Shantae: Half-Genie Hero Reviews
In the six hours I spent on my first play through of Half-Genie Hero, I found myself smiling at the creative level design, laughing at the whimsical characters, and striving to get better whenever I missed a challenging jump. It’s rare that I ever want to play a game to completion twice, but I absolutely intend to throw myself back into Sequin Land to uncover all the secrets I missed in my first run—maybe I’ll even tackle the “Hero Mode,” which is designed for speed runs. Whether you backed the game on Kickstarter or have been on the fence with the series for a while and waiting for a time to jump in, there’s a lot to love about 1/2 Genie Hero.
Considering the efforts passionate fans went through to see this franchise have another entry, it comes off as surprising and unfortunate that Wayforward did not decide to take more risks by adding new characters and mechanics.
You could likely beat Shantae: Half-Genie Hero in a couple of sittings, but the platforming action is so varied, and the levels so explorable, it’s worth playing well beyond that. While it's neither innovative nor high-concept, its hand-drawn look and toe-tapping music successfully channel a joy and enthusiasm that has become far too rare in modern video games.
Although no Shantae game is really known for its deep plot, I felt that the plot in Half-Genie Hero was a bit haphazard compared to Pirate’s Curse, at least until the twist at the end of the game. I can’t explain why without going into spoilers, but I just felt it would have helped players to have a bit more backstory to push things forward. That said, I definitely enjoyed my time with Shantae Half-Genie Hero. I managed to beat the game in five and a half hours with 84% completion (though I did manage to get the good ending). There is some replay value for completionists, and there are also art pieces to unlock, Hero-Mode and even playing through the game as Risky Boots herself! Half-Genie Hero mostly made good on all of my vast expectations, though I do hope that the next game in the series is more like Pirate’s Curse. That said, if you’re a fan of Shantae, you can’t go wrong with Half-Genie Hero for $19.99, and I’m very happy to have finally been able to play this gorgeous HD game on my Wii U. Until next time, Tinkerbackers! And keep up the good work, WayForward!
Shantae: Half-Genie Hero was a blast to play. Gameplay is near-perfect, the platforming sections were challenging, and the bosses were creative. When the only thing you can complain about the game is some grammar mistakes, you know you’re having a lot of fun actually playing it. If you are a fan of the previous games or like good exploration based action-platformers with a Metroidvania twist, then this is the game for you!
Unfortunately, Half-Genie Hero isn't Shantae's finest moment but that doesn't mean that it isn't a great game.
Shantae: Half-Genie Hero is a beautifully made, wonderfully crafted, and totally fun adventure. It's got great characters, fun gameplay that'll keep you entertained throughout, epic bosses that'll keep you on your toes, and plenty of collectables that'll have you going back through the levels multiple times.
There's a lot to like here, and I hope WayForward gets to keep making Shantae games. As long as they do, I'll keep playing them.
After nearly three years of anticipation following the success of it's Kickstarter, Shantae: Half-Genie shows us why it was worth the wait.
This is a superb entry in what has become a remarkable platforming saga. The lush visuals are impressive to behold, and Jake "virt" Kaufman has outdone himself with yet another phenomenal soundtrack. The game itself finely balances both the action and adventure elements. With the amount of abilities involved, there could have been a little more creativity in how they're employed. Still, it's a mild complaint considering the amount of care that went into everything else. The pacing is efficiently handled. Shantae: Half-Genie Hero doesn't benefit from having checkpoints that must be repeated dozens of times, or thousands of shiny objects to collect. Everything has a purpose, and nothing wears out its welcome. All in all, this is a can't-miss title of the holiday season.
If you’re interested in 2D platformers or want to try out a unique new game, I highly suggest jumping on Shantae: Half-Genie Hero.