4.5/5 if you turn into a Tex Avery wolf and hit yourself in the head with a huge mallet every time you see some 32-bit titties bounce. 3/5 for everyone else.
This is my first Shantae game and it seems like a decent enough place to start. Real easy to get into, not a whole lot going on mechanically but has some interesting ideas. Caught somewhere between a proper search-action game and Monster World IV. The elephant and mermaid transformations feel underbaked compared to the monkey (which is adorable and fun to use), and I wish the dungeons had their own aesthetic theming. However, I think if the later games make good on the promise of Risky's Revenge, I'll have a great time with them.
This is my first Shantae game and it seems like a decent enough place to start. Real easy to get into, not a whole lot going on mechanically but has some interesting ideas. Caught somewhere between a proper search-action game and Monster World IV. The elephant and mermaid transformations feel underbaked compared to the monkey (which is adorable and fun to use), and I wish the dungeons had their own aesthetic theming. However, I think if the later games make good on the promise of Risky's Revenge, I'll have a great time with them.
Reviewed on May 22, 2023