Written by Alexander O. Cuaycong
Title: Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom
Developer: Game Atelier
Publisher: FDG Entertainment
Genre: Action, Adventure
Price: $29.99
Also Available On: Switch, PS4, XB1
Based solely on how Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom looks and feels, Game Atelier clearly put a lot of heart into its creation. From its stylistic art design to its tight, metroidvania gameplay, it presents itself with aplomb — no small feat considering its history. Having descended from the lauded Wonder Boy franchise that used to grace arcade machines and Sega consoles alike, it had huge shoes to fill upon its release.
In Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom, players control Jin, a young boy who journeys out to stop Nabu, his uncle, from causing havoc across the land. Nabu had been turning people into animals, and by standing up to his uncle, Jin put himself in danger, and soon finds himself turned into an animal as well. In order to undo this animal curse, he must find and make use of five special animal orbs scattered throughout the land. Only by harnessing their power can he hope to right the wrongs that his uncle had made, and undo the spell that keeps them bound as they are.
Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom has a simple a premise as can be expected from the series, and it unfolds pleasantly. From the moment the game starts, its artstyle simply pops off the screen with its bright visual design and old-style anime aesthetics. Monster designs are particularly nice to look at, and serve as simple but effective callbacks to a much simpler time, when games weren't rendered three-dimensionally, but were instead two-dimensional art assets made with much care and love.
Just as well-crafted as the aesthetics are the stages themselves. While Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom's gameplay is standard metroidvania, it boasts of levels that rise above the usual dregs of the genre. For the most part, they manage to be just right, both in terms of presentation and length. They never outstay their welcome, and are often presented with various twists in their design that force the player to make use of many animal forms to progress. While some of these levels require back-tracking, they never really feels like busywork. Every new obstacle surpassed feels like an actual accomplishment, and in many ways, the endeavor encourages and rewards players to explore the environment and to not be afraid to take their time.
This does, however, open up some core issues in the game itself. While exploring Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom's levels can be fun and entertaining, engaging in combat is anything but. Its controls are responsive, but the general lack of weight of battles feels quite strange. It never kills the enjoyment, but it does leave encounters with enemies feeling less satisfying than they normally should be, as these tend to lack impact and feel more like minor obstacles than challenges of strength.
Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom's puddle design is another cause for concern. It varies wildly from straight-forward and fun, to rather cryptic and confusing. While it's not usually a problem, it can really dampen gamers' enjoyment and sense of accomplishment, especially when parts of the game can drag along purely because of the puzzle's existence.
All in all, though, Monster Boy and the Forgotten Kingdom is a worthy purchase for any fan of side-scrolling metroidvania. Minor issues do exist, but gamers can easily breeze past these and tear into its plentiful content without too much of a fuss. Highly recommended.
THE GOOD
- Tight, responsive controls, with very fluid and intuitive gameplay
- Great art and aesthetic design
- Plenty of hours of well-designed side-scrolling content available
THE BAD
- Some cryptic puzzles can kill pacing
- Combat tends to lack impact for the most part
RATING: 8.5/10
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