Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom (PC, 2019)
Graphics-8.5 Sound-8.5 Control-8 Challenge-7.5/8* Story-6
Level Design-8 Frustration-7/8* Fun-8 Originality-7
Overall Score-8
*Some optional challenges
+
Blends most of the best elements of previous Wonder Boy/Monster World games together (WB1 etc. cloud walking, MW1/3/4 sphinx - a bit easier here, MW4 controls (up- and downstab), transformations+platform creation+bonuses from wearing a full set of a certain gear type (MW2/WB3 though here it also has to be upgraded first) - most of the transformations are new here and platforms are temporary, MW2-3 shops, MW2-3 sub weapons/magic, MW2 gear system, MW1 hidden gold without the esoteric methods to make it appear, MW1-3 shield system (blocks projectiles, can block upwards here as well), etc.)
Good map system (shows basic layout (including a top down view world map behind the layout map) which is zoomable+save points+doors+chests and other points of interests, can also show an explanation of each icon as well as your collection/exploration percentage for that item (except for chests requiring multiple spell attacks to unlock which are symbolized by a question mark)
Teleport rod (teleport to any visited teleporter from pretty much anywhere - gained in the late mid-game)
Very good bosses overall (most have multiple phases, some play like minor puzzles) - satisfying deaths as well
Very good puzzles and platforming challenges overall (room rotation in the temple - Bucky O'Hare had something similar?, timing puzzles that make you switch forms, sliding boxes on a rocking ship+water levels puzzles, bouncing on enemies in a certain order, lava fountains pushed down by sliding blocks, timing/physics puzzle with blocks you hit from below to help propel a rolling boulder forward and make it press a switch (and later on a puzzle where you create move and create platforms for boulders to clear a path of breakable blocks, there's also a pinball-like puzzle involving a boulder in the forest), flying dragon enemies as platforms for yourself and for a sliding block in the volcano - similar to SMW, password puzzle in the prison - similar to the quiz but more of a logical puzzle, possess furniture and use it to clear obstacles or move platforms in the mansion (there's also a couple of light reflection puzzles spanning more than one room here (and one in the lighthouse) - similar to Wind Waker), shrink and go inside some mechanisms/tools in the mansion to remove some obstacles, portal puzzle in the temple)
Generally rewarding exploration for optional items with challenges leading up to them
Great variation overall (one shoot 'em up-style level with a chase segment and an underwater boss (two other bosses also have a quick shoot 'em up phase), two on foot racing mini-games (obligatory), good mix of platforming/exploration/puzzling/combat, short escort segment, basic stealth segment, over the top boulder chase segment, spear training mini-game - similar to the bonus levels in IK+)
Some sequence breaking possibilities (the ground pound makes you reach slightly higher and a bit further as you can move horizontally for a bit before it triggers - later on you can combine it with form switching to gain a lot more height and length, various puzzles have alternate solutions, more with clipping glitches)
All forms stay useful throughout the game and there are some cool abilities (8-way continuous dashing (stamina-based, can do it 4 times in a row, can dash through most traps and enemies) in human form - gained right before the final dungeon, fast and smooth swinging mechanics and fast swimming (via boosting) as the frog, jump while dashing and dash on water surfaces (Wario Land/Sonic)+downstab & stomp in one as the lion - also gains upward dash/stomp in the volcano, carry and place/throw things (spring platforms, bombs, blob snail shells)+swallow fly enemies as the frog after gaining the ability to do so - can grab enemy drops with your tongue before getting it?, dash/tackle as the snake (lets you tackle through some blocks as well as through enemies) and stomping as the pig (stuns most nearby enemies and activates some switches, wall climbing in certain spots as the snake and flight as the dragon (both from WB3))
Less overpowered downstab than in MW4 (some delay between hits but also stuns nearby enemies when you land; can also use it to bounce on enemies (similar to MW3-4)) and boomerang sub weapon (low capacity and some enemies are resistant)
Good animation and expressive sprites, nice intro (adventure montage showing off each transformation's ability, animé style) and ending cutscenes, some large and detailed sprites, some nice visual touches (different lighting on your avatar when in caves and near torches, the pig's eyepatch switches from one eye to another depending on where he is facing but if you leave him idle for a bit he will intentionally switch his eyepatch to the side facing the player and will continue that way until you make him turn around, shoot 'em up level background)
Can jump up and slide down ladders
Adds a basic 4-hit combo to your human and pig forms' main attacks (hold forward, can spam the button, wider hit arc for the human) however you don't get to use it that much since the other forms don't have it+you become human right before the final dungeon+the pig has poor range and non-upgradeable damage
Minor 2.5D elements (similar to Virtual Boy Wario Land)
The main villain's henchman appears and interacts with the player now and then during early gameplay (rather than sitting in a dungeon until you reach him)
Springs+player activated platforms & sliding blocks also affect enemies
Adds slopes (these can be used to build up speed and jump further in some areas)
