Shantae and the Pirate's Curse Reviews
Shantae and the Pirate’s Curse is a fantastic game. It’s a celebration of platformer and role-playing games but it doesn’t particularly attempt to copy other games of either genre. I especially enjoyed how Sequin Land has a sense of connectedness, containing large environments brimming with secrets. It makes the world feel real. It’s certainly a unique experience in gameplay and it is packed with quality content. Once you make it through the first dungeon, you’ll be hooked until the end.
If you’re a fan of 2D retro platformers that test both your mental acuity and your thumb dexterity, then Shantae and the Pirate’s Curse should be right up your alley.
*Not actually scientifically proven, this is just hyperbole. I’d hope I don’t need to clarify this, but just in case...
Shantae and the Pirate’s Curse works just as well on a console as it did on a handheld.
These days, it’s pretty easy for me to tell a platformer to sashay away. The genre is feeling a bit tired overall, but WayForward managed to make their game feel fresh, while still pouring on enough nostalgic charm to make my ancient, decrepit gamer heart swell with happiness.
I would love to see Shantae released as a physical copy, due to my collecting habits, to put her newest adventure on the shelf with the greats, where she belongs.
While Shantae and the Pirate's Curse may fall on the simple side when it comes to Metroidvanias, its simplicity winds up being one of its biggest strengths.
The best retro throwbacks rise above their influences to become something endearing of their own accord. Shantae and the Pirate’s Curse does just that, with quality and production values that rival many AAA releases.
…it’s plain to see that Shantae and the Pirate’s Curse is a deep and instantly inviting adventure
Brisk and almost effortlessly pleasing, WayForward's Shantae returns in her richest adventure to date, with all of the personality intact.
There are no secrets and nothing cool to find, just a frustrating design mechanic of incessantly backtracking through areas you have already completed
The half-genie is back at last. Shantae and the Pirate's Curse is a fantastically fun game, although it doesn't bring anything new to the platformer genre.
This is a fun, but relatively simple, Metroidvania - beginner-friendly, but a title that can easily satisfy a craving, especially if eager for a solid 2D platformer.
Shantae and the Pirate's Curse is at times frustrating, but is mostly a fun, light-hearted, and immediately and consistently enjoyable videogame. The characters are loveable, the music is catchy, the graphics are solid, and the amount of care put into the game's setting is admirable. It successfully blends old and current philosophies of game design and execution, being reminiscent of classics like Zelda and Sonic the Hedgehog but also striking out and standing firmly as its own series, and one that will hopefully be around for a long time.
Shantae and the Pirate's Curse might put off a lot of its target audience with its bright and cartoony graphics, but devoted Metroidvania/platformer fans will not want to miss this excellently animated sprite game. The controls are good, and there is a lot of interesting locations to explore as this has more of an 'adventure' feel to it than Castlevania does. The progression is slower than would be preferred, and the humour and style can be off-putting, but this is a game that is evident the people who made it actually tried, which is a rarity with games these days.
UPDATE: I fixed the scaling issue. I just had to go into the Wii U Settings and shrink the bounding box a bit. Worked perfectly!
Platforming is tight and varied, and the plot matches the lighthearted tone of the rest of the game. Shantae and the Pirate's Curse is a spirited little game, and by far the best 2D platformer on the PlayStation 4 to date.
Entertaining character interactions, the inclusion of an enemy respawn mechanic and a retro-facing aesthetic art-style offer enough to save this Metroidvania love-letter from the trappings of repetitive gameplay, an uninteresting plot and predictable enemy movements.
Shantae and The Pirate’s Curse is another brilliant game from WayForward. If you’re a fan of the series, then you’re going to love playing this one as I did for my Shantae and The Pirate’s Curse review! It has a fun story, a new twist on gameplay and lots of content for you to enjoy. As always, the music from Jake “Virt” Kaufman is great, and you’ll definitely find yourself humming a song or two after you’ve finished this one!
Summary – No lamp or wishes required, it’s already just about perfect.