4.5/5 ★ – benhmedia's review of Islets.

Shoutout to the Thompson brothers for crafting some of the most aesthetically distinct metroidvanias of the last 5 years. Their first game, Sheepo, was very much carried by its quirky and colorful world and soothing lo-fi soundtrack. As far as gameplay though I found it to be a bit sleepy. I’m very happy to say that their second game, Islets, takes everything good from Sheepo and greatly improves upon it. The level design is bigger and better, the world feels fuller and more lived-in, the story is more engaging, and there’s a plethora of well-designed boss fights throughout. Despite how tense some of the boss fights get, though, the overall experience feels remarkably cozy thanks to how pretty the art and music is. I never tired of exploring every nook and cranny of this world, which is what a good metroidvania should succeed in doing. Only a few gripes: the combat is extremely simple (slash a sword, fire your arrows), and many of the game’s power-ups are pretty basic as far as metroidvanias go (double jump, wall climb, ground pound, etc.). Some markers for your map would also have been appreciated. That being said, the game is designed extremely well around its minor limitations. If you’re looking for a metroidvania that stands out from the usual bleak tone that you see within the genre, I would highly recommend giving Islets a try!