Boots which add to your moveset as the frog/lion/dragon/human forms (glide jump - MW1, walk on lava, create ice blocks on water surfaces, double jump, prevent sinking in mud upgrade, normal movement with the heavy boots upgrade)
Control config
Can look around (slightly) using the right analog stick
Some cool bonuses via the gear sets after you've gotten all upgrades for them (HP regen while walking via the fire set - very slow though, super defense at low HP with the knight set, berserk (2x attack/1.5x damage, 2x magic damage but 2x ammo used+stronger rod via the mage set) via the gold set)
Super fast resting at inns
In general the game is great about adding shortcuts after finishing a detour (see below for the exceptions)
Option to show the health bars for enemies and bosses
Skippable cutscenes
Very short knockback when hit (sometimes none at all)
Can keep your lion form dash momentum while flying as the dragon if you transform and press jump at the same time while dashing (helps a bit in the second race and lets you move around faster in some areas)
Some of the relic challenges (don't use certain abilities while getting through a short segment - a bit like in FF8's last dungeon)
Nice cameos of the previous MW heroes (the spirits of the first three appear to help you out at one point and the relics are items connected to them, Asha is apparently still alive?)
Features some nice remixes of classic MW music themes
+/-
Somewhat less linear overall structure than in MW2-3 however sub areas/dungeons tend to play more like a linear level with a focus on puzzle solving (some rooms don't even have any enemies in them) and a few optional rooms off the (often one screen tall/wide) main path to explore rather than being more of a maze like in MW3-4 - most dungeons/sub areas become a bit more maze-like from the Inca temple onwards (this one has a segment with 4 paths you can do in any order, the dark underwater cave is a bit of a maze, the volcano has two segments with two paths you can do in either order, the mansion is fairly open ended besides the keys, etc.)
Money is pretty scarce early-mid game but there are a couple of spots with enemies that drop more money (gold mushroom, a few other spots; after reaching the volcano you can increase gold gains to 2x with an upgrade) - can exploit the save point system+fixed drop rate for a certain enemy right before the volcano to gain a bunch of gold here (you can also buy a cheaper red potion+healing back at your house in the beginning after activating the teleporter near it but it doesn't really save any time from the volcano onwards)
Frequent save points (generally good but they can't be avoided, some one way paths in some sub areas (sewers, ice cave near a chest, boulder path in the temple - pretty bad here since you want to get to the blue chest that appeared while running from the boulder); the game counters this with enemies and hazards doing more damage per hit and no big hearts so it's still pretty challenging overall) and shops - you respawn at the last save point without losing any money when dying plus opened doors/paths/chests stay unlocked as well but generally only with 5 hearts/HP restored unless it was one of the big save points (in some cases you'll actually respawn with your previously used red potion restored)
Can't choose to deactivate the red potion to save it for bosses
Downstab has no delay (if you do it right above an enemy) and you don't bounce off of hit enemies underwater
Low throw/spitting arc for bombs
Missing a few nice elements from previous games (bartenders/talking to shopkeepers, some of the better enemies like the ambushing ghosts (WB3 & MW4 - this game has a similar flying ghost in the graveyard though) or the fire force field mini-boss+horned helmet mini-boss (WB2/MW1) or the volley fire plants+ninjas+flying demons+samurai (WB3) or the ice surface creating flying ghosts (MW3) or the jumping & pollinating mushrooms+giant spinning coins from MW4, fewer rooms/areas with tougher enemies that guaranteed bigger gold rewards if killed, fewer mini-bosses)
Minor resource management (limited ammo for spells - can be upgraded quite a bit by finding and eating the hidden truffles, can only carry one red potion at a time (resurrection if you let it heal you automatically or manual healing via the menu))
Can't walk while slashing/punching/shooting
Some unnecessary handholding early on ("did you know you can attack while crouching?", pictures that show the solutions to minor puzzles) and "sub goal" markers throughout the game
Rainbow Drops reveal the location of a random collectible on the map (marked with a question mark, can get a clue to up to ~24 hidden chests however those with money in them are also included so it's worth being thorough before resorting to using them) when traded with the loot master (in the final dungeon you'll also find vague markers for golden gem and golden gear pieces locations) - good for the few trial & error ones but really just an optional pay to win (with in-game currency) thing and hints to all the trial & error ones would've been preferable
Pepelogoo returns (can talk here) - short escort segment in the volcano and later on in the mansion you can control its newfound laser ability to remove some obstacles
The in-game art style is a bit more western in parts
Can't attack upwards as the pig - you'll get a spell for this fairly soon but it takes a while to build up its ammo capacity
Can't use gear as the pig nor as the snake
The frog form is kinda limited for combat until you gain the "grab and spit" ability (can't up/downstab nor use sub weapons nor perform an attack combo (should've been able to switch boots with l/r to speed that up, the tongue can be used in 7 directions (8 if swimming) to briefly stun most enemies but does no damage and makes you vulnerable to the status effects introduced here (freezing, poison, confusion/reverse controls, etc.)), no attack combo as the lion either
