of watching a movie, so they didn’t distract from the gameplay. The gameplay itself was simple, but well done for the most part and made the journey enjoyable. While I do wish the game was a little bit longer, I have found that going back for the collectibles feels worth it. While the puzzles weren’t challenging, finding the collectibles can be, and earning the new outfits feels like an achievement. Overall, Lifted focuses on bringing joy to the player. Nothing’s so hard as to cause frustration, and the wackiness of the story kept me smiling for the whole playthrough. If you’re looking for a fun, enjoyable couple of hours, I’d suggest Lifted.