Exceeding my expectations is an understatement. This game caught me off guard. I did not think much of it going in because we've seen pixel art games before. What was going to make this one different? Well they showed me. There's a ton of people referencing all of the games that inspired it, and that inspiration shows clearly. But while playing, I forgot about all of that and started loving this game for all that made it unique. I'm now in my 30's and it's been years since I've played an rpg that captured my imagination the way it used to when I was a kid, but this somehow took me back there. Made me feel a lot of things. Overall, it's a damn good game and is a clear example of what happens when a team that has true passion for this stuff is capable of.