Shantae: Half-Genie Hero Reviews
Shantae: Half-Genie Hero will whisk you away on a platforming nostalgia trip while you platform through beautifully designed levels to a rocking soundtrack in the background. The platforming featured throughout is some of the most fun I’ve had with the genre in quite some time. The actual design of the levels is intricate yet fun to navigate, as each one holds secrets galore. Different forms that Shantae will gather allows her to revisit older levels to try and find secret areas and collectibles that you may have missed the first time through. And some of those forms are necessary to reach these areas. The game definitely offers a lot of replayability and invites players to keep coming back to past areas and levels in order to see everything Shantae: Half-Genie Hero has to offer. And since the game is quite fun, doing so didn’t feel like a chore either.
WayForward clearly took their time to complete this one, but in the end, the wait was worth it. The game is fantastic, and a lot of fun. The graphics are colorful, charming and vibrant, showcasing a very high level of polish. You feel like you’re playing a cartoon! Something else worth mentioning is that the music from composer Jake “Virt” Kaufman is excellent, as always, perfectly complementing the action on the screen. I highly recommend that you get this one today. I had an absolute blast playing it for my Shante: Half-Genie Hero review and I’m sure you’ll enjoy your time with the game from the moment you play the opening sequence!
Now, reviews generally exist to answer the question of whether something is good or not, but the answer to that question is a bit more complicated than a simple yes or no in this case. In fact, if my notes are any indication, the answer is “yes, then kind of, then yes again, then no no no no why is this happening, then ehhh, then yes again,” which is a roundabout way of saying that the game is worth it overall despite having some pretty glaring issues.
Shantae: Half-Genie Hero is WayForward’s finest entry in the series yet. Platformer enthusiasts and people who can’t get enough of collecting virtual trinkets will undoubtedly find something to get lost in here.
While I enjoyed my time with Shantae: Half-Genie Hero, I was left a bit wanting in regards to gameplay. It just wasn’t satisfying to engage with the platforming and enemies, it was too simple, too easy. I’m not looking for a punishing experience, but I do enjoy having my skills challenged in platformers. Regardless, the beauty on display and the energy in both the soundtrack and movement of each and every character impressed me. I just wish it had a little more bite.
All in all, Shantae: Half-Genie Hero is a solid and polished, if not overly risky, addition to the franchise. In some ways, it feels like a soft reboot that goes back to the franchise's core mechanics and refines them. That makes it a strong introduction to the series for newcomers and a great game for existing fans . The only really flaws include some unnecessary padding and backtracking and its short length, neither of which is enough to be more than a minor blemish. If you're a fan of old-school platformers, Half-Genie Hero is a game for you.
Shantae: Half-Genie Hero brings the series to the best place it has ever been, thanks to some fantastic visuals, a catchy soundtrack and a loveable cast of characters.
If you’re a platforming fan, or just a gamer that’s looking for some straight-up fun, Shantae: Half-Genie Hero is definitely a title that should be on your radar.
Shantae is back in a beautiful game with terrific soundtrack and solid gameplay mechanics. Half-Genie Hero is the most linear adventure on the series but it is still a fun experience for the platformer games lovers
Review in Spanish | Read full review
While the game is light on extra content right now, the promise of free DLC that will expand the game dramatically could easily lead to this being the biggest 'Shantae' yet. It might not be the half-genie's best adventure to date, but it's an upbeat, extremely fun game that's well worth checking out for anyone who likes platformers.
Shantae’s back with old-school charm and a shiny new coat of paint.
A little more linear than usual, but Shantae and her friends have never looked or played better in this amusingly silly Metroidvania.
Shantae: Half-Genie Hero is exactly what the series needed; a gorgeous-looking, classic-feeling, adventure that was made to be played 1080p at 60fps on current consoles and even PC. It's light-hearted but fun story will take players to multiple areas that will feel open for exploration, boss fights that will feel outmatched yet unique, and interactions that will be funny and pretty meaningful. It all works together perfectly and gives players a truly fun adventure to dive into, almost playing out like a cartoon show. If you're a fan of the side-scrolling platform games, a fan of the Shantae series, or just interested in enjoying a colorful and lighthearted game, this title is a great option to add to your collection sooner or later.
I’ll recommend Shantae: Half-Genie Hero to newcomers, but only on the condition that you check out the other games afterwards.
This game’s obvious new feature is its HD art, and, more than just being beautiful, the ability of this art to enhance the characters and world makes Shantae: Half-Genie Hero the most impressive take on the whole fantasy Middle East setting since the utterly brilliant Prince of Persia: Sands of Time.
Shantae: Half-Genie Hero has a fantastic sense of humor and swag.
Colorful, gorgeous visuals and refined mechanics help Shantae: Half-Genie Hero not only reach franchise highs, but also establishes the series as one of the genre's best.
There is nothing more satisfying than when a developer learns from their past mistakes, and WayForward has finally refined the Shantae experience. Shantae: Half-Genie Hero is the belly dancing heroine’s best adventure yet, and doesn’t suffer from any huge leaps in difficulties like previous titles. While there are parts that will feel a bit too familiar for series veterans (certainly there has to be other characters that exist in Shantae’s world), it’s a highly polished title that provides plenty of fun from start to finish.
Shantae: Half-Genie Hero spent a lot of time cooking, but the end product is well-built. There are occasional tedious moments, and the story's disjointed at times (which can be chalked up to the fact some characters and chapters were added as Kickstarter campaign stretch goals), but it's still a must-play for Shantae fans. And if you're not a Shantae fan … what's wrong with you?