No teleporter for the first area until the mid-game
Lighthearted and often arcade-like/gamey tone (in some platforming segments you go back to a checkpoint at the beginning of the segment from falling into pits or liquid, the many signs with hints on them, most level design feels more like an abstract challenge course than an actual place, can break certain stone blocks with bombs but not others and not certain thin wooden platforms)
Bumping into enemies generally hurts here (unlike in MW4)
Only one save slot per game (there doesn't seem to be any missables though you might upgrade the wrong thing for the situation you're in and then have to find more gems)
Some collectathon tendencies (mose of these are optional; the music sheets for additional songs and a sound test (you also get some money for each completed set) - three per song and they can be tricky to get to, some chests require both a certain spell/sub weapon and several capacity upgrades for it to unlock - you don't actually need higher ammo capacity for such chests if you can buy more while in the same room/area though (works for the outdoor ones in towns), each part of the golden gear set is split into 5 pieces - you only need the sword parts afaik)
The more expensive gear generally doesn't have higher base stats (the difference is in the upgrades - these require gems which are also hidden and there's just enough of them to upgrade everything)
Can cheese the Inca temple mini-boss with lightning magic
Somewhat unforgiving hit detection near platform edges when in snake form
The piano puzzle in the mansion is a cool idea but would've been better if there were actual notes to a melody played - would've also been cool to use the ocarina in more than one spot
Your brother helps you during the mushroom boss fight by throwing hearts from above if you're struggling at it (not sure if he can help you in later fights) - could've been optional
Limited oxygen while underwater or deep in mud unless you're in frog form or poltergeist form respectively
No temporary invincibility power up (WB2/MW1)
Can't turn off the berserk effect for the upgraded golden gear set?
The partial 1st dungeon from WB3 as reward for opening the well is pretty lame but you do get an extra heart and access to the sound test as well
Cheesy vocal intro song
-
Can get stuck and have to reload during one of the puzzles on the way to Misty Woods
Crappy hit detection at the narrow path near the golden gem on the way to the temple - have to jump from the higher platform with the ladder connected to it and get hit rather than freeze the fireballs and jump from them unless you have the dragon form and can freeze a fireball right next to the narrow path
Some control/interface issues (can't jump out of or cancel dashing in human form, using the ring system for form and sub weapon switching is a bit clunky - can accidentally pick something else after pressing the button and the cursor resets to the previous choice if you let go of the button after choosing a form diagonally (this system is optional but shoulder button selection is harder in the late-game), map zoom position resets when exiting its screen and at the sea cave area the default zoom level doesn't let you scroll all the way to the edge of the map without zooming out fully, stiff movement and overly big hitbox when swimming above a platform as the frog, no mini-map or transparent map mode, generally can't grab upwards flying coins and other drops (except when underwater, breaks flow somewhat) - after the volcano you can upgrade a bracelet into a drop magnet which has pretty good reach but doesn't pull an item to you until after it has bounced upwards and reached its initial spawn position so you still can't keep moving at high speeds while killing enemies and expect items to be pulled towards you, can't place markers at points of interest on the map, can't jump down through platforms that you can jump up through - used in one or two puzzles but could've been allowed elsewhere, somewhat clunky ring menu system in the gear menu - can swap forms and sub weapons with the shoulder buttons though, enemy drops move too slowly underwater - breaks flow (you can generally grab them as they bounce upwards on land but when you don't they also break flow here slightly and can also bounce away from you after landing if you don't stand under them, the teleport rod's homing shot sometimes prioritizes the wrong thing - at one point it shot in an arc backwards at something off screen when the enemy I wanted to hit was in front and nearby, very minor movement delay from a skid animation when changing direction while moving)
Some trial & error (the turning part of the well puzzle in town (can't tell which part of the code is left and which is right?) - very hard to spot the smell clouds in town as well, spear training mini-game (golden gear piece), final dungeon chase segment and how hitting certain enemies damages you, parts of the pseudo 8-bit challenge segments in the final dungeon, easy to miss some of the loot dropped by the shoot 'em up level boss, can't grab one of the cogs in the volcano while it's in mid-air as the frog (or the hit detection is just sloppy), the pots in the volcano aren't explained - have to shoot them with a sub weapon as the pig to make them drop hearts, having to switch forms in mid-air or fall down and have to redo the segment at one point in the volcano - can pause and switch using the ring system but it's set to off by default, some of the lavafalls can't be temporarily frozen in the volcano, can't downstab into lava fountains as the lion without breaking the temporary platform created by the ice boots (only stomp as the pig which is a pointless difference), troll spring