I actually dug up Pixelated Pixies' old thread on La Mulana back when it hit Wiiware in 2012 and kinda look on it with fondness. the first few posts were filled with folks intimidated by the game because Pixies had a hard time wrapping his head around the puzzle design. Poor dude WANTED to like the game, but I just don't think what the developers were going for really jived with 'em.
I kinda view La Mulana in the same light as I do EDF 2017 (heh) where it's a game that sets out to do EXACTLY what it wants, and damn the consequences. Granted, that manifests itself in different ways. with EDF, it's the game's TERRIBLE framerate as a result of having a field of Giant Spiders as far as the eye can see and bug gibs flying every which way, while with La Mulana, it's that it's obtuse in a way that's purposeful and that makes you really feel like the ruins were built to repel would-be intruders. I respect Devs that have the huge, plentiful balls to make the game THEY want and have it come out so laser focused.
Seriously, I've been having trouble putting the game down again since I've started playing it again, and I'm so excited to hear the podcast and community call me a horrible monster for pushing one of my favorite games of all time. : D
EDIT:
I miiiiiiight be able to get the bracer and snapshot.exe if I sat there and farmed for money, but as it stands, I'm probably out of points of progression of any sort without beating Ellmac at least.
that being said, between having 7 Sacred Orbs, the Fairy Clothing, the Spaulder, and Randc.exe+Mekuri.exe combo, I can probably just jump into him with the axe a few times and come out the victor.
I feel like i should quickly explain why this is the case, though.
Bosses normally for the most part, besides being required to beat the final boss, also seal doors that connect an area of the ruin with it's 'backside' equivalent.
Elmac is special though, in that his defeat opens up access to the Twin Labyrinth gas chamber, the door that connects Temple of the Sun and Temple of the Moon's bottom half, and most importantly, opens up a door containing a new NPC named Mulbrook.
Mulbrook, much like Xelpud, will sometimes dispense important information about the ruins. what's more, Mulbrook holds an item that's key to progressing that in the original game, was just in the Temple of the Moon once you solved a puzzle.
Holding the Book of the Dead, you can do damage to Anubis and Chi-you. Chi-You guards the Key to Eternity, which lets you go deeper into the endless corridor and Chamber of Birth, while Anubis guards the Serpent Staff, which allows you to damage Argus, an enemy on the surface. beating Argus nets you the featehr, which lets Lemeza double jump,a nd I've ran into SO MANY SPOTS where Lemeza just... can't solve a puzzle without that second jump. :C between the Feather's double jump and a couple of treasures found in the endless corridor, I'm pretty sure I won't have to defeat a boss agian until I've collected the rest of the weapons, most of the software, and seen all but maybe 2 of the grail points.