Hypogea

The best movement since Psuedoregalia in some of the best broken down factories since Infra. Pole vaulting is smooth and fluid, the environments are gorgeous, and the overall gamefeel is excellent. I'd estimate the length is 2-4 hours but I'm more than happy with that length with this density and quality.

I've been dreaming of this game since I was a child.
If you loved BIONICLE and Tomb Raider 1, Hypogea might hit you as hard as it hit me.
Exquisite vibes, precise platforming, charming robots, lively animation, seamless cutscenes, huge environments, spooky music, emotional ending... Hypogea is the real deal.
Runs great on Steam Deck at Ultra settings. I recommend toggling the Pixel Filter ON.

This game genuinely made me rethink how movement and game controls should be. I love how deliberate you are with your inputs. I would have never in my life as a game designer thought "holding a button to reach out your hand to grab the ledge" would improve the gamefeel over just letting it be automatic. But it just works and it makes moving feel so much more intentional and fun.

Pole vaulting seems like such an obvious idea for a 3D platformer after playing Hypogea, yet I can’t think of any others that do it (at least not this well) And that’s just one of the things that makes it special.
The pole vaulting, though, elevated everything. Instead of a basic double jump, it adds a tactile, satisfying layer that keeps traversal feeling so fresh and fun as hell
Even without the pole vaulting, I’d recommend it instantly. The PSX charm, the warm atmosphere, and the expressively animated robots make its wordless storytelling feel rewarding and alive. Traversal was the most fun, It even reminded me of Team Ico's works in the best way possible, This was built on a smart level design, and cool light puzzles. Everything feels intentional, and it absolutely shows ♡

A megastructure parkour game where you play as a discarded automaton rising up from a cavernous pit back into the open air. The pole-vaulting movement mechanics are sublime, slowy mastered throughout the course of three hours and tested via increasingly enchanting platforming sequences. While mastering locomotion, your automaton also deepens its connection to a community of dysfunctional, disregarded robots, proving to them that there is a new future for those that repurpose their weaponry for peace. A beautfiul tale of hope, moving in its both its redemptive script and its emphasis on the rousing kinecticism of a once-maimed fraternity of misfits.

Pretty unique megastructure platformer with great atmosphere, visuals, and movement that feels smooth thanks to the pole. This game reminds me of the movie "9" and I'm sure anyone else who's seen it would enjoy playing Hypogea.

Short and bittersweet story with enough mechanic variety to last for the duration of the game. It was a great time and I am glad to know that there are still devs who can make such games. It doesnt stress you, it doesnt punish you, doesnt frustrate you with controls or any of this stuff.