sending you backwards at one point in the volcano (there's also a troll shortcut in the prison), can't downstab nor upstab/upwards dash into the fire dragons in the volcano without getting hurt, hook jump into a spike wall at one point during the first on foot race mini-game vs the body guard and parts of the second race, overly loose upwards scrolling in some parts, some hidden item locations (one on the path to the temple, on the path to the underwater cave, one of the truffles in the volcano - you're running as you move past it so it's hard to notice the path, one in the northwest of the mansion, invisible platform in the first area - money, room in the ice cave where you can't reach to sniff with the pig - you're supposed to randomly try shooting your tongue towards it but can also fly into it as the dragon later) - you can get a clue to 20 of these via the rainbow drops however these hints also mark hidden chests with money in them so it's worth being thorough before resorting to using them)
Keep finding items of which you have a full stock and keep finding single coins after the first couple of areas (some enemies also have fixed drops and some don't drop anything at all) - leads to some grinding and minor backtracking
Shopkeepers don't talk (there are many different ones for some visual variety though)
Some invisble walls (temple area for example) and an invisible roof in the sky in Misty Woods
Can't talk to the varous NPCs outside of the main 2D path in towns
Difficulty spike at the volcano (unless you save your gems for an upgraded ice set you die pretty quickly from various hazards and there's some tricky platforming+timing puzzles as well) and in the final dungeon (can't teleport out of it using the rod, most enemies drop nothing, sometimes too zoomed in when moving past laser traps)
Annoying glitch effect during the pseudo 8-bit challenge segments
Some inconsistency in where there's a screen exit and where it's just the edge of the room (misty woods, temple outdoors), some inconsistency in what you can break with the boomerang (at one point you free the pepelogoo with it by cutting a rope but later on you have to use a fireball to cut another rope and free the racoons) - you also can't bomb vines while you can burn them in two ways
Parts of the mansion are a bit tedious (some rooms would've worked better if some rooms were more zoomed out or there were less surprise obstacles during possession, the ghost that changes the angle of mirrors is annoying since you generally can't stop it before it does, it takes too long to power up Pepelogoo's laser - should've been 3 enemies to fill the meter at most and the boss could still require a bit more lasering to remove its shield)
Minor backtracking (for the relic challenges, occasionally there's no enemy in the same room when you need more ammo for a puzzle or chest, minor backtracking for shops as no shop has all the wares you'd like to stock up on (for example the crimson bracelet can't be bought in the main town), minor dead end if you take the path back to the first boss room right after getting the frog)
A few too many instant death hazards
Somewhat uneven visuals at times (the FoV cones on the penguin guards look like placeholders, certain background NPCs look like they were drawn by a different artist, stabbing while underwater as the frog looks almost 8-bit)
Minor framerate drops in a couple of areas
Healing at hospitals is as expensive if you're near death as it is if you're almost at full health
Gameplay doesn't pause while reading signs or examining other objects (a bit annoying in the mansion room with the book stands)
The golden gem puzzle as the pig is kind of tedious and confusing (clunky movement of the windows and you have to keep sniffing to show the code, just a mess of a code at first and no hints plus it's a fairly long sequence - can do it through trial & error but that takes a while)
The pirate ship boss is pretty easy, easy final boss if you get all the golden set upgrades and extra hearts
Putting out/closing the flamethrower statues in the castle is kinda slow
Pretty generic story and dialogue overall (some decent jokes but also some bad ones, shallow characters, villagers don't react to you returning to human form)
Notes:
-Originally released in 2018 (NS/PS4/XBO)
-Got 100% in 23 hours (used a guide for a couple of chests, the color code golden gem puzzle (final dungeon as the pig) and the well puzzle though)
Bugs:
-Enemy drops can get stuck in roofs (very rare though)
-One jumping fireball enemy and one upwards bouncing fireball trap in the volcano can become non-solid and stuck in one place (not sure what triggered it but was standing near the sprite with it overlapping my shield almost up to the arm; this was earlier on in the volcano)
-At one point in the mountains there was a fireflower enemy that I couldn't kill while in frog form
-At one point I got stuck and crushed in a narrow path by turning into the pig while pushing against it (you can only enter these as the snake)
-Can get hit during the spear training mini-game and still proceed if you did the right maneuver
Level Design-8 Frustration-7/8* Fun-8 Originality-7
Overall Score-8
*Some optional challenges
+
Blends most of the best elements of previous Wonder Boy/Monster World games together (WB1 etc. cloud walking, MW1/3/4 sphinx - a bit easier here, MW4 controls (up- and downstab), transformations+platform creation+bonuses from wearing a full set of a certain gear type (MW2/WB3 though here it also has to be upgraded first) - most of the transformations are new here and platforms are temporary, MW2-3 shops, MW2-3 sub weapons/magic, MW2 gear system, MW1 hidden gold without the esoteric methods to make it appear, MW1-3 shield system (blocks projectiles, can block upwards here as well), etc.)
