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Somnokid brings back feelings of playing an old Game Boy Advanced mini-game. With it's Kirby-style artwork and it's very easy and simplistic platformer/shot 'em up gameplay, this game easily brings back the nostalgia of that time.

In Somnokid, you play as a dreamy goat-owl who's trying to wake up with the light of a candle. Each level follows the same premise: in your owl form, you create platforms on a limited timer that, aside from letting you stand on them, creates health, mini platforms, and enemies to fight which increase your owl timer while in your goat form, you must shoot off waves of enemies while staying within a certain distance of a candle that lets you progress to the next level. The game allows you to fly around the screen as an owl which is useful for easily staying away from enemies released from the platforms, while the goat form gives you the standard loadout for platforming (jump, movement, wall jumping). The variety in enemies adds to the gameplay as you are kept on your toes to which enemies do what; no enemy is particularly difficult, but the longer the level lasts, the more you have to shoot down or stay away from.

There was no level in this game that I felt was difficult in terms of reaction time or enemy numbers. In all honesty, this game should give the option of a one-life per level choice because many of the levels can be completed by damage boosting through enemy damage. There are even a good number of levels that can be beaten by simply just dodging enemies as the candle timer is very charitable with how fast it refills. The controls were very intuitive as well: you have your movement, your jumping, and the gun has two types of shooting styles (tap shooting so that you can face sides easier and hold to shoot which makes your character face one side and shoot in that direction while the button is held down); using both of these styles can be crucial at times to keep enemies at bay.

*For anyone who says "honestly not being able to turn while shooting is just such a bad game design descision to make" or "why can't I turn when shooting?", please realize that you can tap to shoot as well*

All in all, Somnokid is a cute shoot 'em up that presents a moderate challenge and a good amount of nostalgia. If you do decide to play this game, keep in mind that every level can be completed in different ways, and some without any combat at all. Take it slow, try new things, and eventually you can wake up from this dream :)

My playthrough: