Ok, let me open up by saying this:
WAYFORWARD I LOVE YOU AND EVERYTHING YOU DO PLEASE KEEP MAKING GAMES FOREVER!
*cough* Well then. On to the review.
Shantae: Risky's Revenge (here on out referred to as S:RR because long title) is a sequel to the Gameboy Color game Shantae. When I first heard about S:RR coming to the DSiware shop I was a little confused to hear that it was a sequel to a GBC game. Usually in the gaming world reviving a franchise from that long ago is unlikely, and if it DOES happen somehow a lot of the time it's not great. Granted however it has been happening a lot more lately with things like XCOM coming back from the dead. But I'm going off on a tangent, let's talk about how the game is.
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| Environments and sprites are gorgeous. |
In S:RR we pick up shortly after the events of the first game. But don't worry, you can easily pick up here and still understand what's happening. You play as a half-genie girl named Shantae. Shantae is the guardian of Scuttle Town and it is your job to protect the town from pirates such as your nemesis/rival Risky Boots. The story kicks off with Risky Boots stealing a magical lamp from your uncle and you set off to foil her latest evil plot. I should probably mention here that story is, to be brutally honest, one of S:RR's weakest points. The story is....bare bones at best. However what it lacks in content it makes up for in charm. The writing in S:RR is wonderful. Charming and quirky, cutscenes will leave a smile on your face and a warm fuzzy feeling in your heart. The character cast is great, with Shantae spearheading the whole thing as a wonderfully strong female lead.
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| Shantae is not amused Octo-dude. |
Once the story is set up and running its time to get into actual gameplay. Shantae is a 2D action platformer game. It's got all your basics: running, jumping, basic hair whip attack to take out enemies, and shinies to collect to buy upgrades in the Scuttle Town hub. There's a large overworld to explore, dungeons to delve into, and bosses to defeat. But the main thing that makes Shantae special is her transformation abilities. In each dungeon, you unlock a new animal form that you can transform into by dancing. Each form gives Shantae new abilities, such as wall climbing, block smashing, and swimming to gain access to new areas. That being said, there's tons to explore in the overworld and lots of collectibles to find. Everything is well made and running and jumping from place to place feels smooth and natural.
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| Shantae's got the magic. |
Now, while I do adore this game, there are some downsides. There is a lot of backtracking. And when I say a lot, I mean a LOT. You will revisit areas over and over and over again through the course of the adventure, granted with new abilities to access new areas, but sometimes those areas are very small and don't really scratch that itch of exploration for the time it took to get there. Also, many times the game really doesn't give you any direction as to where to go next. One memorable time (spoiler free) was when I was asked to get hot coffee and a rotten egg. I went to my NPC buddies for a tip. Nothing super helpful at the time. So I'm stuck wandering around looking for the things I need to fulfill this part of the game. This can be frustrating sometimes, though not game breakingly so. On the contrary, it is downright organic gameplay, making you explore and think and really find the bits on your own is far more rewarding than being told exactly where to go.
See this is why I love S:RR. It has a big world but not so big that you'll get lost. It has puzzles that are challenging but not so difficult that you'll ever be stuck for long. It's platforming is difficult enough to test your skills but not so hard that it's unconquerable. It oozes with charm, color, quirkiness, and downright FUN. S:RR knows what it wants to do and does it extremely well. After finishing the game, I realized that this game was the first thing that I could really say I had fun with from beginning to end without ever getting burnt out on it.
Now for the recommendation. If you own a 3DS and want that old school platformer itch scratched, BUY THIS GAME RIGHT NOW. If you like metroidvania-esque exploration and love a title that is fun and charming, buy this game. However if you're looking for complex story or something that will push your skills to the limits, you may want to look elsewhere.
As always, please leave comments and requests on other games to review and topics to discuss!
Gamer out.