Good map system (shows basic layout (including a top down view world map behind the layout map) which is zoomable+save points+doors+chests and other points of interests, can also show an explanation of each icon as well as your collection/exploration percentage for that item (except for chests requiring multiple spell attacks to unlock which are symbolized by a question mark)
Teleport rod (teleport to any visited teleporter from pretty much anywhere - gained in the late mid-game)
Very good bosses overall (most have multiple phases, some play like minor puzzles) - satisfying deaths as well
Very good puzzles and platforming challenges overall (room rotation in the temple - Bucky O'Hare had something similar?, timing puzzles that make you switch forms, sliding boxes on a rocking ship+water levels puzzles, bouncing on enemies in a certain order, lava fountains pushed down by sliding blocks, timing/physics puzzle with blocks you hit from below to help propel a rolling boulder forward and make it press a switch (and later on a puzzle where you create move and create platforms for boulders to clear a path of breakable blocks, there's also a pinball-like puzzle involving a boulder in the forest), flying dragon enemies as platforms for yourself and for a sliding block in the volcano - similar to SMW, password puzzle in the prison - similar to the quiz but more of a logical puzzle, possess furniture and use it to clear obstacles or move platforms in the mansion (there's also a couple of light reflection puzzles spanning more than one room here (and one in the lighthouse) - similar to Wind Waker), shrink and go inside some mechanisms/tools in the mansion to remove some obstacles, portal puzzle in the temple)
Generally rewarding exploration for optional items with challenges leading up to them
Great variation overall (one shoot 'em up-style level with a chase segment and an underwater boss (two other bosses also have a quick shoot 'em up phase), two on foot racing mini-games (obligatory), good mix of platforming/exploration/puzzling/combat, short escort segment, basic stealth segment, over the top boulder chase segment, spear training mini-game - similar to the bonus levels in IK+)
Some sequence breaking possibilities (the ground pound makes you reach slightly higher and a bit further as you can move horizontally for a bit before it triggers - later on you can combine it with form switching to gain a lot more height and length, various puzzles have alternate solutions, more with clipping glitches)
All forms stay useful throughout the game and there are some cool abilities (8-way continuous dashing (stamina-based, can do it 4 times in a row, can dash through most traps and enemies) in human form - gained right before the final dungeon, fast and smooth swinging mechanics and fast swimming (via boosting) as the frog, jump while dashing and dash on water surfaces (Wario Land/Sonic)+downstab & stomp in one as the lion - also gains upward dash/stomp in the volcano, carry and place/throw things (spring platforms, bombs, blob snail shells)+swallow fly enemies as the frog after gaining the ability to do so - can grab enemy drops with your tongue before getting it?, dash/tackle as the snake (lets you tackle through some blocks as well as through enemies) and stomping as the pig (stuns most nearby enemies and activates some switches, wall climbing in certain spots as the snake and flight as the dragon (both from WB3))
Less overpowered downstab than in MW4 (some delay between hits but also stuns nearby enemies when you land; can also use it to bounce on enemies (similar to MW3-4)) and boomerang sub weapon (low capacity and some enemies are resistant)
Good animation and expressive sprites, nice intro (adventure montage showing off each transformation's ability, animé style) and ending cutscenes, some large and detailed sprites, some nice visual touches (different lighting on your avatar when in caves and near torches, the pig's eyepatch switches from one eye to another depending on where he is facing but if you leave him idle for a bit he will intentionally switch his eyepatch to the side facing the player and will continue that way until you make him turn around, shoot 'em up level background)
Can jump up and slide down ladders
Adds a basic 4-hit combo to your human and pig forms' main attacks (hold forward, can spam the button, wider hit arc for the human) however you don't get to use it that much since the other forms don't have it+you become human right before the final dungeon+the pig has poor range and non-upgradeable damage
Minor 2.5D elements (similar to Virtual Boy Wario Land)
The main villain's henchman appears and interacts with the player now and then during early gameplay (rather than sitting in a dungeon until you reach him)
Springs+player activated platforms & sliding blocks also affect enemies
Adds slopes (these can be used to build up speed and jump further in some areas)
Boots which add to your moveset as the frog/lion/dragon/human forms (glide jump - MW1, walk on lava, create ice blocks on water surfaces, double jump, prevent sinking in mud upgrade, normal movement with the heavy boots upgrade)
Control config
Can look around (slightly) using the right analog stick
Some cool bonuses via the gear sets after you've gotten all upgrades for them (HP regen while walking via the fire set - very slow though, super defense at low HP with the knight set, berserk (2x attack/1.5x damage, 2x magic damage but 2x ammo used+stronger rod via the mage set) via the gold set)
Super fast resting at inns
In general the game is great about adding shortcuts after finishing a detour (see below for the exceptions)
Option to show the health bars for enemies and bosses
Skippable cutscenes
Very short knockback when hit (sometimes none at all)
Can keep your lion form dash momentum while flying as the dragon if you transform and press jump at the same time while dashing (helps a bit in the second race and lets you move around faster in some areas)
Some of the relic challenges (don't use certain abilities while getting through a short segment - a bit like in FF8's last dungeon)
Nice cameos of the previous MW heroes (the spirits of the first three appear to help you out at one point and the relics are items connected to them, Asha is apparently still alive?)
