Interesting. I'm rather certain >!wings are required to get the shadow cloak though. I remember there being some pretty hard gated double jump parts to get to the second Hornet encounter.!< It has been some time though I may be misremembering.

Fun to think about though, that little bug is such a tragic part of the game and a playthrough dedicated to saving her would be great.

I have not watched any speed runs of the game, I bet it would be fun.

First playthrough, I did not understand the power of the spike pogo. That is, until >!the white palace, where you damn well better learn it quick!<.

On my second playthrough, I was surprised how much quicker you could breeze through the game with pogo sticking. Especially when you rushed getting >!mark of pride and quick nail.!<

The only two places that really got me was >!The Soul Sanctum and The Hive !<

Everything else had pretty manageable benches, with most of the hardest ones being mercifully right next to the boss.

Can you? I know that the Crystal is needed to get double jump, and I was pretty sure that was needed for all of the endings.

But maybe it is not. You certainly could not >!fight radiance!<.