I finally found what was inside the Mainframe. I went inside and I defeated it. I had finished the game. A small uneventful cutscene played. The credits started rolling. The game was over. I had reached the end and finished the game. Or, so I thought.

The Creators had been infected with a Virus. To get to the virus you needed to free the three Creators from the Virus’ infection. Then, to complete the game and free Arcadia you needed to defeat the Virus. I had freed the creators, and I started battling the Virus that lay hidden in the Mainframe.

Each Creator restored a part of the sword Haiku carried. After defeating the Virus a short cutscene plays, reminding us that the sword is still incomplete. In hindsight this was foreshadowing.

Since the game is a Metroidvania, there are still many secrets to unlock. So I start a new game, and Verse tells us that he was wrong about the Virus. It was, in fact, the three Creators that were responsible for the fourth Creator’s (the Virus) death. Now we need to battle them and save Arcadia.

These final bosses were challenging and fun to play against. With practice you eventually learn their patterns and defeat them. And with that, the game is finished.

Though not quite. There are two free DLCs for this game. The Obscure Info DLC adds an entirely new area to the game, one that hides behind a door that can only be opened when all the bosses have been defeated. I make my way back there, and the door opens.

Time to start exploring again.