Features some nice remixes of classic MW music themes
+/-
Somewhat less linear overall structure than in MW2-3 however sub areas/dungeons tend to play more like a linear level with a focus on puzzle solving (some rooms don't even have any enemies in them) and a few optional rooms off the (often one screen tall/wide) main path to explore rather than being more of a maze like in MW3-4 - most dungeons/sub areas become a bit more maze-like from the Inca temple onwards (this one has a segment with 4 paths you can do in any order, the dark underwater cave is a bit of a maze, the volcano has two segments with two paths you can do in either order, the mansion is fairly open ended besides the keys, etc.)
Money is pretty scarce early-mid game but there are a couple of spots with enemies that drop more money (gold mushroom, a few other spots; after reaching the volcano you can increase gold gains to 2x with an upgrade) - can exploit the save point system+fixed drop rate for a certain enemy right before the volcano to gain a bunch of gold here (you can also buy a cheaper red potion+healing back at your house in the beginning after activating the teleporter near it but it doesn't really save any time from the volcano onwards)
Frequent save points (generally good but they can't be avoided, some one way paths in some sub areas (sewers, ice cave near a chest, boulder path in the temple - pretty bad here since you want to get to the blue chest that appeared while running from the boulder); the game counters this with enemies and hazards doing more damage per hit and no big hearts so it's still pretty challenging overall) and shops - you respawn at the last save point without losing any money when dying plus opened doors/paths/chests stay unlocked as well but generally only with 5 hearts/HP restored unless it was one of the big save points (in some cases you'll actually respawn with your previously used red potion restored)
Can't choose to deactivate the red potion to save it for bosses
Downstab has no delay (if you do it right above an enemy) and you don't bounce off of hit enemies underwater
Low throw/spitting arc for bombs
Missing a few nice elements from previous games (bartenders/talking to shopkeepers, some of the better enemies like the ambushing ghosts (WB3 & MW4 - this game has a similar flying ghost in the graveyard though) or the fire force field mini-boss+horned helmet mini-boss (WB2/MW1) or the volley fire plants+ninjas+flying demons+samurai (WB3) or the ice surface creating flying ghosts (MW3) or the jumping & pollinating mushrooms+giant spinning coins from MW4, fewer rooms/areas with tougher enemies that guaranteed bigger gold rewards if killed, fewer mini-bosses)
Minor resource management (limited ammo for spells - can be upgraded quite a bit by finding and eating the hidden truffles, can only carry one red potion at a time (resurrection if you let it heal you automatically or manual healing via the menu))
Can't walk while slashing/punching/shooting
Some unnecessary handholding early on ("did you know you can attack while crouching?", pictures that show the solutions to minor puzzles) and "sub goal" markers throughout the game
Rainbow Drops reveal the location of a random collectible on the map (marked with a question mark, can get a clue to up to ~24 hidden chests however those with money in them are also included so it's worth being thorough before resorting to using them) when traded with the loot master (in the final dungeon you'll also find vague markers for golden gem and golden gear pieces locations) - good for the few trial & error ones but really just an optional pay to win (with in-game currency) thing and hints to all the trial & error ones would've been preferable
Pepelogoo returns (can talk here) - short escort segment in the volcano and later on in the mansion you can control its newfound laser ability to remove some obstacles
The in-game art style is a bit more western in parts
Can't attack upwards as the pig - you'll get a spell for this fairly soon but it takes a while to build up its ammo capacity
Can't use gear as the pig nor as the snake
The frog form is kinda limited for combat until you gain the "grab and spit" ability (can't up/downstab nor use sub weapons nor perform an attack combo (should've been able to switch boots with l/r to speed that up, the tongue can be used in 7 directions (8 if swimming) to briefly stun most enemies but does no damage and makes you vulnerable to the status effects introduced here (freezing, poison, confusion/reverse controls, etc.)), no attack combo as the lion either
No teleporter for the first area until the mid-game
Lighthearted and often arcade-like/gamey tone (in some platforming segments you go back to a checkpoint at the beginning of the segment from falling into pits or liquid, the many signs with hints on them, most level design feels more like an abstract challenge course than an actual place, can break certain stone blocks with bombs but not others and not certain thin wooden platforms)
Bumping into enemies generally hurts here (unlike in MW4)
Only one save slot per game (there doesn't seem to be any missables though you might upgrade the wrong thing for the situation you're in and then have to find more gems)
