Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams is a 2D platformer game was originally released for PC in 2012, and PS3 and X360 in 2013, while it was been re-released for Wii U in 2013, PS4 and XBONE in 2014 as Director's Cut, and Switch in 2018 as Owltimate Edition. It was developed and published by Black Forest Games, while it was also published by HandyGames under the THQ Nordic distribution for Switch port release. It is a successor to 1987's title Great Giana Sisters for Commodore 64 and also sequel to re-imaging 2009 title Giana Sisters for DS.
I've already covered the game for PS3 back in 2013 which I described the game as an averaged Super Mario Bros rip-offs where I originally criticised the game for its clunky controls, level design choices, and meh bosses which really stopped me from enjoying the game, but by looking back to this game again in this year I fully realised that I was being super wrong about this game because this is actually a solid 2D platformer game that I should have given a second chance which is the main reason why I've bought the physical copy of this game for my PS4 to fully changing my mind.
I also wanted to acknowledge about this game is actually an Kickstarter title where you began funding the money to support developers through the crowdfunding site to reach the main goal of total price, as this project had reached its goal of $150,000 which allows them to make the game happen at the initial release date of 2012.
After looking back at the mistake that I've made on my original review in 2013, I can now fully understand why this game is so much fun to play especially with the PS4 version has so much to offer including brand new levels from Rise of the Owlverlord adventure DLC, extra contents, smoother frame-rate, and tighter gameplay controls which made the game fully definitive on Director's Cut version.
After spent playing the whole original levels of game, I slowly began to liking the game because Giana Sisters Twisted Dreams is actually a decent 2D platformer for its dark and gloomy presentation, unique levels, and has innovative gameplay and crispy graphics which I am glad that the game is completely more focused on modern style platformer with high production values and original game mechanics while trying best to avoid making the similarities to Super Mario Bros which is sounds like a pretty good decision at best.
So without go further do, lets starts the review.
Presentation
The game starts out with two sisters named Giana and Maria, which is now teenagers since the previous title in the series, start having a fun together while discovering the flying diamond which led them sucked into the portal of dream world. While Maria was held captive by big fat dragon named Gurglewocky, Giana sets her quest to rescue her sister while she has ability to change her transformation between her cute and punk persona.
The game doesn't focused much on the emphasis of story along with the simple cutscenes which is absolutely fine the way it should as I didn't have the problem with understanding the plot of the game that involves sisters been sucked into the dream world where the big fat dragon has kidnapped one of the sisters while other has to go for searching her whereabouts. It's kinda like in Mario game where Princess Peach always gets kidnapped in every god damn games which I think the way the Black Forest Games did in Giana Sisters Twisted Dreams is kinda did it in a similar good way.
I also liked the concept of the Giana as the character where her ability allows to change her persona from cute looking blonde to badass punk gothic freak which I kinda liked her punk variants lot appealing over the cute ones, but don't get me wrong because the cute variants is also actually look good as well, but anything is punk, gothic and metalheads alike are 10 times more edgier and manly looking characters which I preferred the most in the game.
The levels are mixed with darker and brighter tone of the game depending on your character's persona which changes the scenery of the worlds such as environments, enemies, and Giana's own abilties which I think its pretty well done made that makes the game look more interesting.
I felt the dark variants of the levels had filed with gloomy tone of houses, castle, and forests while the bright variants are look more colourful and happy which I think that the level design choices in the game is actually pretty more atmospheric to look at in the game.
Overall, it has simple scenes, dark and bright tones of level design, and character's concepts.
Gameplay
This game has 27 original levels plus 7 extra levels on single player, time attack mode, and hardcore mode.
You get to control as Giana in 2D side-scrolling perspective as your main goal is to reach at the end of the level.
You will use the basic jump button which allows Giana to jump on platforms and onto the enemies, while using the dash attacks which allows her to attack on enemies and dashing forward to the platforms and you can also perform twirling spin which allows Giana to float higher in the game. The pink coloured gems is actually shields protection which prevents damaging you from the enemy's projectiles are come in useful while playing in the stages.
I felt these basic controls is much easier to get into which feels more tighter to use meaning that the gameplay controls in the stages is doing properly job done for its wall jumping, swimming into water, and avoiding hazards while floating which works pretty well in the game.
