If you haven't heard of it, Angeline Era is a non-linear adventure game developed by the makers of the indie gems, Anodyne 1, 2, and Sephonie. I've only put a few hours into it myself, but to say I'm impressed would be an understatement.
From first glance, it looks like a retro-inspired Zelda-like, and it kind of is, but its world is structured more like a JRPG or perhaps, Zelda II, where the world map acts as a hub for locations--towns, dungeons, and areas filled with NPCs, enemies, puzzles, and bosses. Unlike most of those games where the map is primarily a means to connect locations, in Angeline Era, traversal becomes a puzzle. Outside of larger locations, most areas aren't marked on the map. You must discover them by paying careful attention to the landscape and searching areas that stick out. Thus far, I've found my intuition is usually correct. If an area looks suspicious there's probably something there to be discovered.
Combat is also novel. Like Falcom's early Ys games, there is no attack button. Instead, your character attacks when bumping into enemies. This works surprisingly well, adding a rhythm to combat--one that requires you to pay careful attention to enemy orientation. For example, you'll do more damage to enemies who have their back turned towards you. In addition to your blade, your character is armed with a gun that can only shoot vertically in an upward direction (this might change with upgrades, but I'm still only a couple hours in). It's helpful for picking off enemies at a distance. The game's controls also make mention of artifacts that you can use, but I've yet to secure one.
Furthermore, the areas that you'll discover as well as the bosses you'll face all have light puzzle elements. These areas remind me of shrines in Breath of the Wild--each having some unique conceit on the game's mechanics. As for bosses, I won't spoil anything not already spoiled in the game's trailers, but one in particular really impressed me. The fight evolved into a game of Arkanoid, where you must attack a paddle to keep a bomb in play while simultaneously dodging and countering attacks. It was a blast.
The story is also interesting and well-written, drawing on Christian mythology, philosophy, and Irish folklore. I won't go into specifics, but thus far it seems like a game where the story is an integral part, not just an afterthought meant to drive the player from one set piece to another. Make no mistake, however, it's not overly talky or verbose.
What shocks me, and why I've taken the time to write up this post, is that nearly a month after its release, there's almost no discussion of this game online. There aren't even many reviews, though the ones that do exist are glowing. Do yourself a favor, play Angeline Era. I'm personally excited to sink more time into it and would love to see more discussion of it online.
You can read more about this game and others from Analgesic Productions at Melos Han-Tani on Substack. Personally, I'm excited to dive into more of their titles once I finish this one.