Some collectathon tendencies (mose of these are optional; the music sheets for additional songs and a sound test (you also get some money for each completed set) - three per song and they can be tricky to get to, some chests require both a certain spell/sub weapon and several capacity upgrades for it to unlock - you don't actually need higher ammo capacity for such chests if you can buy more while in the same room/area though (works for the outdoor ones in towns), each part of the golden gear set is split into 5 pieces - you only need the sword parts afaik)
The more expensive gear generally doesn't have higher base stats (the difference is in the upgrades - these require gems which are also hidden and there's just enough of them to upgrade everything)
Can cheese the Inca temple mini-boss with lightning magic
Somewhat unforgiving hit detection near platform edges when in snake form
The piano puzzle in the mansion is a cool idea but would've been better if there were actual notes to a melody played - would've also been cool to use the ocarina in more than one spot
Your brother helps you during the mushroom boss fight by throwing hearts from above if you're struggling at it (not sure if he can help you in later fights) - could've been optional
Limited oxygen while underwater or deep in mud unless you're in frog form or poltergeist form respectively
No temporary invincibility power up (WB2/MW1)
Can't turn off the berserk effect for the upgraded golden gear set?
The partial 1st dungeon from WB3 as reward for opening the well is pretty lame but you do get an extra heart and access to the sound test as well
Cheesy vocal intro song
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Can get stuck and have to reload during one of the puzzles on the way to Misty Woods
Crappy hit detection at the narrow path near the golden gem on the way to the temple - have to jump from the higher platform with the ladder connected to it and get hit rather than freeze the fireballs and jump from them unless you have the dragon form and can freeze a fireball right next to the narrow path
Some control/interface issues (can't jump out of or cancel dashing in human form, using the ring system for form and sub weapon switching is a bit clunky - can accidentally pick something else after pressing the button and the cursor resets to the previous choice if you let go of the button after choosing a form diagonally (this system is optional but shoulder button selection is harder in the late-game), map zoom position resets when exiting its screen and at the sea cave area the default zoom level doesn't let you scroll all the way to the edge of the map without zooming out fully, stiff movement and overly big hitbox when swimming above a platform as the frog, no mini-map or transparent map mode, generally can't grab upwards flying coins and other drops (except when underwater, breaks flow somewhat) - after the volcano you can upgrade a bracelet into a drop magnet which has pretty good reach but doesn't pull an item to you until after it has bounced upwards and reached its initial spawn position so you still can't keep moving at high speeds while killing enemies and expect items to be pulled towards you, can't place markers at points of interest on the map, can't jump down through platforms that you can jump up through - used in one or two puzzles but could've been allowed elsewhere, somewhat clunky ring menu system in the gear menu - can swap forms and sub weapons with the shoulder buttons though, enemy drops move too slowly underwater - breaks flow (you can generally grab them as they bounce upwards on land but when you don't they also break flow here slightly and can also bounce away from you after landing if you don't stand under them, the teleport rod's homing shot sometimes prioritizes the wrong thing - at one point it shot in an arc backwards at something off screen when the enemy I wanted to hit was in front and nearby, very minor movement delay from a skid animation when changing direction while moving)
Some trial & error (the turning part of the well puzzle in town (can't tell which part of the code is left and which is right?) - very hard to spot the smell clouds in town as well, spear training mini-game (golden gear piece), final dungeon chase segment and how hitting certain enemies damages you, parts of the pseudo 8-bit challenge segments in the final dungeon, easy to miss some of the loot dropped by the shoot 'em up level boss, can't grab one of the cogs in the volcano while it's in mid-air as the frog (or the hit detection is just sloppy), the pots in the volcano aren't explained - have to shoot them with a sub weapon as the pig to make them drop hearts, having to switch forms in mid-air or fall down and have to redo the segment at one point in the volcano - can pause and switch using the ring system but it's set to off by default, some of the lavafalls can't be temporarily frozen in the volcano, can't downstab into lava fountains as the lion without breaking the temporary platform created by the ice boots (only stomp as the pig which