Okay, so I finally started this game up. It always looked beautiful and charming, but I feared that it would be beautiful, charming, and boring, like Okami.
But it's actually... kind of awesome? This is one of the most pleasant, coziest games that I've ever played. Just dripping with vibes, man.
I had heard that the game was too easy, but I recently read about some Hard Mode unlock code on GoNintendo, so I enabled it before starting the game. I haven't died yet, but it is at least challenging enough to be engaging. And it's just fun. The simultaneous two-character control is reminiscent of Brothers and that Animal Crossing game from NintendoLand, but Platinum has added their own twists, along with a nice sense of tactility. And when the wires in your brain start getting crossed, you can just join the chatacters until the game requires them to act independently.
Combat is like a breezy, lite version of Platinum's signature brand of multiple-character action. Movement is fast and smooth. The traversal puzzles and little mini-dungeon areas are satisfying. The graphics and music are absolutely beautiful. The storytelling and gameplay flow and characterization are way more cohesive and coherent and consistent than in the main Bayonetta series... It's just GOOD, man. It's, like, a real, no-fooling vidyagame. It feels like a genuine labor of love.
I dunno. Maybe I'm just in the mood for this type of game. I don't want to oversell it, as it's such a modest and unassuming little gem. But I haven't been this pleasantly surprised by a game in a looong time. It makes most modern games seem crass and bloated by comparison. Try it out! |
