Immediately upon seeing the title screen and hearing the game's main theme, you know that Shantae: Half-Genie Hero is another step forward for this series. Back in 2002, Shantae made her debut on the Game Boy Color to rave reviews but disappointing sales — hardly a shock when you take into account the GBC was on its last legs — but the purple-haired half-genie has persevered through the years and slowly built for herself a loyal fanbase. With each new release, it seems that WayForward has further distilled the essence of this series' gameplay and found new ways to improve and tighten it, and Shantae: Half-Genie Hero — the first game to be developed primarily with home consoles in mind — continues this trend; it's quite evident that WayForward pulled out all the stops in the making of this game. It won't do much to sway those who weren't interested in the previous releases, but it definitely stands as the best Shantae game yet and it's one that no fan will want to miss.
The story opens with Shantae having a dream in which a mysterious presence from the Genie Realm warns her of the coming of an evil force which will threaten both realms. As expected, the story never amounts to anything particularly memorable, but the writing and humour depicted throughout make up for it. The whole cast of memorable Shantae characters make an appearance here, and they keep the pace going at a decent clip. Instances such as Sky kicking a protesting Shantae off of her bird with a firm "Get!" or an attractive woman mistaking a drooling Bolo for a decorative statue help keep an upbeat, lighthearted tone, and lend the game a lot of charm that engages you in the narrative in a way that few other games replicate.
The presentation adds a lot to this as well; both the graphical style and the soundtrack are remarkable achievements. The previous Shantae games all had a wonderfully detailed, retro look to them, but Half-Genie Hero ditches that in favour of a hand-drawn 2.5D cartoon aesthetic that's reminiscent of DuckTales: Remastered. This writer was particularly concerned about the switch, but seeing the game in motion quickly wipes aside any doubts about the new direction. Environments are more colourful and detailed than ever before and the addition of 3D models creates an interesting juxtaposition between flat 2D characters and the more filled-out backgrounds. The two seamlessly fit together and create some beautiful scenes. We caught ourselves putting the hair whipping and platforming on hold more than once in order to just take a moment to drink in the environment.
The soundtrack backs this up as well; we'd go so far as to say it's the best one yet. It's no exaggeration to say there isn't a single bad track in the whole mix. Be it the incredibly catchy main theme with lyrics or the tropical sound of Mermaid Falls, this is some good skullcandy. We actually found ourselves looking forward to progressing further just to hear what new songs may come. WayForward has outdone itself with this soundtrack, as it adds a whole new layer to one's enjoyment of the levels.
Gameplay is largely reminiscent of the previous Shantae games, but this is certainly as good as it gets. You'll spend your time jumping through moderately difficult levels, whipping enemies with Shantae's long purple hair, and occasionally transforming into other animal forms in order to find secrets and traverse certain obstacles. There are more transformations than ever before here — with a good mixture of new and old — and they do a nice job of shaking up gameplay, though some of them do feel rather one note in their usefulness. You can spend any gems you collect in the shop and pick up upgrades for Shantae, such as faster whipping power or a fireball attack. To be honest, it feels like these upgrades make Shantae a bit too overpowered, but they nonetheless provide some nice character progression.
Carrying on more in the vein of Shantae and the Pirate's Curse, Half-Genie Hero strays further from the series' Metroidvania roots, but the spirit is still intact. Rather than one massive connected world, Scuttle Town acts as a hub from which you can access the six main worlds. This gives the game a level-based feel, but exploration and backtracking are strongly encouraged. You certainly won't be able to fully explore a world on the first run, so there's incentive to go back and play through a world in order to find heart containers, transformations and so on. You occasionally have to backtrack for story reasons, too, and this is mercifully where Half Genie Hero improves on its predecessors. It's pretty hard to get lost this time around, as NPCs are a lot more helpful and you can always ask a woman in the Bathhouse where to go next.
If there's one issue we have with Half-Genie Hero, it's that it feels a bit too short. If you collect everything and really take time to smell the roses, you'll be clocking in at around ten hours. Moving at a brisk pace and just clearing the story will probably take somewhere around five. Some of this has to do with the game being on the easy side and some has to do with the rather limited amount of content, but it definitely will leave you wanting more. Now, WayForward is currently working on several additional campaigns with other playable characters with distinct movesets and stories, so this could very likely be a temporary issue, but at the time of writing none of this has come to fruition yet. At the very least we would've liked the base campaign of this game to have been a little longer, but that doesn't detract from the stunning quality of what's on offer.
Conclusion
All told, Shantae: Half-Genie Hero is exactly the game that fans of this series were clamoring for. The controls have never been so tight, the new visual style works wonders, and the writing is consistently funny and creative. It may feel like there could've been more to it, but what's there is top of its class, and WayForward has promised that more content is on the way. We absolutely give Shantae: Half-Genie Hero a recommendation; fans will find plenty to love, and newcomers will find that this is a great point to jump into the series. This is a shining example of WayForward's talent with 2D action games, and things have never looked better for Shantae.
