It actually makes me a little sad to think this game may go unnoticed among more widely known like Shovel Knight. Bringing up Shovel Knight here brings me to another point, about being inspired by a game versus being a clone of it. Shovel Knight is fantastic because it is inspired by Megaman and takes some of it's best elements, but doesn't let itself be constrained by the formula by being a clone. Likewise, it's graphics are inspired by 8-bit and 16-bit games, but it uses it to create a great looking game instead of trying to merely look "old school". Freedom Planet is the same way. It is inspired by Sonic, but is not a simple clone. The game remembers the amount of vertical space and exploration the old Sonic levels had, rather than trying to just be fast, and the three playable characters themselves play different from the Blue Blur. You don't jump on enemies, and you don't spin dash (though one character has a similar ability), but rather have actual attacks and special abilities, like the aforementioned dash, a shield that shoots a short beam when you drop it, and even a motorcycle! That, by the way, makes this the only platformer that I know of that lets you ride around on a motorcycle in the regular levels. Finally, I want to talk about the amount of detail and love and went into the graphics. The characters themselves are well detailed and have a ton of animation, including some done just for cut-scenes. How many sprite based games featured animations that you see exactly once, just to make sure the scene looks good? When Carol hangs from bars while riding her bike, you'll see her struggling to hold on from the extra weight. When you start running when the third, unlockable character, she'll drop down to all fours. Small details like these in the animations also bring out so much character. Don't let this one pass you by because it looks too cutesy or because your tired of retro games. It really is one of the best platformers I've played, period.
