Shantae and the Pirate's Curse Reviews
There are no secrets and nothing cool to find, just a frustrating design mechanic of incessantly backtracking through areas you have already completed
…it’s plain to see that Shantae and the Pirate’s Curse is a deep and instantly inviting adventure
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 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.
'Shantae and the Pirate's Curse' is a highly enjoyable platformer that doesn't take any risks. It's almost like comfort food in a way. You know what to expect, and it scratches that particular itch, but it's ultimately empty calories. Hopefully WayForward Technologies will take more chances and innovate with the next entry in the series, 'Shantae: Half-Genie Hero.'
Quibbles aside, Shantae and the Pirate’s Curse is still a breath of fresh air for the buried concept of sprite-based 2D platformers.
Shantae and the Pirate's Curse has many of the trappings of a fantastic Metroidvania game, but has a few notable flaws holding it back from greatness. For people who can't get enough of the genre, the game will likely serve as an enjoyable and light-hearted diversion, but for gamers looking for a Metroid substitute on the PS4, there are better options like Axiom Verge or Guacamelee! already available on the system.
A solid retro-minded throwback that packs some funny dialogue but ultimately fails in its backtracking-heavy quest structure
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 tells an old story wrapped in humor with a cast of character’s you may genuinely feel emotion for.
Shantae and The Pirates Curse is a joyful and surprisingly deep pixelated platformer, and is an indie title that you should consider.
Shantae and the Pirate's Curse under-delivers on a few aspects of the overall package, but the fact remains -- genie or not, Shantae is still very much relevant in the current market. Just keep in mind that at times it feels like an appetizer for the upcoming Half-Genie Hero, which sees the full return of Shantae's powers as well as a fully playable Risky Boots.
A metroidvania that you will want to explore and collect everything. A game that will make you fight, navigate and laugh from start to finish.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Shantae and the Pirate's Curse is the very same game from 2014 (even from the graphical side), with few improvements, like rumble HD. A fast port that Shantae's hardcore fans and newcomers will enjoy, but for all those that already played it on 3DS, Wii U, PC or Xbox One, there are better options out there, like Half-Genie Hero (also on Switch).
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Shantae and the Pirate's Curse was a great game on the Game Boy, and its arrival now on the Nintendo Switch makes is worth a try for those of you that missed it.
Honestly, Pirate’s Curse refined the franchise the most and gave fans a lot to hope for and look forward to. While I can see an argument that Seven Sirens is the best game of the franchise, for me, that honor belongs to Pirate’s Curse. And this replay on the PlayStation 5 only served to crystalize that fact for me. So, if you haven’t tried it yet, give the best Shantae game a chance and discover why so many people love this underrated franchise.
When all is said and done, Shantae And The Pirate's Curse is the definitive Shantae experience, and it feels just as fabulous as ever on the Nintendo Switch.
Shantae and the Pirate's Curse is platforming done right. From the tight controls, excellent level design, beautiful art style and great sound direction, there is much to like about Shantae's latest Switch adventure. There are many hours to enjoy with this one, and as such I highly recommend Shantae to any platforming game fans.
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.