The Jumping Flash-inspired Forza Polpo has been available in early access on Steam with some tweaks and fine-tuning for quite some time. Since late 2021, it has grown in scope with the addition of four ending zones, but has remained a healthy blend of first-person platforming and a higher difficulty curve than any JF game had. The end result has been something that definitely showed off why those games were special while doing things with a more modern look and feel across the board.

Having two analog sticks to work with made aiming much easier, while the usage of a battery-draining mechanic made things a bit tougher in some ways. It gave the player an ever-present timer to work with and that worked against the JF approach of allowing the player to explore while still having the end goal in mind. Still, one could theoretically explore quite a bit and find batteries along the way - but it's a tougher road to travel down.

In the coming weeks, Forza Polpo will gain a new arcade mode that allows the end of battery-consumption and opens the floodgates open to it being a more purely-fun experience for those wanting fewer restriction. Those seeking more challenge can still get it as the classic mode will be intact as well, and the update will also change how things are balanced. Enemies will deal a bit less damage, but that will be in-line with healing items instead of a healing item healing up twice the damage taken from an enemy. Once this new update goes live, we'll do a more in-depth preview for the game - but even without the arcade mode present, this is a fantastic game and a must-own for anyone who ever loved the PlayStation's Jumping Flash games.