I also liked the mechanics in the levels where you had ability to use transformation which allowing to change the puzzle environments in stages such as opening gates, turning wheels into clockwise or anti-clockwise movements, de-growing deadly twigs and spikes, and raising up the levels of water which increases the variety of the gameplay standards.
The game has large open levels where you can able to explore the levels to search for secrets such as collecting small amount of diamonds which increases your player's score, while bigger blue diamonds unlocks your gallery which I think it really adds the higher replay value of the game everytime you re-visit the same level again to collect more enough gems and diamonds will satisfy your overall player experiences.
The boss battle in the game is actually tough, but also quite entertaining at the same time which I think its really fun to memorising the enemy's patterns which makes the game quite a challenge especially playing on hardcore mode are also beneficial to players.
So far, I'm happy that the Director Cut's version had offered smoother and tighter gameplay which makes the game much playable and I also glad that I've enjoyed 7 extra levels from Rise of the Owlverlord adventure DLC were included in the physical release.
You can also play a time attack mode and hardcore mode are also considered an enjoyable experiences for all fans of the platformers genres who really likes to play a bigger challenge.
Overall, it has tighter controls, large open level designs, and creative puzzle mechanics.
Graphics
The graphics in the game is pretty good for the modern platformer title. I liked the look of the animations on both characters and enemies are looking so good in the stages. The levels is very detailed on background scenery, has great use of textures on stage environments, and the special effects for waterfall animation, transparency ghost, and fiery flames which really fits the presentation of the levels so well in the game.
The game runs on whomping full HD 1080p with 60 FPS making the whole game much faster and smoother to play on Director's Cut version which is a nice improvement over the PS3 and X360 counterpart.
Overall, it has good looking characters, detailed background scenery, great use of textures on stage environments, and special effects.
Music and Sounds
The cute variants of song was composed by Chris Hülsbeck who were known for his musical scores on Turrican series for Amiga and C64, along with Fabian Del Priore had previously composed for Giana Sisters on DS, while the punked variants of soundtrack was arranged by Swedish Heavy Metal bands called Machinae Supremacy, heavily uses a C64 influenced chiptune on their previous album, did a fantastic job of making music fits the mood of this game.
The sound effects in whole levels has great background noise and has atmospheric effects, while I do find the character's voice still sounds down right silly in the game, but it was still alright at the best.
I do also encountered with the audio glitch while playing the game which missing some sounds in the game as I have no idea what could cause a missing sound glitch, but it didn't often happened in every stages as far I concerned, but it's fine overall in the game.
Overall it has fantastic soundtrack and great use of sound effects.
Special Features
The Director's Cut offers 7 extra levels in Rise of the Owlverlord adventure DLC, unlockable modes, and has Halloween and Christmas stages, and unlockable gallerys in extra modes which I think these content in the game are actually pretty decent for physical release.
Overall, its a solid content in the game.
Advantages
Dark and bright tones in presentation
Tight controls
Creative puzzle mechanics
Large open levels
Good looking graphics
Fantastic Soundtrack
Decent extra content
Disadvantages
Random audio glitch
Silly character's voice
Final Verdict
Presentation 7.5/10 - simple scenes, dark and bright tones of level design, and character's concepts.
Gameplay 7.5/10 - tighter controls, large open level designs, and creative puzzle mechanics.
Graphics 8/10 - good looking characters, detailed background scenery, great use of textures on stage environments, and special effects.
Music and Sounds 8/10 - fantastic soundtrack and great use of sound effects.
Special Features 7/10 - has 7 extra levels in Rise of the Owlverlord adventure DLC, unlockable modes, and has Halloween and Christmas stages, and unlockable gallerys in extra modes.
Overall 7.5/10 - Giana Sisters Twisted Dreams: Director's Cut is a solid 2D platformer that I was fully wrong back then, but decided to change my mind to liking the game for its gameplay, levels, presentation, and has replay values which adds up pretty nicely to this edition.
Director's Cut version of this game is a fully definitive title for PC, PS4, XBONE, Wii U and of course Switch as Owltimate Edition that I highly recommend all to pick this game up in physical copy as it cost around less than £20 on both Wii U and Switch copy, but you can also get it cheaper on PS4 version for less than £10 which is quite a bargain option.
I also considered this game as a hidden gems of PS4 libraries that nobody had talked about, but its definitely worth deserve an attention to the fans of the C64 classic series or platformer genres will be able to appreciate this game enough with entirely fresh new modernised style 2D platformer, so yeah I kinda liked this game.
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