The publisher Outright Games is notable for putting out nothing but licensed video games, so it was best for me to go in with low expections. (I played their How To Train Your Dragon game that felt like a Zelda clone.) However, what I was surprised about this title was seeing that WayForward actually developed this one.
Defenders Of Arcadia is some weird hybrid clone of Mega Man and Shantae, based on the popular (and my personal favorite) DreamWorks series on Netflix. I say this as some of the main combat mechanics consist of melee combat and sliding.
As a game itself, it's bland and forgettable. However, I'm surprised by certain unique designs in this game, such as the addition of "side quests" that encourage a bit of backtracking through previous 2.5D levels. The use of character summons is a neat way to get around certain puzzles, too. Even the differences in boss fight mechanics between the two difficulties is nice to see as well. The rest feels as cheap as I expected from a licensed video game. The currency requires some ridiculous grinding to fully unlock all the abilities and equipment, and some of the mini-games aren't fully fleshed out.
As a fan of Trollhunters though, this was a fun romp. It's not the game I would've wanted from this IP, but it has TONS of nods to the series that most fans would get a kick out of. (And to my surprise too, the story ties into 3Below and Wizards as well.) It "feels" like a good 2.5D action platformer though, and I think that's good enough. Just don't go out paying full price for it.
And for those who are looking for some easy trophies or achievements, this is a great pick...aside from the required two playthroughs. Will cost you about 5-6 hours tops to get everything.
Defenders Of Arcadia is some weird hybrid clone of Mega Man and Shantae, based on the popular (and my personal favorite) DreamWorks series on Netflix. I say this as some of the main combat mechanics consist of melee combat and sliding.
As a game itself, it's bland and forgettable. However, I'm surprised by certain unique designs in this game, such as the addition of "side quests" that encourage a bit of backtracking through previous 2.5D levels. The use of character summons is a neat way to get around certain puzzles, too. Even the differences in boss fight mechanics between the two difficulties is nice to see as well. The rest feels as cheap as I expected from a licensed video game. The currency requires some ridiculous grinding to fully unlock all the abilities and equipment, and some of the mini-games aren't fully fleshed out.
As a fan of Trollhunters though, this was a fun romp. It's not the game I would've wanted from this IP, but it has TONS of nods to the series that most fans would get a kick out of. (And to my surprise too, the story ties into 3Below and Wizards as well.) It "feels" like a good 2.5D action platformer though, and I think that's good enough. Just don't go out paying full price for it.
And for those who are looking for some easy trophies or achievements, this is a great pick...aside from the required two playthroughs. Will cost you about 5-6 hours tops to get everything.