Shantae and the Seven Sirens (REVIEW)

WayForward's half-genie hero Shantae returns in her fun loving form to face a new mystery, and threat. This time around Shantae, while on vacation, finds herself confronting the disappearance of five other half-genies who have seemingly vanished into thin air. During a staged performance put on for the mayor and patrons of Paradise City Shantae finds herself to be alone in front of an audience of equally baffled onlookers. Shortly after having been in the presence of the half-genies of a similar pedigree. Going against her uncle's and friends advice about staying put Shantae ventures forth into Paradise City to solve the case at hand. Armed with her hair whip, belly dance, and a few new additions to her arsenal she braves the depths of the sunken ancient ruins that lie just below Paradise City.

Returning as vibrantly as ever Shantae once again graces the gamers' screen in what could best be described as a chapter based metroidvania. This time around the plot, and plight are different. Though old acquaintances return, and old lore is somewhat rehashed you'll find new locations, and colorful new characters lying in wait at the village, and ruinous depths of Paradise City. As per usual you'll be given story background through cutscenes, and character dialogue as well as through NPC interaction along the way. Beyond that you'll be traversing the sunken ruins below the mainstay village resort, and delve deep into it's hidden secrets. Finding the missing half-genie gals as you do so, and gaining new transformation abilities based on fusion coins and fusion stones to help access previously inaccessible areas.

Gameplay ...

As with any tried and true metroidvania style RPG experience you'll be enhancing or adding to Shantae's abilities as you venture forth to face the foe or foes of the story. Ultimately collecting loot that's scattered about, and spending it back at the village item shop for magic abilities and upgrades as well as potions to help with survival. As you travel onward doing so you'll find Shantae's in-game existence is reliant wholly upon a magic meter, and health hearts. The magic meter allows her to cast spells. Spells that include both offensive, and defensive options ranging from bubble barriers to homing missiles, and more. Each of which can be upgraded by purchasing them at a marked up price more than once. Adding different effects to the given magic ability. To maintain magic meter you can use purchased potions or collect dropped magic vials from destroyed pottery that's lying around. Hearts can also be refilled in a similar manner. For those of you interested in increasing Shantae's heart containers this can be done by collecting hidden heart squids, and taking it to the heart squid vendor at the resort's village center.

New Additions ...

New to the Shantae formula are monster cards, and fusion coins. Monster cards can be equipped to enhance Shantae's base or magic abilities. You'll find that they drop from killed enemy creatures, and sport the creatures' likeness and namesake in their respective menu. Only three monster cards can be equipped at a time, and can be selected or deselected in the coinciding TOUCHPAD menu. All cards carry a buff description letting you know what exactly it is that they do. Along with the dropped monster cards comes a variety of food drops that periodically or randomly drop from enemies allowing you to have extra health refill options when in a pinch. Refilling health through bought potions or food items is done by bringing up the TOUCHPAD menu, and selecting the item from the item menu. That aside you'll find fusion coins, and stones to be this installment's mainstay gimmick. By rescuing the other half-genies you'll be gifted fusion coins that allow Shantae to transform into a variety of different island creatures. Essentially allowing for backtracking through areas that were previously inaccessible. Along with that Shantae will gain the magic power of the rescued half-genies through fusion stones. It'll add to her own powers making her more formidable when facing off against the sub-bosses, and main bosses within each chapter.

The Gameplay Loop ...

Progress in this game, as it were, is made by clearing/completing an area or chapter. This requires some puzzle solving as well as enemy combat to secure the keys that will eventually gain you access to that chapter's main boss. Along the way you'll find warp zones which can be used to travel to the village or other areas as well as save rooms for saving progress. You'll even find locked rooms where you'll have to beat waves of lesser enemies or sub-bosses to get to the next area. The sub-bosses often times drop keys to unlock padlocked gates. There's plenty of backtracking and progressing to do as you gain new fusion transformations, and deal with the main bosses.

As far as the village goes it offers updated NPC interactions, and conversation through the course of the chapters as well as a couple of key vendors whose stock will aid your trek through the game's locales. You'll find a bath house at the main village hub which will refill your health for free if you stand in the water. You'll also find the previously mentioned item shop as well as the Heart Squid vendor. When it comes to extras you will find plenty of secrets and secret areas hidden within the gameplay sections of 'Shantae and the Seven Sirens".

The Verdict ...

WayForward's Shantae series is constantly evolving in some way with each new entry. All while staying familiar at base level. The developers are always updating visuals, and mechanics to keep things fresh. Adding new gimmicks, and locations for your favorite characters to interact in. As with previous entries, the Seven Sirens installment does something new without absolutely losing new players to the established lore. Enough information is given on Shantae's character, and past to allow for the new story to be enjoyed by newcomers to the series. Gameplay is involved, but not too deeply so as to lose a player in the mix of it all. The TOUCHPAD hub of operations is easy enough to navigate, and the mechanics easy enough to grasp for people who have played a metroidvania before. The only places that could use improvement is with Shantae's hair whip attack, the loose platforming, and the lack of a boss health/heart gauge. In regards to the hair whip sometimes it does not want to hit enemies properly. Leaving you to get hit unfairly. When it comes to the boss fights the lack of knowing how much health a boss has could lead to potential health item waste. Also knowing how much health a boss has left could help the player to prioritize their actions. Boss platforming is also loose to a point it can be problematic. Everything weighed I think "Shantae and the Seven Sirens" is alright to a point, but flawed to a point as well. It is visually attractive, and quite magical for the experience it is. That being said it might earn a skip from those bothered by the issues I mentioned. It could definitely do with some fine tuning.