Shantae: Half-Genie Hero is a 2D Side-Scrolling Adventure game for PS4, PSVita, XBONE, Wii U, Switch and PC and it is a sequel to previous titles of the series. It was first originally released in 2016 as digital title for all version, while Switch version was later released in year later. The game was finally get a physical releases in 2018 as Ultimate Edition which packed with fully completed content included on game disc, soundtrack CD and official artbook.
I got very impressed with previous game title that I've played on my PS4 such as Shantae: Risky's Revenge and Shantae and the Pirate's Curse, so I'm definitely look forward to play with Shantae's new title as I'm a huge fan of playing several of 2D side-scrolling games. This game comes with brand new adventures with more exploration and discoveries, great storylines and cast of characters, complex gameplay with 2D metroidvania-style, and fluid looking animation as I had a fun spending time playing this game for more than an hours which kept me more motivated to enjoy this awesome title. Shantae: Half-Genie Hero is a remarkable game that the series is kept getting better with numerous of sequels really shows how much the game had improved upon from the previous titles.
So without go further do, lets start the review.
Presentation
The game takes place after the event of the previous title. The story focused on Half-Genie girl named Shantae, who been awoken from her dream experience after discovering the Genie Realm. She began to visit her Uncle named Mimic who is working on a new invention known as the Dynamo, which will keep the Scuttle Town protected from the attack until the town was been invaded by Pirate leader named Risky Boots and their minions known as Tinkerbat are aiming to steal Mimic's blueprint. After Shantae had finally finished battle against Risky Boots, Mimic had given her quest to collect the remaining components which requires Dynamo to get it run, so Shantae begins searching across Sequin Land for the remaining components with the help of her friends such as Bolo, Rottytops and Sky.
The story in the game is still positively interesting which explains that how Shantae had discovered her mysterious dreams which she was visited by the Genie Realm tries to warns her with the fewer important details. The story in the game are also has cool storylines between Shantae and cast of characters that kept the story ongoing such as the part where Mayor Scuttlebutt once again fires her from her position as the town's guardian genie due to Risky's escape and the damage incurred in Scuttle Town, and the part where Shantae started to confronting her enemies before the battle starts are also pretty good for its single-player story dialogue.
I really liked the style of animation on its characters to make it look more like Japanese anime with acceptable personality and facial expressions, and it also has really great dialogue boxes on the actual sildeshow cutscenes.
Shantae as a playable character is still an amazing protagonist in whole game which was known for her special powers, long-purple hair, and has cool belly-dancing sequences, while the supportive characters such as Mimic, Sky, Rottytops and Bolo are also quite memorable in the game. I got to admit the cast of villains such as Risky Boots are cool and edgy looking female pirate that always loves spending time putting trouble on Shantae. She is so much just like from the other video game villains of popular 2D platformer games such as Dr.Wily from Megaman series and Dr. Robotnik from Sonic the Hedgehog series. Several of boss characters such as Ammo Baron, Squid Baron, possessed Giga Mermaid, and others are also quite good in the game.
I really liked the concept of level design filled with fitted kinds of settings such as the main streets are more like the arabian-style environments, the Mermaid Fall are full of water and forrest, Tassel Town are sandy-dessert places, Cape Crustacean has racing-circuit track, and Hypno Baron's Castle filled with horror typed settings which is very well made for its single-player presentation.
Overall, it has great storylines, excellent characters, and cool level concepts.
Gameplay
At the main game, you take control of Shantae exploring around the level to collect important key items, gaining new abilities, and defeating boss in each locations.
She uses her long-purple hair as a basic attack to knock down enemies, but you are also required to gain more abilities, upgrades and magic items which allows your character to become more stronger for its attacks, so in order to do so, you will need to earn enough of gems which you are able to purchase it from the shop in Scuttle Town. The upgradable items will allow to reducing damage hit and increasing attack power, while magic items such as fireball, pike ball, Scimitar, and Storm Puff which is used for its magic attacks and bubble are used to protect character from enemy's projectiles which worked very effectively for its combat gameplay. You will able to earn more abilities by defeating the boss which allows you to perform transformation into different kinds of animals such as the monkey are used for climbing on walls, the mermaid and crabs can swim underneath the water, the bat and bird has ability to fly through the level, the elephant can break through the heavy objects, the spider can crawl through the top path, and the mouse can access through the smaller lines of sculptures which adds the newer variety of gameplay style.
What makes the game very interesting is that you can able to do side-quest where people in the certain location had given you a objectives to complete the task by finding a missing important key items are required to access a new map in the game, so it is a good to re-visit the same level to find a new discoveries such as hidden secret areas and obtaining new items from treasure chest.
