I usually do not like children's games, but for some reason I felt compelled to play this game. As a children's game, it is quite well done. If it had come out on the N64 or Gamecube it would be known as a cult classic (most noteworthy for its impressive draw distance and complete lack of loading screens). The game it most reminded me of was Banjo Kazooie, although there are enough differences to make Castle on the Coast feel like it has its own identity. In particular, the platforming felt distinctive--George the Giraffe (your main character) not only jumps high and floats down very slowly, but can also parkour and wall kick. The platforming is less about nailing particularly tricky jumps and more about navigating quite massive levels in fun and sometimes creative ways. The game map is setup a bit like Banjo Kazooie (a hub world with gated themed levels), and even though there are only three levels in addition to the hub world, the levels are massive and exploration feels rewarding. One nice touch is that the game gently signals where you need to go rather than pushing a huge quest marker in your face. It's surprising to me that a literal children's game has more trust in its audience than many M-rated AAA games. The game is not very difficult, but there was just enough challenge to keep me from dropping it. And some of the level design was quite ingenious. There are moments where you go to some sort of netherworld and the entire thing becomes an Amid Evil-esque tangle of uncanny architecture and floating blocks. It really is impressive, and the very forgiving platforming makes it fun to navigate. I just wish the game was about a Kate Beckinsale ripoff dual-wielding pistols and fighting a sinister corporation instead of a cartoon giraffe searching for things.
There is combat in the game and it is bad. The boss fights bring back the most lethal enemy of the N64 era: the camera. The story is a basically just a framing device, and the voice-acting is charmingly bad. The entire game was made to raise money for a children's hospital and to give kids in the hospital something entertaining to play. It seems like it succeeded in the second department, and I sincerely hope it succeeded in the first. There are a lot of good ideas in the game that I wish could be incorporated into something that fit my tastes and demographic a bit more.