It's a cool atmosphere you built there with the music and sounds, they go along nicely with the tribal/village theme! The art is very nice too.
Just want to share some feedback and ideas:
- Speed to stop: the player slides a bit when stop walking, the floor feels kinda slippery, but it is all grass and rocks, right? A sudden stop would feel more realistic to me, but it is a matter of taste anyways.
- Crossbow mechanic: think about holding X to load an arrow, and releasing X to shoot it. It could even be explored for power shots (like in Megaman).
- Camera movement: it shows more of what is behind me, and less of what is in front. Maybe the opposite would make more sense.
- Secret places: there is a barrier in some dark spots to avoid the player from falling down. Maybe some could be walked through to lead to secret areas (like in Commander Keen)?
Overall, awesome piece. I can't wait to play the rest of it!