Comments 84
Great review! I've been looking forward to this game for some time. I can't wait till I get it for Christmas!
sucks this is the only Shantae game I won't be able to play on my 3DS 😢
Looks great! If it were on 3DS, I'd get it. If it comes to Switch, that's when I'll buy it.
I really should check out this series!
I would really love to have a boxed version of this, but looks like its a no go for Europe. Played the prologue yesterday, loved it. Wish there were more games like this coming out more often.
I'm very glad to see this score so well. I had my reservations about the artstyle change as well, but it's reassuring to read it hasn't been detrimental to the game's quality.
Still, I'm not too sure if I want to get it on Wii U to support WayForward or if I should wait until it's re-released on the Switch.
I'm not a huge fan of the new 2.5D style but it still looks great and I will definitely be picking it up. Probably on Vita unless it hits Switch before I clear some of my current backlog.
$20 for a 5-10 hour game? Looks good but I'll wait for a price drop.
I'll buy it eventually. I'm glad it's turned out very well.
It's a good game, but probably my least favorite in the series. Even in comparison to other entries, it's pretty light on content. The arcadey layout of the levels makes exploration very limited and progression extremely linear. There are almost no puzzles to be found here. The excessive number of transformations that are barely used makes them feel less like upgrades and more like one-off gimmicks. The character banter is limited compared to Pirate's Curse, and the plot is basically a non-entity, with this being a soft reboot of the series where nothing of substance happens.
It's still a fun platformer, but I expect more from WayForward.
"It's pretty hard to get lost this time around, as NPCs are a lot more helpful and you can always ask a woman in the Bathhouse where to go next."
I will try this in real life.
Played all previous games in series, loved it, bought Half-Genie Hero too of course. I will spend my Christmas with this purple-haired half-genie
Loving this game so far! Though I must say, it's more of a straight forward retro-styled action game with some metroidvania elements sprinkled in, than a metroidvania game like the previous installments. The end level bosses are great, but dungeons are sorely missed. All in all, not as good as Pirate's Curse, and debatably not as good as the original. I prefer it to Risky's Revenge though (which I still adore).
Is there a europe wiiu retail release?
@menzo1986 Sadly no. Maybe it will.
I hope this restores people's faith in kickstarted games.
I'm quite sure Bloodstained and Yooka-Layle will be great too.
I play games like this while traveling... not sitting at home... hopefully they will have a Switch version ready on Day 1.
Thank you wayfoward to make on last good indie game
@holygeez03 I just find a swicth comment. They are not making a switch version anytime soon
Of course they "aren't"... they need to sell the current versions... but believe me, if the Switch continues to generate buzz, there will be a Switch version.
Yay! Can't wait to get it!
I bought it last night and have been really enjoying it.Good to see it review well.I don't really agree that the soundtrack is the best yet though,it's good but I found Pirate's Curse to be better and much more catchy.That song with the lyrics as well,I actually hated it,I couldn't wait for it to end haha.Maybe on a second listen I'll enjoy it more but I doubt it such was my dislike of it.
I kind of wish I hadn't read the review now though as I'm disappointed to learn about the length.I was hoping for a lengthy adventure like PC.Saying that,maybe it's better to know in advance and enjoy it for what's there rather than feeling disappointed at it finishing too quickly.I'll definitely be exploring every nook and cranny like I did with PC.I also didn't realise we have to wait for the extra character missions ,i thought they would become available upon clearing the game with Shantae.I hope they don't keep us waiting as long as the Shovel Knight devs as I might never get to play them then.
Please give us a physical release in Europe!
@holygeez03 only thing your comment made sense about was Nintendo switch.Home or on the go shouldn't matter.
It's good - better than I expected - but I'm waiting to see what it feels like as a whole. Certainly could see myself giving this a 9/10, but I'll see. So far, I prefer it to the 1st game, but not the 2nd or 3rd.
One thing I'm slightly concerned about - is there going to be DLC, and is it going to be free or paid? I'd actually feel quite cheated if I had to pay for the other playable characters on top of the £15.99.
I'll be picking this up retail day one.
SNATCH!!!
Got about an hour or so in last night, really enjoying it so far! One thing I haven't seen mentioned, is the sound issues. The music fades out when I leave an area, and then snaps back in for a second. Sometimes can't hear voice acting above the music either. Only minor quibbles really, gameplay is fantastic! Well worth the asking price
I've played all the Shantae games on 3DS, but I'm making the Jump to PS4 with this one. Looking forward to this.
Nice review and nice score! I'll buy it when it get discounted. However, that looks unlikely with the Wii u version (Wii u is in its last fase). But maybe the game will also appear on Switch, and then it may get discounted. Ah well, I'll wait and see...
