As a long-time fan of the Pokémon franchise, I've seen plenty of games try and imitate their model to varying degrees of success over the years; Cassette Beasts wears this influence on its sleeve and yet it feels very much like it's own game.
It's only a few minutes into the game that Cassette Beasts starts to iterate on the Pokémon format when you are asked whether your style is 'Sweet' or 'Spooky' and this is what determines your starter. Both options are creatures that are very expressive and memorable whilst being neutral or 'Beast' type, so that their personality can shine through and they will later gain one of two types when you 'remaster' (evolve) them. The game breaks from trend in numerous other ways: having your beasts' level tied to your own so you never have to grind to add a new creature to your party; tying your overworld abilities to capturing certain beasts that make sense contextually (for example, capturing a bullet dinosaur that zooms about allows you to dash and break rocks) and many others.
The charm of the game isn't only found in the monsters however, the game's uses of a 2.5D art style creates the best of both worlds: the freedom of movement found in modern 'open world' Pokémon games and the beautiful sprite work of older titles. The OST is also worth highlighting, there are a variety of battle tracks that have excellent instrumentation in their own right but really come to life when you 'fuse' with your partner and it seamlessly transitions into a vocal track.
On the subject of partners, there are multiple you can team up with throughout the game who all have their own stories you can find out more about by spending time with them. I found these interactions a bit shallow, whilst your partners can start conversations with you at campsites you never really get to ask them questions and as a result they feel closer to the temporary allies you pick up in Pokémon Platinum rather than true companions you might see in a fully fledged RPG like Mass Effect, for example.
The story is serviceable and touches on some interesting themes. Side-quests can be more varied in quality, with Kayleigh's being a standout for me with its exploration of cult mentality.
Thankfully the game is still very high replay value thanks to customisable difficulty scaling and the permadeath and randomiser options you unlock by beating the game for the first time.
Overall I would strongly recommend this game to any fans of monster collecting games, with a lighter recommendation to more general RPG fans since the combat system here has plenty of depth to get stuck into.
It's only a few minutes into the game that Cassette Beasts starts to iterate on the Pokémon format when you are asked whether your style is 'Sweet' or 'Spooky' and this is what determines your starter. Both options are creatures that are very expressive and memorable whilst being neutral or 'Beast' type, so that their personality can shine through and they will later gain one of two types when you 'remaster' (evolve) them. The game breaks from trend in numerous other ways: having your beasts' level tied to your own so you never have to grind to add a new creature to your party; tying your overworld abilities to capturing certain beasts that make sense contextually (for example, capturing a bullet dinosaur that zooms about allows you to dash and break rocks) and many others.
The charm of the game isn't only found in the monsters however, the game's uses of a 2.5D art style creates the best of both worlds: the freedom of movement found in modern 'open world' Pokémon games and the beautiful sprite work of older titles. The OST is also worth highlighting, there are a variety of battle tracks that have excellent instrumentation in their own right but really come to life when you 'fuse' with your partner and it seamlessly transitions into a vocal track.
On the subject of partners, there are multiple you can team up with throughout the game who all have their own stories you can find out more about by spending time with them. I found these interactions a bit shallow, whilst your partners can start conversations with you at campsites you never really get to ask them questions and as a result they feel closer to the temporary allies you pick up in Pokémon Platinum rather than true companions you might see in a fully fledged RPG like Mass Effect, for example.
The story is serviceable and touches on some interesting themes. Side-quests can be more varied in quality, with Kayleigh's being a standout for me with its exploration of cult mentality.
Thankfully the game is still very high replay value thanks to customisable difficulty scaling and the permadeath and randomiser options you unlock by beating the game for the first time.
Overall I would strongly recommend this game to any fans of monster collecting games, with a lighter recommendation to more general RPG fans since the combat system here has plenty of depth to get stuck into.