The gameplay plays really amazing with their useful magic items, transformation abilities and combat controls which worked really well for its 2D side-scrolling environment. I also liked the level design choices with bigger area to explore and I loved the platforming style in the game where you had to avoid hazards objects and jumping through the levels which adds the overall game's challenge, so the level has great segmants such as the Cape Crustacean where you had to jump on magic carpet during the race, the Mermaid Falls where you had to avoid objects without falling off the stage and the Tassel Town where you had to survive through from the dangerous pet worm which increases the game's atmospheres. The boss battle in each levels are also quite entertaining especially playing on both Main and Hardcore mode which makes the game even fun to play.
What really makes the game quite bummer is the lack of the actual map screens on the pause menu which are used for examining the level stages in whole game was unfortunately not included in this game making it quite too linear compared with previous game which allows you to check the map screens.
There are two replayability modes such as Hero mode where you can able to re-visit a same main story with few transformations at the start, while the Hardcore mode focuses on a old-school style gameplay with much more harder difficulty to play which adds the fun replay values of the whole game.
You can also play these two expansions such as Pirate Queen's Quest which you're playing as the main villain Risky Boots, while Friends to the End takes control of three playable characters such as Sky, Rottytops and Bolo which focused on different playstyle and storylines.
There are four non-story mode to play such as the Ninja Mode, Officer Mode, Beach Mode and the Jammies Mode which is a nice addition to the game itself, but my favourite two are Ninja and Officer Mode because the Ninja mode is basically like Ninja Gaiden for NES, while Officer Mode heavily borrows the same gameplay mechanics from Mighty Switch Force series which I kinda enjoyed the most, but I do find Beach Mode is kinda weak compared with other game modes due to my frustration on sunburn damage which quickly drains down your health which makes the game down right unplayable, but at least the Jammies Mode plays it better overall which is a much more nicer addition.
Overall, it has amazing 2D gameplay style, great exploration, cool new abilities and items, and extra modes to play.
Graphics
The graphics in the game is looking so spectacular with anime-style characters and cartoony looking environments.
The characters in the game are well drawn with fluid animations and great use of facial expressions which adds the personality of the character's development. the level environment is looking amazing on each locations such as Scuttle Town has whomping 3D panoramic background effects, the Mermaid Fall and Tassel Town has really crystal clear water animation and sandy dust wind effects which is looking quite cool. The whole environment is quite colourful with amazing background details and some great use of textures on level objects. I got to admit that the game is looking different from the previous titles are more of 16-bit style presentation which is excellent, but I adored with the newer style graphics for the recent title to make the game looked more up to date.
Overall, it has spectacular character's design, amazing level environment and great use of special effects.
Music and Sounds
We all know Shantae series always has the best original soundtrack in every game.
The music was composed by Jake Kaufman, a well known composer behind Shovel Knight, Ducktales: Remastered, and previous Shantae titles, did a incredible job of making a wicked electronic arabian style soundtrack on whole game which really fits well on every game levels. The game also has great use of sound effects for most of the levels with amazing background noise and atmospheric effects, while the voice acting in the in-game dialogue and gameplay stages seems to be quite limited instead of using a proper full voice over which is kinda shame, but its still sounds good overall that didn't effect the story dialogue.
Overall, it has incredible soundtrack, decent sounds and acceptable partial voices.
Special Features
The physical ultimate edition of the game bundled with artbook, soundtrack CD and all completed content such as two DLC expansion story, costumes and extra game modes are included on actual game disk. The game are also featuring bonus gallery mode including fanart and unlockable transformation for single-player mode such as Sophia III from Blaster Master Zero.
Overall, its a proper full completed game for all collectors.
Advantages
Excellent Presentation
Amazing 2D Gameplay
Spectacular Graphics
Incredible Soundtrack
Ultimate Edition of physical copies packed with completed bundle.
So much replay values.
Disadvantages
Lack of actual map screens
No fully voice over for story dialogue
Beach Mode aren't as fun as other game modes
Final Verdict
Presentation 9/10 - Great storylines, excellent characters, and cool level concepts.
Gameplay 9/10 - Amazing 2D gameplay style, great exploration, cool new abilities and items, and extra modes to play.
Graphics 8.5/10 - Spectacular character's design, amazing level environment and great use of special effects.
Music and Sounds 8.5/10 - Incredible soundtrack, decent sounds and acceptable partial voices.
Special Features 9/10 - Proper fully completed game for all collectors.
Overall 9/10 - Like I've enjoyed the previous titles of Shantae series, this is by far not the only best 2D side-scrolling game, but its one of the better sequel of the whole series which I'm very happy to see what the developers can able to push the game forward allowing to make the series getting so much further and better with the awesome artstyle of game graphics, exciting game modes to play, complex 2D gameplay style, catchy arabian-style soundtrack, and great story presentation with cool characters is the main highlight of whole game especially with the ultimate edition of physical copies is a nicer addition for all video game collectors should able to pick this game up for worth less than the original price because Shantae: Half-Genie Hero is a outstanding game for all the fans of retro gaming.
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