Are the PS4 graphics way better or does the wiiu hold is own?
@fiben1002 ok
@Kobeskillz the Wii U version looks nice, like an interactive cartoon
The Shantea series are so good. A tone who is a fan of Medriodvania games must get this. It is a no brainer. I'm going to pick this up on the Vita a think I saw on there if not I'll get it on WiiU. I just like the portability. Get this game and all the others before it. You won't be disappointed.
@ginkgobiloba On the Steam version, you could hear the voices fine. On the Xbox One, they seem too quiet and can be hard to hear. Hopefully that issue gets fix for the consoles.
@MetalKingShield
"After that we’ll have DLC a-plenty, arriving as quickly as we can finish it. Every DLC character has been in development for several months, and all of them are currently playable in varying stages of completion. This includes Risky Boots, Sky, Bolo, Rottytops, and also Ninja Shantae, Officer Shantae, and Beach Shantae. All 'Paid DLC' will be free to Backers, naturally."
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1236620800/shantae-half-genie-hero/posts/1669641
@shonenjump86 If nothing else, the game is absolutely gorgeous on PS4 and controls like a dream with that controller.
@RadioShadow Voices are a little muted on the Wii U version.
which isn't terrible, since voice acting is limited.
@shonenjump86 you love shonen jump don't you
I stopped with Pirate's curse because at one point I don't know where to go... And I doubt I will get back into the game, will wait for Switch version for this game tho
I've always been pleasantly surprised with the Shantae series, in a sort of "this doesn't look like my cup of tea, but it totally is" kind of way. I don't think I'll drag my feet on this one, except for the fact that if it's getting a Switch version, what's the point of getting the Wii U one?
Happy to see it get a great score! Go Shantae!
@Ralizah I completely agree, I was really disappointed with the linear gameplay where the old games were best when you were exploring.
But as its been said, fun game, but hope they go back to more story and more exploration for the next one.
9/10 was ALWAYS expected surprised it didn't get a 10.
@BionicDodo The Vita version is pretty fantastic, and it just feels "right" to me to play a Shantae game on a handheld.
@Ralizah
Thanks for the heads up, I'm definitely picking it up soon. I mostly have fighting games and the Uncharted series for the PS4 so having a Shantae game will mix things up a bit. I need a good platformer for the system.
@hieveryone
I sure do 😀
@Bobb Children of Morta and Cosmic Star Heroine also look to have tons of potential. I have my fingers crossed for all of them!
This game is tougher than I was expecting. That mermaid boss gave me a beating several times. I immediately grabbed the bikini armor afterwards. That half damage is crucial
@BionicDodo @hel105
I got it on Wii U and Vita. The Vita version looks great, but there is some noticeable framerate issues (slight stuttering) that aren't present in the Wii U version. But it is running on weaker hardware so, it's not all that surprising.
Also FYI, the physical Vita version came in a collectors box with soundtrack. Still waiting on the physical Wii U version but I'm assuming they all do... maybe
Sounds great. I'm happy to hear that the game turned out well. I had high hopes having been a fan of Wayforward stuff for a while. The length sounds great, perhaps even generous for 2D Metroidvania style. I don't recall how long the DS Castlevanias lasted. Better to avoid stretching the game for the sake of length turning part of it into a chore in the process. A game like this will keep me coming back, just like Shovel Knight. Now, I must find a suitable way to play it as I'm not sure if my computers can run it, plus I use Linux-based systems.
@shonenjump86 What is your favorite recent Jump series
As awesome as it looks, I had very little interest in revisiting Shantae, but if this one is more of a straight-up action platformer and less Metroidvania that would make me interested again.
@Haywired You go back to previous levels with new abilities to access (very small) new areas, but it's not really Metroid-esque. If you didn't care for the exploration in the older games and just want a platformer, this is probably the Shantae game for you.
Buying Shantae physical...which I haven't done since Nintendo Land, got to have that rockin' soundtrack! I really regret not backing this!
@JaxonH
All first print physical versions will have the soundtrack, including Wii U.
@Shiryu I would have really loved a boxed version of Fast Racing Neo, sadly its a no go for NA.
@RoomB31 Indeed, silly publishers, loosing out on our moneys...
@hieveryone: YouTube has the answer you need. I nearly lost my mind trying to sprint across that subterranean crumbling section with Risky's Boots . . . needed YouTube to realize it was a fool's errand.
I'll buy it if it comes to the Switch in the future. Or may be the next Shantae game if it releases on Switch. I'll definitely try out the older entries, though!
Glad to hear/see/whatever it lives up to the series pedigree! And it was a crowdfunded project, no less... Hopefully this will help people realize that Kickstarter can bring about good things, not just disappointment.
