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[GregWS]

First, yes, I should have played this years ago, but I didn't.  Whatever, I've won it now, so that's something.

Yeah, so I think it is a very well done Metroidvania, but what's with all the hype?

Was it because, when it came out, it was very high quality for an indie game?

Did it just do enough things right?

Did the whole "Japanese Style" of the game make people like it more?

I'm quite curious, as I wasn't a part of the indie crowd when it came out. 

Oh, and just to note, I'm very well versed in Metroidvanias and action platformers, and I do think this is comparable to many of the better one's I've played; the camera really bugs me though, it's so imprecise.

[William Broom]

Polish, I guess, is what made the difference. The graphics, story, and controls are all very well-thought out. Someone said that the floaty jumping makes it feel like you're in a dream. That is about as close as you can get to saying why Cave Story is so great.

[Core Xii]

I agree, it was a fine game, but way over-hyped.

But hey, it's the Internet. These things are to be expected.

Like the stupid circus surrounding the you-have-to-burn-the-rope game. What a waste of time.

[moi]

When cave story was rfeleased there were very few indie games of the same quality (if any).

[GregWS]

I agree, it was a fine game, but way over-hyped.

But hey, it's the Internet. These things are to be expected.

Like the stupid circus surrounding the you-have-to-burn-the-rope game. What a waste of time.

Oh no, you can't insult that game.  I think it required a certain sense of humour to "get," and I happen to have that sense of humour.  That game has literally had me laughing so hard that I've been on the floor numerous times.  And that novelization was almost as funny as the game itself.  It took absurdity to a new extreme, and I guess there's something about that that I find incredibly hilarious.

[moi]

The you-have-to-burn-the-rope's ending song was a more interesting indie-moment than many indie games.

[Melly]

It was really about the time. It was a completely freeware game with very high polish and a lot of style, and at the time that sentence was VERY rare to hear. In fact, it might have contributed considerably to the higher rate of high-quality freewares we have today.

It's not perfect and I have heard many plausible concerns, like the weapon deleveling mechanic being a bit too punishing in certain areas, it being misclassified as metroidvania when it's actually very linear with only a few opportunities to explore away from the predetermined path, the fact the floaty jumping physics make the Core boss battle VERY frustrating without the machinegun, which you don't want to get if you want the best stuff, and also that to get the best ending and the secret area you had to do a series of hidden actions which pretty much no clues about them, forcing you to rely on faqs.

But it was still great.

[deadeye]

Yes, I think Cave Story is pretty over-hyped as well.  It's a solid game and has a lot of polish.  It's pretty fun for a platform shooter, but not terribly innovative or outstanding.  And in my humble opinion, definitely not deserving of the fanboyism surrounding it.  That shit really turns me off and makes me never want to hear the words 'cave' or 'story' ever again.

Like the stupid circus surrounding the you-have-to-burn-the-rope game. What a waste of time.

People like to have fun  It's not the same thing as Cave Story.  Folks were just enjoying a clever joke there for a little while.  It's pretty much over and done with, but the Cave Story hype lives on.

[GregWS]

So there was a bunch of secret stuff!  It seemed quite hinted at, but yeah, not blatant enough.  Is the best ending worth another play through?

OK, so I think the "of it's time" thing makes a lot of sense.  When I first got into indie gaming, I certainly played some games that made me think "I can't believe this is indie."  And had I played Cave Story back when it came out, that feeling of awe would probably have been quite large.

Hmm, I think it was 07' when things really started picking up quality/polish wise.  There were rumblings before then, of course, but I think we've reached the point where indie gaming is going to get a lot better a lot faster.

[Melly]

The 'best' ending comes coupled with a whole, extra hard secret area + boss.

[GregWS]

"extra hard," eh?  Well, then I guess I have no choice but to try it at some point, probably over the Holidays.

[Gainsworthy]

Time and Context, yes. Hype always makes me sad - tends to ruin wonderful things for people. I just bumped into Cave Story one day in 2006 from... well, I don't know how. I think it was on a list on some blog. But, the style, music, attention to detail, story, SECRETS. Such big secrets. General polish, I guess. Charmed the heck out of me.

Nowadays there are more free games of enormous quality, but I agree that this probably played some kind of role in shaping indie games as they are today. And getting people to pay attention.

Although, if I found it today? Probably still would blow my mind. Just a feeling.

[Problem Machine]

Cave Story was a pretty amazing experience for me, and I played it fairly recently (maybe half a year ago now). At the time, I had all but stopped playing games, and I thought maybe I just wasn't much into playing games any more, only making them. Then I played Cave Story.
It turns out I DO still like playing games, it's just that no one's making the ones I want to play any more! It really cemented for me how much I feel that the industry has abandoned what interested me about games in the first place, and moved on to being products instead of games.
As to WHY it triggered such a strong positive response, I couldn't say. I think maybe it's the simple but sophisticated gameplay, the soundtrack, and the sweetly dark tone of the story that pulls me in. The presentation is like a cross between Kirby and Final Fantasy Tactics. I don't care if people are tired of the hype; I won't let that prevent me from stating just how fucking much I enjoyed this game.

[Dacke]

2002: Eternal Daughter
2004: Cave Story

[Powergloved Andy]

2002: Eternal Daughter
2004: Cave Story

yeah ED was fantastic, a little glitchy though but it was an MMF game.

[Melly]

I know you guys are just saying it's awesome to make Derek all happy about you and give you a fancy title.

Which is good because it IS awesome. Though FUCKING HARD AARGH!!

[Hideous]

2002: Eternal Daughter
2004: Cave Story

2008: Iji

[Dacke]

I know you guys are just saying it's awesome to make Derek all happy about you and give you a fancy title.

Which is good because it IS awesome. Though FUCKING HARD AARGH!!

I came to this place because of ED, it's not the other way around 
Though I still haven't beaten that last boss :D

[deadeye]

Which is good because it IS awesome. Though FUCKING HARD AARGH!!

I know, I never finished it

That dang blasted floating wizard dude with the flies that go in a circle... eeaargh 

[shockedfrog]

The only real problem I have with Cave Story (other than the irritating hype surrounding it, which is not the game's fault) is one of the issues Melly mentioned, that the best ending and other stuff is hidden in a pretty ridiculous way with no clues. The game is, ironically, spoiled unless you play it knowing certain spoilers.

Other than that, it's just great in all areas that are particularly important for it, everything's just so polished like everyone else is saying. I still think that's incredibly rare (and perhaps becoming rarer), there's only a few other games that have felt similar to that for me, Iji and Crimsonland being the two that spring to mind right now.