I really tried to give it the benefit of the doubt, but this is the videogame equivalent of trying to put the same poles of two magnets together. It resists. It resists the temptation to be a cohesive, entertaining platform game. I got this 2, maybe 3 years ago when it was almost instantly reduced to a tenner.
I play a few levels, it gets shelved. Every now and again, I try again, and I bounce of it. I decided to really go for it this week. I'd only unlocked the first 3 worlds previously, but now, after persevering, I got all the way to beating the boss of world 9. And that's all the will power I had. I'd nothing left in me to try and soldier on. The fleeting moments of enjoyment heavily being outweighed by so many terrible moments in the game. And overall bad design.
If I didn't know who made this (coincidence that criminal proceedings only came about after the release of this, eh?), I'd have assumed it was someone's first go at making a game. Like they've heard what sonic adventure and mario 64 was like and tried to draw it from memory or something. The central idea is there, but execution is as incompetent and clumsy as an elephant at a type writer.
The things I enjoy about platforming - exploring, jumping on baddies, colourful and varied worlds to play through. Balan Wonderworld has all of these, but in the most restricted way possible. It almost feels like a free to play game where the entertainment is locked behind microtransactions. Only you pay with your time. You are given several costumes throughout the game, each with its own unique ability. If that ability isn't jumping, your feet are planted firmly on the ground. And that's a big no no for a platform game. Each world has its own specific set of costumes, so if the ability doesn't work with what you need to do, you have to get further through the game, find that costume and then go back to the level that required that ability.
Normally, not a problem. Played plenty of games like that. However, you're talking a good 30+ different abilities and costumes. Couple that with abysmally slow game play and terribly bland baddies, it makes everything a real chore. Like wading through treacle.
There's also a mini game called balans bout, where you have to push the button (the single button you use in this game that isn't directional) when prompted, and if you miss a single one, you've fucked it and don't get the statue (this games version of stars or shines like in the Mario games). Collecting all the statues is the overall goal and it's a fucking chore. I gave up when I got to 70ish. I need 80 to unlock the next set of levels, but fuck it. I don't say this about many games I play, and I really did try to stick with this one, but life's too short for this kind of dog shit.
On top of all that, the vibe is just weird. The levels are full of dancing NPC's that phase out of existence if you get near them, the characters you help in each world have some really weird stories (but the fmvs are well designed, I think I gave this an extra half star because of that), and there's always some weird dance routine play after you beat each boss. Reminds me of Nights into Dreams, but without the good bits (the flying guy).
This games been around long enough now to for people to know that it isn't good, but for a platform game, by the sonic the hedgehog guy no less, to be this fucking abysmal really must've taken a lot of yes men and a terrible QA team. I've played better shovelware than this.
I play a few levels, it gets shelved. Every now and again, I try again, and I bounce of it. I decided to really go for it this week. I'd only unlocked the first 3 worlds previously, but now, after persevering, I got all the way to beating the boss of world 9. And that's all the will power I had. I'd nothing left in me to try and soldier on. The fleeting moments of enjoyment heavily being outweighed by so many terrible moments in the game. And overall bad design.
If I didn't know who made this (coincidence that criminal proceedings only came about after the release of this, eh?), I'd have assumed it was someone's first go at making a game. Like they've heard what sonic adventure and mario 64 was like and tried to draw it from memory or something. The central idea is there, but execution is as incompetent and clumsy as an elephant at a type writer.
The things I enjoy about platforming - exploring, jumping on baddies, colourful and varied worlds to play through. Balan Wonderworld has all of these, but in the most restricted way possible. It almost feels like a free to play game where the entertainment is locked behind microtransactions. Only you pay with your time. You are given several costumes throughout the game, each with its own unique ability. If that ability isn't jumping, your feet are planted firmly on the ground. And that's a big no no for a platform game. Each world has its own specific set of costumes, so if the ability doesn't work with what you need to do, you have to get further through the game, find that costume and then go back to the level that required that ability.
Normally, not a problem. Played plenty of games like that. However, you're talking a good 30+ different abilities and costumes. Couple that with abysmally slow game play and terribly bland baddies, it makes everything a real chore. Like wading through treacle.
There's also a mini game called balans bout, where you have to push the button (the single button you use in this game that isn't directional) when prompted, and if you miss a single one, you've fucked it and don't get the statue (this games version of stars or shines like in the Mario games). Collecting all the statues is the overall goal and it's a fucking chore. I gave up when I got to 70ish. I need 80 to unlock the next set of levels, but fuck it. I don't say this about many games I play, and I really did try to stick with this one, but life's too short for this kind of dog shit.
On top of all that, the vibe is just weird. The levels are full of dancing NPC's that phase out of existence if you get near them, the characters you help in each world have some really weird stories (but the fmvs are well designed, I think I gave this an extra half star because of that), and there's always some weird dance routine play after you beat each boss. Reminds me of Nights into Dreams, but without the good bits (the flying guy).
This games been around long enough now to for people to know that it isn't good, but for a platform game, by the sonic the hedgehog guy no less, to be this fucking abysmal really must've taken a lot of yes men and a terrible QA team. I've played better shovelware than this.