Kudos to WayForward on a job well done, and I look forward to playing it!
@Ralizah Keep in mind that HGH started out with a $776,084 budget, along with some extra Paypal donations on top of that. That's really not much to work with at all. With simultaneous HD platform (and Vita) releases, physical box set SKU's (I'm amazed there's any), and several tech upgrades from previous entries, there was inevitably going to be some things cut out from the gold product. Nothing that DLC updates can't fix, though, once the dough starts rolling in...
@Lizuka Urabe!
@PlywoodStick DLC will add more modes, characters, etc. to the game, but it can't fix the non-existent plot, the minimal character interactions, the terrible balancing, or the shallow design of existing levels.
I know it sounds like I hate the game, but I really do like it. I just have high expectations for it. I'm like an asian-american mom whose kid brings home a B+
@hieveryone
I'll have to go with My Hero Academia.
@shonenjump86 Excited for S2 ?
You should totally check out Assassination Classroom, great series. Also there's this manga called The Promised Neverland, easily one of the best Shonen Jump series in a long time it only has like 19 chapters right now tho
I never played any of the Shantae games until this month. I picked up The Pirate's Curse on my XBOX One and I am absolutely loving it. It seems like this one is just as good (if not better) so I'll pick it up when I finish up The Pirate's Curse.
Still playing Pirates Curse (Love it! Ended up with both 3ds and Wii u versions from that Humble Bundle months ago.) I think I may hold out on this one for awhile and see if it comes to the Switch. Also, the artstyle is gorgeous, reminds me of Rayman.
@bluedogrulez I was stuck on that section too and had to turn to Youtube.I wonder if that's the section that has @hieveryone stumped?
Glad to hear they've scaled back on the Metroidvania (which already ruined Castlevania). Still, I'll wait and see about the Switch. But, maybe if it's cheap enough, I'll get it for the soundtrack.
@Ralizah I don't think it can be worse than Risky's revenge with it's short lenght, lack of dungeons and transformation, poor exploration and godawful final boss.
I still think that game is good though.
@Ralizah B+!? That gets Asian kids disowned! Even A- gets them tossed in a dumpster and treated like trash! I've even seen some people in high school who were expected to get above 100%, by doing extra credit...
But WayForward isn't a bunch of Asian parents. And I'm not either. I understand the limitations behind the project, so I'll give it the benefit of the doubt and see if improvements will be made. There were a bunch of stretch goals missed which would have costed twice what they got, after all...
Also, Shantae games have never been particularly renowned for their plot or level design, so that's nothing new.
Whats happening with the European physical release? I really want to play this, but i also want the physical.
Sounds another stellar Shantae. Personally, I think the charm of previous titles looks lost somewhat in the switch to HD visuals, but that's just me. Either way, I have too much a backlog to pick it up currently. Best bet is I wait for a sale of some description then pounce.
I want the soundtrack separate...
@PlywoodStick Agree to disagree. Previous Shantae games are some of the better examples out there of open, Metroid-esque adventures, and while they have remained niche, have garnered a cult following with their lovable characters, zany humor, and rock solid level design and controls.
I'm hoping that, with the engine for this game out of the way, the next HD Shantae is closer in quality to the first three games.
Just got my Kickstarter code for Steam. Plays perfectly with the Xbox360 controller. This game just screams quality! Highly recommend! Regardless of the platform, find a way to play this game legally and enjoy. We have to pay back those who put so much work into this game. I still have to finish the original the GBC VC
Sexy genies
This score is accurate for me as well: the only downside being you can't replay bosses IMO. I'm really enjoying it.
Can you access inventory from the Gamepad or is it too basic a port?
@brandonbwii What's with Ninendolife reviews and not mentioning about the support controllers / use of GamePad features?
It just has "off-tv". What they should say is "they just the mirror tv". Like a few Wii U titles, there is no button to make it use a still image.
I'm rather keen to try this game out after hearing about it for such a long time. Shantae is my favourite character of modern 2d platformers, she's great.
@SanderEvers gutted, had this on pre order from day one.
Kickstarted this, and I think it's maybe my favorite Kickstarter-funded game to date!
I'm about 80% in and don't want it to end. NL's review is spot on, as is the lovely 9.2 user rating. Great platformer and so clever. There is an in-game nod to Kid Icarus...a subtle example of how well this game is crafted.
I thought Pirate's Curse was better. The whole transformation mechanic really breaks the pacing, especially now there are so many. Pirate's Curse simply matched her skills to different buttons which is objectively a better way to do it. I'm hoping it will be this way when they add Risky as a playable character to Half-Genie Hero.
I'd give this an 8, the platforming is solid but boring. Shantae moves at a set speed and the only additional acrobatics she can perform are a useless backwards dash (at least without transforming). But at least it looks good, sounds good and has a lot of truly hilarious dialogue.
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