The controls are a little convoluted, with multiple ways to achieve the same result, but with a little practice they're easy to master. Otus runs, jumps, dodges, spins and flies like a blend of Samus and Tanooki Mario, but when he picks up a friend you need to use both sticks to move and aim, like a shooter.

Exploring the skies and dungeons of Owlboy is a delight, thanks to heaps of optional distractions, hidden secrets and all-around brilliant design. Enemies can usually be defeated with brute force, but smart application of your abilities will often result in an easier kill, making each new encounter a miniature puzzle. Indeed any time I got stuck and felt an encounter was too hard, it turned out I just hadn't fully worked out how to tackle it. It's not a difficult game, but the challenge it does present is mostly cerebral.

Like the visuals the gameplay sensibilities are pleasantly mid-2000s in parts, for example an early dungeon puzzle involving filling buckets of water feels like it would have been at home in The Wind Waker. From its sequential puzzle designs to its incredible boss battles, Owlboy taps into some old-school inspiration but elevates any borrowed ideas with its own original flavour. And speaking of elevation, the sections of outdoor flying between areas — complete with a day/night cycle and polychromatic sky — are spectacular.

From its plucky musical score to its incredible animations (Otus' non-verbal reactions are frequently hilarious), every aspect of the game feels like it's been crafted with immense care. Unfortunately though the game's transition to console hasn't been totally flawless, with the Nintendo Switch version crashing on me completely a couple of times during the playthrough. The PS4 and Xbox One versions, meanwhile, have been temporarily delayed. It's not a deal breaker, as the developers have confirmed fixes are rolling out quickly, but it is disappointing.

It's hard to convey how powerfully Owlboy's design and narrative tie together to create an emotional journey without spoiling too much. By transforming the genre's staple gear into characters, the game turns the familiar flow of something like Metroid into a surprisingly engrossing story. When at one point a friend turns his back on you and leaves the group, you really feel it because an ability you relied on is missing.

Even outside the main plot, the village of Vellie and its surrounds are filled with well-realised characters and hidden challenges that offer loot and additional story as their rewards. Adorable little details, like the clouds you can grab and squeeze to make it rain, or little fish with top hats that swim in the pond, or those weird tiny cows that work for the psychopathic store manager, add up with the overall polish of the experience to make this a world I love spending time in.

Owlboy is out now for Switch (reviewed) and PC, with PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions to come soon.