There are two distinct halves to the gameplay, platforming and combat, and each has its corresponding pros and cons when controlling the action. Scaling buildings basically requires you to find a path and push the analog stick in the direction you want to go. While doing this you’ll frequently encounter distances that require an additional jump, which is done by pressing “A.” It’s usually very responsive, though there are times when you’ll want to go east-west at a junction but will end up heading north-south. Given that the entire mechanic is based on an ever decreasing stamina meter, this can lead to some exacerbating moments.

As frustrating as that can be, the level design and cleverness of the puzzles laid out in front of you are so good that it’s worth dealing with every one of Yorda’s eccentricities. Even the game’s annoying combat sequences, which generally consist of shadowy creatures jumping back and evading your pitiful swings to the point that fighting even a couple at once feels like it may drag on for 10 minutes, can’t come close to derailing everything the game is doing right.

With gameplay that moves so quickly, it’s not surprising that the controls are very simple. Each of the game’s nine weapons has a primary (right trigger) and secondary (left) fire mode, and there are three buttons dedicated to shuffling between them. You can also crouch, jump and melee your opponents, though hand-to-hand feels more like luck at these speeds. Selecting the game’s signature mutators is done quickly with the d-pad. Of special note is the game’s incredibly fun jetpack controls, which allow you to climb, descend and hover with ease.

You control the alien entirely with the left analog stick (the right moves the camera so you can plan your actions), which means you’ll need to look in the direction you’re about to teleport. That wouldn’t be such a detriment if the game offered a full range of motion, but it doesn’t. So instead of being able to make subtle adjustments you’ll watch as the warp reticule toggles between positions roughly 45 degrees apart. That’s good if your intended destination rests at one of those eight points; not so much when you’re trying to warp between lasers.

Of course, you’ve also got those wonderful demon arms, which are mapped to the shoulder buttons. The right is used in conjunction with the right analog stick for melee strikes while the left is reserved for grabbing objects (poles, doors, people, etc.) and whipping them across the screen. Suspended enemies can also be executed in a variety of brutal and satisfying ways. It starts off pretty basic, but as you gather dark essence, new moves can be purchased. Eventually you’ll have a different type of execution for each face button — one restores, another replenishes ammo and so on. Beyond just being visually cool, there is some element of strategy involved as you can address various needs with the executions.