![]() ![]() In most instances, Wonderworld plays it straight as a 3D platformer challenging you to use the different abilities of the playable character to collect various items hidden around each level and defeat bosses to progress. Even though it comes from the creator of Sonic, it takes the clearest inspiration from many recent 3D Mario games, most evidently Super Mario Odyssey, and the comparisons are as unflattering as they are inevitable. Immediate comparisons don’t flatter Balan Wonderworld. Its lack of continuity and failed attempts to create a multifaceted experience means that its appeal is far wider than it is deep, and it tries to juggle too many unrelated pieces to ever really find its footing. While the aspects of the game you’d expect to amplify the experience are there in pieces, Balan Wonderworld instead fails on a larger front to create an engaging long-term gameplay loop. ![]() On paper, and even in the run up to its release, it seemed like there are a lot of things about it that should give it a jolt of enjoyability, catharsis, and nostalgia for a long history of costume-based platformers, especially as it’s helmed by Yuji Naka, one of the original creators of Sonic. ![]() ![]() I am being pretty harsh on the game, but when there’s a game from 16 years ago with better execution of the exact same idea, they honestly should have researched a bit more before designing the game, because what they have feels more like a Beta than a realised experience.Playing Balan Wonderworld is a lot less entertaining than it should be. Kameo Elements of Power had none of these issues back in 2005, all of the transformations (though there’s 10 instead of 80 this game reported to have) had their own movesets, transforming was mapped to ABXY buttons and you could seamlessly transform even mid-attack for combos. the only every single face button is Jump/Action, so if a costume attacks you can’t jump, in a platformer So they can’t be used seamlessly and have no synergy, you can’t use them mid-jump either. They all only do 1 thing, to transform you press L1/R1 but you do a 2 second spin between each. The main mechanic of transformations/costumes is questionable as well. But it’s also at the same time very linear, you could run through a whole level in 2 minutes if you ignore the collectables. The level structure is weird, You enter the level and there’s almost no signposting, it’s practically aimless wandering and collecting, the NPCs just randomly dance and phase in and out of sight. The Jumping Jack Kangaroo suit also kills your momentum at the end of the flutter jump just before you fall. You press jump and the kid shoot 2 meters up in the air, but you lose all speed in the direction you move and cover the same distance as if you jumped from standing still and cover like 1 inches. The gameplay is so stiff, the jumping carries no momentum and kills your speed. So here’s my critique, I’m quite harsh on this I’m afraid so if you did enjoy the demo don’t let this turn you off, it’s my opinion: Unfortunately beyond the cinematics, character design and the music there isn’t much to like…I really do appreciate them releasing a demo because otherwise it’d feel like they were trying to dupe me into an undercooked game. The reveal cinematic and the Sonic Adventure-style character designs made it look very creative and bombastic. So I was looking forward to Balan Wonderworld. ![]()
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