Iconoclasts

Back with another Metroidvania by the name of Iconoclasts. It's not a secret I've a bit of a soft spot for these kinds of games but regardless, I think it held up very well.

Iconoclasts is pretty standard. You run around the world, progress the story, do some platforming, do some combat, upgrade your abilities and weapons in smaller and larger ways...
Your main tool is a wrench, which is the central unique item in this game. It can be used to operate various doors, sliding and spinning platforms, but also as a movement tool, letting you swing on hanging nuts, or ride electric lines (don't try these at home). It also acts as a melee weapon alongside the three guns you unlock as you play.
There's a nice variety of enemies, but they're nothing fancy. It's usually more of a puzzle-thing, figuring out how to beat an enemy, than one of skill. This goes double for bosses, which are, in contrast, definitely very fancy and make up a sizable portion of the game. The puzzle theme is permeating, and environment/platforming puzzles make up another sizable portion. Overall, maybe Iconoclasts is even a bit more of a puzzle platformer than a Metroidvania. While there is backtracking, a lot of it is optional or devoid of much action, and the level structure is quite linear.
Upgrades are mostly the mandatory wrench and gun upgrades you need to progress, but also some mostly inconsequential "Tweaks" you can craft from resources you find. (Oh, but do get the one that lets you spin your wrench longer, you'll thank me later.)

The bosses and puzzles were of a nice difficulty. On one hand, nothing special, on the other, I rarely got any averse feelings towards them - they were well made, and progressed at a steady pace. One of the most enjoyable things about the gameplay was how, when you went back to content you had already completed, going through it was a breeze. I could really look back on my journey and feel how it was not just my character who had progressed, but I as well.
From other aspects - music was pleasant, pixel art was really good, and the story was genuinely interesting. The ending was a bit anticlimactic, maybe rushed? It definitely left many questions in the air, but didn't really hurt the overall story.

Overall, definitely recommended and it earned a high place on my list. Superb job for a mostly solo project. Play it for the puzzles and a feeling of mastery. Play it for the lovely atmosphere, characters, and story.