ORPHEUS: TO HELL AND BACK

This game is not for me. As much as I like the soundtrack and the 8-bit graphics, the gameplay sucks after the first chapter. Sections of this game feel cheap and you get no invincibility frames. I would like to see the Angry Video Game Nerd reviews this one!

ORPHEUS: TO HELL AND BACK is a gameboy-style retro adventure about myths made real! Died a bunch for silly reasons in 1.6 hours using a keyboard. Difficulty is all over the place, but mostly easy. Even if it's easy, you'll die a lot. Story: You're Orpheus going into hell to save his love with a lyre. For a gameboyish game, this is an impressive amount of story right here. There is also an impressive amount of typos, but that just gives it a retro feel to me. Controls: Gameboys have two buttons, so 'a' and 's' on the keyboard. One plays songs once your meter is full, the other switching what songs are played. Esc and Enter pause the game. You can reprogram the controls in the beginning menu. It doesn't tell you that pushing against a door and hitting s while holding a key will open it, or that pushing against an item and holding S will do the same. Semi-important details. Music: Bit-tune! A little stuck in my head. Weirdly reminded me of Guacamelee in parts. Graphics: Gameboy. Problems: The only way I found to back out of the O:tHaB is to hit the Windows key and manually close the program. There are also a few bugs here and there, like enemies getting stuck, offing themselves, doubled enemies, etc. I knew what sort of game this was when I got it. Recommended if you like retro games and need that oldschool, handheld, low-pixel vibe.

The game just isn't fun to play. You WILL have numerous eye-rolling moments where you get instantly gimped by stepping too close to a pit, or stunlocked by a spiketrap, or get caught on some weird enemy hurtbox; and when it happens, you'll have to restart the entire floor. After every boss fight, I was just relieved that I wouldn't have to go through the previous floors BS again. The lyre mechanic also isn't very interesting to use. You just stand somewhere and mash B to make enemies slowly wobble towards you until they die. I reached the Hades floor, but just couldn't be bothered to complete it.