Shantae and the Seven Sirens Reviews
It retreads the same ground of the prior games' fetch-quest-driven, backtracking-filled action-adventuring.
None of this is to say Shantae and the Seven Sirens is a bad game. In fact, it's a decent game for the younger audience, newcomers, and anyone that isn't expecting Shantae to evolve. Strictly from the perspective of someone that has played many games in the series and is eager for something different, though, this disappoints on many fronts. Uninspiring and rarely ever surprising, with little to make the player feel like they've earned anything, what is left is a generic Shantae game that is like any other before it, crying out for change and originality.
"Dancing with spirits."
Review in Finnish | Read full review
Children might enjoy this thanks to the easy-to-pick-up-and-play responsive controls. The humor might not connect with them and the imagery might imprint some fetishes in their heads early on, but this is a decent entry level Metroidvania. Adults who might be curious stand a good chance at being extremely bored.
Shantae And The Seven Sirens brings some very nice additions to the franchise like cutscenes, voice acting, and more. But it comes at a cost because they expanded a bit too much, and the game suffers as a result.
Shantae and the Seven Sirens is a compact, attractive, and agreeable adventure, but its muddled design lacks variety, innovation, and vital story engagement. As such, Seven Sirens feels like a sequel on auto-pilot, one that doesn't seize the opportunities offered by its exciting world and lively new cast, ultimately resulting in an entry that's good enough, but had the capacity to be truly magical.
A competent Metroidvania but although Shantae and her friends are as charming as ever the franchise is beginning to seem aimless and overly repetitive.
Fans of the series may feel a sense of déjà vu when playing through the extremely short Shantae and the Seven Sirens. But it's still a game worth your time, even if it doesn't meet the high bar set by the rest of the series.
Shantae and the Seven Sirens is an acceptable entry in a series that is known for consistency. However, as the genre continues to evolve, it feels like the simple pleasures of the franchise are becoming less enjoyable. Whenever the titular heroine returns, hopefully she has some new tricks to unleash.
I had a lot of fun playing through Shantae’s latest journey. But I knew I was going to enjoy this, because I did 4 years before. Again, this is what terrifies me, Shantae is coming back again and again with the same basic concept, and I know this girl, I know this STUDIO has so much more potential.
A highly entertaining Metroidvania-styled platformer with fantastically witty writing and amusing dialogue.
Shantae and the Seven Sirens is a delight.
Ready for a return to Scuttle town? Too bad, because we're somewhere else now. Shantae and the Seven Sirens provides a swift combo of tradition and experimentation to create a game that invigorates as much as it detaches, which we will discuss with our Switch review of the game.
Shantae and the Seven Sirens is a game that is formally enjoyable, but fails to stand out like the chapters that preceded it. The game runs smoothly and apart from a few too many loads, the pace is always strong. However, the general automation of the gamplay and the flattening of the challenge confine the latest creation of the WayForward in the circle of the unsuspecting.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Shantae and the Seven Sirens successfully dances back onto consoles with a gorgeous performance marred by being a bit too light on story for its own good.
Shantae and the Seven Sirens knew how to take advantage of all that the current platforms have to offer, providing beautiful graphics, simple and intuitive gameplay and great performance. However, the feeling I've got from playing is that WayForward preferred to rely more on the popularity and charisma of the character in order to sell his game, instead to dare a little more and deliver something really new. The game in general is not bad, but the impression left is that it has not evolved, something that should be natural for a franchise that reached the fifth title.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
In the end, Shantae and the Seven Sirens overcomes its issues with a variety of fantastic visuals, tight controls, and a new cast of characters that mesh perfectly with the old characters.
Shantae and the Seven Sirens is a charming and whimsical Metroidvania adventure that suffers from a case of repetition. It is still highly enjoyable if you have loved the series so far but it is clear that the formula has to be freshened up for any potential sequel.