5 stars might be stretching it a little, the game is not perfect, but for a solo dev it's pretty incredible.
Yes, the combat is a little messy and gets repetitive in some areas, and some things could be explained a little better, and inventory management gets annoying at times, some things can be abused to get very strong once you understand the system better, but overall I had a great time playing Caves of Lore, there really aren’t any huge flaws, only things to refine.
The character system is moderately complex and works well, the game uses learn-by-use spell and skill system, and this might be the first game where I don’t dislike this. You also unlock new spells and abilities by using simpler ones. You have a lot of freedom in selecting and upgrading gear and character abilities/spells.
Combat is a bit of a mess, but it’s quick and fairly satisfying. Could be improved, but it’s fine.
The plot is… it’s alright. It’s pretty original and sets up a sequel.
I love the graphics, music and sounds are good.
There are some secrets in the game that you can only unlock by reading books or talking to characters and saying magic words in right places (by manually typing them). Feels good to do that in a world dominated by games with quest markers.