This review contains spoilers
"A Brilliant Game About The Beauty Of Music, Cooperation, And Friendship"
Well I certainly didn't expect this game to evoke that much emotion from me! I wasn't even aware I owned this title, and will try and figure out exactly how it managed to fall into my lap. In this game, you play as The Bard, a lovable, positive, and sometimes naive little guy, who happens to figure out that the world is in danger and that it needs a hero. The game tricks any unaware players into thinking it is a generic adventure game following the typical "hero's quest" such as in games like The Legend Of Zelda , but it ends up being so much more than that. Music is central to this game's mechanics, and all interactions essentially involve some form of music, but it all involves a flick of the right stick in one of eight different directions. Throw in some puzzles, light platforming, and even some battles here and there, and you have a unique game full of charm, dedication, and something that many games lack nowadays - soul. There is so much that can be said about this game that is positive, that I figured we get the few "negatives" out of the way (more like neutral points if we're being honest here).
I didn't particularly enjoy the character of Eyala, though I get how she can be fun for some players. I found her to be on the irritable side of things, and I actually grew to dislike her arc throughout the story (and moreso The Bard's interactions with her). I felt that she deserved a bit of a "realization" moment where she figured out she was wrong, and could apologize to The Bard and Miriam. Instead, the story progresses with her being a quirky, yet manipulative character, and it didn't match the arc that other "unlikable" characters like Audrey and Markus had. In addition to issues with that particular character, I also felt a few sections, such as the mountain sequence and the war sequence, dragged on much too long. There seemed to be a lot of dialogue that was filler, and some side quests seemed unnecessarily long for the payoff, so that got a little tiring playing through each encounter. I do admire the work put into this title nonetheless, and this is just me bringing up parts that could've been ironed out in order to make this game essentially perfect.
Everything else about this game is brilliant. The general tone of positivity, while a bit on the cheesy side at times, grew on me throughout the game, and I felt the story suited it as well. Every major character has some flaws about themselves, and the game explores those flaws as well as their actions and "mindsets" very well. While not every character ends up with a "happily ever after", they definitely showed growth as the story progressed. My favorite was Miriam, and her journey throughout the game was very powerful. The themes of heartbreak, isolation, anger, and sadness surrounding her struck a chord with me - as a person who can have a negative view on the world, and who enjoys criticizing everything, it was a good look in the mirror. There were many moments in this title where I felt a surge of emotions, and this was absolutely influenced by the game's soundtrack. Just a masterful job, and I was shocked to realize that it was very flexible depending on the situation and emotion within the current scene. This is one of the best soundtracks I have ever experienced, right up there with Undertale , and that is amazing company to be in.
So in conclusion, play this game. I absolutely Recommend it to all gamers, music lovers, and anyone who is down to appreciate a truly great work of art. It doesn't have the most "gamey" mechanics, but it doesn't need those. All it requires is an open mind as it takes you on a journey.
Final Verdict: 8/10 (Great)
Well I certainly didn't expect this game to evoke that much emotion from me! I wasn't even aware I owned this title, and will try and figure out exactly how it managed to fall into my lap. In this game, you play as The Bard, a lovable, positive, and sometimes naive little guy, who happens to figure out that the world is in danger and that it needs a hero. The game tricks any unaware players into thinking it is a generic adventure game following the typical "hero's quest" such as in games like The Legend Of Zelda , but it ends up being so much more than that. Music is central to this game's mechanics, and all interactions essentially involve some form of music, but it all involves a flick of the right stick in one of eight different directions. Throw in some puzzles, light platforming, and even some battles here and there, and you have a unique game full of charm, dedication, and something that many games lack nowadays - soul. There is so much that can be said about this game that is positive, that I figured we get the few "negatives" out of the way (more like neutral points if we're being honest here).
I didn't particularly enjoy the character of Eyala, though I get how she can be fun for some players. I found her to be on the irritable side of things, and I actually grew to dislike her arc throughout the story (and moreso The Bard's interactions with her). I felt that she deserved a bit of a "realization" moment where she figured out she was wrong, and could apologize to The Bard and Miriam. Instead, the story progresses with her being a quirky, yet manipulative character, and it didn't match the arc that other "unlikable" characters like Audrey and Markus had. In addition to issues with that particular character, I also felt a few sections, such as the mountain sequence and the war sequence, dragged on much too long. There seemed to be a lot of dialogue that was filler, and some side quests seemed unnecessarily long for the payoff, so that got a little tiring playing through each encounter. I do admire the work put into this title nonetheless, and this is just me bringing up parts that could've been ironed out in order to make this game essentially perfect.
Everything else about this game is brilliant. The general tone of positivity, while a bit on the cheesy side at times, grew on me throughout the game, and I felt the story suited it as well. Every major character has some flaws about themselves, and the game explores those flaws as well as their actions and "mindsets" very well. While not every character ends up with a "happily ever after", they definitely showed growth as the story progressed. My favorite was Miriam, and her journey throughout the game was very powerful. The themes of heartbreak, isolation, anger, and sadness surrounding her struck a chord with me - as a person who can have a negative view on the world, and who enjoys criticizing everything, it was a good look in the mirror. There were many moments in this title where I felt a surge of emotions, and this was absolutely influenced by the game's soundtrack. Just a masterful job, and I was shocked to realize that it was very flexible depending on the situation and emotion within the current scene. This is one of the best soundtracks I have ever experienced, right up there with Undertale , and that is amazing company to be in.
So in conclusion, play this game. I absolutely Recommend it to all gamers, music lovers, and anyone who is down to appreciate a truly great work of art. It doesn't have the most "gamey" mechanics, but it doesn't need those. All it requires is an open mind as it takes you on a journey.
Final Verdict: 8/10 (Great)