Developer: WayForward
Publisher: WayForward
RRP: £14.99 (Steam and Humblebundle) and £23.99 (Gog.com [Ultimate Edition])
Released: 20th December 2016
Available on: Steam and Humblebundle and Gog.com
Played Using: An Xbox 360 Control Pad
Approximate game length: 9 Hours
It’s not often you find a long running platformer series that isn’t a mascot of some larger publisher or games company such as Mario or Sonic. In fact I struggle to think of any at all (with exception of this series of course). This is likely due to the fact that these larger publishers have very deep pockets to pull from and will always bring out their mascot when a new console makes an appearance.
Shatae Half-Genie Hero is the fourth title in the Shantae series, the first having come out on the Game Boy Colour in 2002. This particular title was a Kickstarter success which I sadly missed out on. I have to admit I find the name of this game somewhat annoying because it reads as if this were an introduction to the character. Perhaps that’s part of a ‘soft reboot’, I find it hard to tell.
Anyway this game is an action platformer but it has taken some elements of the metroidvania genre in that you can repeat levels to unlock new abilities as well as grind for gems and quest items.
Gems are the currency of this game and with them you can buy items in the shop that will make you more effective, such as shampoo that increases the damage that your hair causes. Did I mention that you attack by whipping your hair at your enemies? Well, you do.
You can transform into other creatures to make your way past certain obstacles, for example you’d chose a monkey to climb and jump higher. You unlock these transformations as you play, although some involve more work to find than others and are miss-able. They also all have special powers of their own but those have to be found within the levels.
All of the music is rather catchy, I found myself humming a couple of the levels tunes when I was away from the game so it must be doing something right. I also have to say I really like the general aesthetic of both the characters and the world, very much a blend of western design with anime sensibilities and a hint of middle eastern flavour.
This is definitely a game that is well worth playing, I found myself continuing to play long after I had determined I had enough to work with and then completed the game again in its new game plus mode.
If this appeals to you perhaps try;
Ori and the Blind Forest
A Hat in Time
Sundered
