For anyone interested, I just wanted to throw out that Quietus II is currently on its way ;) Programming and such all finished and it's now up for sponsorship.
I'd just like to mention that side-to-side shooting was a design decision; having the ability to strafe up and down to sweep enemies makes it a much more skill-based game, especially considering that the player can use the well in the middle as a barrier against enemies coming from the top and bottom; it complicates the game for purposes of strategy. Several players I have spoken to have found that after playing for a time, they've come to like the sideways-only shooting; it gives a different experience, not necessarily a limited one.
Although, I can certainly understand the frustration of getting your face blown apart by a goblin you had trouble dodging ;)
If you liked the music, go to Liam Berry's band camp page here:
http://liamberry.bandcamp.com/album/quietus-soundtrack
You can play any song as much as you like for free!
@Almost: The player is able to move immediately after they stop being lethal; basically, if you aren't able to kill enemies anymore because of your punch, you are able to move.
The checkpoints are at a quite steady rate of about one per two screen lengths (simply, one per area). Areas tend to be more isolated challenges, and so they are like levels in a puzzle game. If you pass a level, you get a checkpoint and don't have to do it again. I can see the preference for more checkpoints, but the game is meant to be brutally hard (precision platforming) and adding more checkpoints would simply divert it from its intended genre.
@Almost: As for the spikes on the sides of ledges, that is actually done on purpose so you have to use your jump in order to fall. It's there in order to make the puzzles further challenges.
As for the coins indicating jumping, the game has variable jumping, so if you release the jump button earlier you won't hit the beam.
@Almost: the delay is really just unavoidable; you are able to jump to try and get out of the way, but if I made it so you could move, you could jump over obstacles. If you can't move but you're invulnerable, you'll just fall inside of some enemy until you stop being invulnerable and die.
@SirRealism: I never changed anything about the base game that would affect it this badly, as far as I know; I have no clue what's wrong. Everyone please hold off rating and such until I'm able to fix this problem!
This is very odd; I'll have to take another look at it. The framerate is 60 FPS, but I guess it's just not matching up. I'll take the game down until I figure it out.
About the lack of a mute button... When I made this game, I didn't know how to program a muting option, so I didn't add it. I know how to now and could easily put it in, but re-uploading here would erase all save files, so I'm not going to add it. Sorry everyone!
The creator of the music is actually "TheBerryster," and you can talk to him if you'd like; it's not my music to give ;) Here's his twitter page: http://twitter.com/TheBerryster
UPDATED: I got the music in with a few edits, including the spike color problem, chest counting, and the bonus addition of invulnerability and wall-jumping if you beat the game with all the chests and levels complete :)
Alright, so what you have to do is get to the platform before the three chompers, then jump straight up, and as you reach the top of your height, move right and jump as you hit the platform. Do this as one of the spirits is one your right and the other is on your left. That should get you there :)
With Quietus complete, I've begun working on a new game, tentatively named "Octohead." If anyone wants to play the alpha, play it here: http://gmb-time.blogspot.com/2010/04/spring-break-project-octohead.html I hope to put it on Kongregate as soon as I finish!
 "Quietus"){kind=icon}
 "Dromad"){kind=icon}
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