is a pointless difference), troll spring sending you backwards at one point in the volcano (there's also a troll shortcut in the prison), can't downstab nor upstab/upwards dash into the fire dragons in the volcano without getting hurt, hook jump into a spike wall at one point during the first on foot race mini-game vs the body guard and parts of the second race, overly loose upwards scrolling in some parts, some hidden item locations (one on the path to the temple, on the path to the underwater cave, one of the truffles in the volcano - you're running as you move past it so it's hard to notice the path, one in the northwest of the mansion, invisible platform in the first area - money, room in the ice cave where you can't reach to sniff with the pig - you're supposed to randomly try shooting your tongue towards it but can also fly into it as the dragon later) - you can get a clue to 20 of these via the rainbow drops however these hints also mark hidden chests with money in them so it's worth being thorough before resorting to using them)
Keep finding items of which you have a full stock and keep finding single coins after the first couple of areas (some enemies also have fixed drops and some don't drop anything at all) - leads to some grinding and minor backtracking
Shopkeepers don't talk (there are many different ones for some visual variety though)
Some invisble walls (temple area for example) and an invisible roof in the sky in Misty Woods
Can't talk to the varous NPCs outside of the main 2D path in towns
Difficulty spike at the volcano (unless you save your gems for an upgraded ice set you die pretty quickly from various hazards and there's some tricky platforming+timing puzzles as well) and in the final dungeon (can't teleport out of it using the rod, most enemies drop nothing, sometimes too zoomed in when moving past laser traps)
Annoying glitch effect during the pseudo 8-bit challenge segments
Some inconsistency in where there's a screen exit and where it's just the edge of the room (misty woods, temple outdoors), some inconsistency in what you can break with the boomerang (at one point you free the pepelogoo with it by cutting a rope but later on you have to use a fireball to cut another rope and free the racoons) - you also can't bomb vines while you can burn them in two ways
Parts of the mansion are a bit tedious (some rooms would've worked better if some rooms were more zoomed out or there were less surprise obstacles during possession, the ghost that changes the angle of mirrors is annoying since you generally can't stop it before it does, it takes too long to power up Pepelogoo's laser - should've been 3 enemies to fill the meter at most and the boss could still require a bit more lasering to remove its shield)
Minor backtracking (for the relic challenges, occasionally there's no enemy in the same room when you need more ammo for a puzzle or chest, minor backtracking for shops as no shop has all the wares you'd like to stock up on (for example the crimson bracelet can't be bought in the main town), minor dead end if you take the path back to the first boss room right after getting the frog)
A few too many instant death hazards
Somewhat uneven visuals at times (the FoV cones on the penguin guards look like placeholders, certain background NPCs look like they were drawn by a different artist, stabbing while underwater as the frog looks almost 8-bit)
Minor framerate drops in a couple of areas
Healing at hospitals is as expensive if you're near death as it is if you're almost at full health
Gameplay doesn't pause while reading signs or examining other objects (a bit annoying in the mansion room with the book stands)
The golden gem puzzle as the pig is kind of tedious and confusing (clunky movement of the windows and you have to keep sniffing to show the code, just a mess of a code at first and no hints plus it's a fairly long sequence - can do it through trial & error but that takes a while)
The pirate ship boss is pretty easy, easy final boss if you get all the golden set upgrades and extra hearts
Putting out/closing the flamethrower statues in the castle is kinda slow
Pretty generic story and dialogue overall (some decent jokes but also some bad ones, shallow characters, villagers don't react to you returning to human form)
Notes:
-Originally released in 2018 (NS/PS4/XBO)
-Got 100% in 23 hours (used a guide for a couple of chests, the color code golden gem puzzle (final dungeon as the pig) and the well puzzle though)
Bugs:
-Enemy drops can get stuck in roofs (very rare though)
-One jumping fireball enemy and one upwards bouncing fireball trap in the volcano can become non-solid and stuck in one place (not sure what triggered it but was standing near the sprite with it overlapping my shield almost up to the arm; this was earlier on in the volcano)
-At one point in the mountains there was a fireflower enemy that I couldn't kill while in frog form
-At one point I got stuck and crushed in a narrow path by turning into the pig while pushing against it (you can only enter these as the snake)
-Can get hit during the spear training mini-game and still proceed if you did the right maneuver