Slay on Switch!

A modern day classic in all of it’s pixelated gloriness from the 16BIT era thanks to developers, Pixel Licker and publisher FDG Entertainment (Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom).

The action platformer puts you in the shoes (and armour) of a Knight to start out with, then eventually one of six playable heroes; Knight, Mage, Ninja and more become unlocked, then it is up to you to try and survive each of the 100+ Levels in what is an endless RPG.

Each Level is double tiered and while you do not move screens there’s enough monsters to kill as you traverse through the world.

At the end of each bout you will come across a Boss, as equally large as it is hard. You die in Slay’in 2, you die for good – just like the good ole days of cartridge games.

A couple of game modes are on offer; Story Mode and Arcade with multiplayer co-op.

A perfectly orchestrated 16BIT soundtrack sets you in the mood for the retro monster killing.

You will work your way from Level to Level via the world map and each battle takes around 10 to 15 minutes. Perfect for a quick pick up and play.

Enemies drop collectables and you can use some these to upgrade your armour and weapon, aswell as talking with NPC’s throughout the game and completing side quests you’ll reap rewards much needed in battle.

Being a 8BIT and 16BIT gamer fan that I am, and the fact that when I have the time I still play some of the old classics, I figured I’d be able to rip through Slay’in 2. Quick fights but not quick to complete – Slay’in 2 will test your retro gaming skills almost from the get-go.

Slay’in 2 is a game that is both as addictive as it compels you to play more.

There are dragon’s that must be taken down, so get Slay’in all over again on your Switch now.

The post Slay’in 2 (Switch) Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Slayin returns and this time you can bring a friend!

Engage endless hordes of monsters up close as a valiant knight, or shower them with arrows, bombs, and spells using 8 unlockable heroes with completely different skillsets and playstyles. Face the forces of darkness alone or team up with a friend in local co-op with a drop-in multiplayer feature. Watch each other’s backs, hoard treasures, revive your fallen teammate and keep up your combos in your endless pursuit of fame and fortune. Unravel ancient mysteries, defeat legendary bosses and discover hidden areas while you explore the world of Slayin 2.

Following the huge success of the world’s first endless action-RPG on iOS back in 2013 we released the award-winning content update for mobile devices only shortly after. The game was very well received by our fans worldwide so we teamed up again with Pixel Licker’s creative mastermind behind both games to bring a fresh and modern experience to both newcomers and fans of the original alike.

Focusing on the first game’s addictive, arcade-ish base mechanics of slayin’ and looting hordes of monsters we also wanted to emphasize its classic RPG features with lots of characters and skill progression while bringing Slayin to the next level by letting players join up with their family and friends in an all new co-operative multiplayer mode.

Slayin 2 will release on Nintendo Switch, 7th of May 2020.

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The post Slay’in! appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

A nefarious and possibly drunk uncle with a thing for animals.

FDG Entertainment’s Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom is a 2D platform adventure title that hearkens back to the days of Sega Master System II with current gen hand drawn graphics.

Styled after the infamous and timeless classics of the Wonder Boy series, you take on the role of a blue haired boy called Jin.

His uncle Nabu is going on a rampage throughout the Kingdom that you call home. Atop of a flying barrel and using magic that he has mysteriously gained from goodness knows where, he is transforming the civilians in to animals.

Aided, or rather guided by your friend, who he himself has been turned in to a flying dragon and is on his own quest to locate a blue haired Princess you eventually encounter your Uncle, only to be turned into a pig. Eventually you will take on differing animal forms – each animal that you become will have its own set of skills, defences and items that open up various parts of the game that you may have visited before but could not get through.

For those of us, like me, who have been playing video games for decades, the button mashing down memory lane is prevalent. As with the original Wonder Boy series, Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom follows the same formula – collect gold from chests and buy in-game items at stores along the way.

Keep these in your small inventory and use them, equip them as needed. Health and defence potions, armour and weapons.

The original Wonder Boy series was so ahead of its time. An RPG before we really knew what an RPG was.

The original Wonder Boy creator Ryuichi Nishizawa had input in to this title, and it certainly shows.

Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom, while also available on PS4 and Xbox One (and PC), is right at home on Switch.

Levels are not short, unless it is a Boss Level, but there is an element of quick pick up and play.

Having mastered the Wonderboy games back in the day I thought I’d whizz through Monster Boy. I didn’t. Gameplay offers up a real challenge at times and while (thankfully) you have infinite lives, I noticed that your health bar would deplete real quick after just a few awry encounters with in-Level enemies.

Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom, although based on the Wonderboy series is a completely new title. It is not a remake or a remaster. And is perfectly done.

From the modern take on an otherwise 8BIT soundtrack through to the complex yet simple Levels and old-but-new gameplay it’s a game for all to take on.

An adventure awaits, save the Kingdom and get the gold. Be the hero you were destined to be in one of the best surprises for 2018; Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom.

The post Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom (Switch) Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Hands-on at Gamescom 2018 right now is a colorful action-adventure game made alongside Ryuichi Nishizawa, creator of the original Wonder Boy in Monster World series.

Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom borrows the best from the classic series to deliver a fresh, modern adventure with fun gameplay, memorable music and gorgeous hand drawn animations.

Can Jin save Monster World Kingdom? Help our young hero defeat challenging enemies, discover hidden locations, upgrade powerful equipment, and more! You’ll also unlock special forms with unique skills used to open new paths where mighty bosses and secret treasures await.

With six awesome forms with unique combat and platforming abilities to make your adventure exciting from start to finish aswell as being able to unlock new paths and secrets with special equipment: look for magic weapons and items that gradually open up the world.

Over 15 hours of epic adventure where you will be able to explore the new Monster World in a vast interconnected environment whilst marvelling at the had drawn animations, characters and enemies as they come to life with detail and fun facial expressions.

Soundtrack from iconic Japanese composers: Yuzo Koshiro, Motoi Sakuraba, Michiru Yamane, Keiki Kobayashi and Takeshi Yanagawa and built in Full HD graphics at 60 fps: the game supports 1080p / 60fps in TV mode and 720p / 60fps in Nintendo Switch handheld mode including HD rumble support – feel the action.

Wonder Boy in Monster World is due for release November / December 2018.

The post Monster Boy @ Gamescom appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

As the indie scene has developed over the years, some true treasures have been uncovered. These vary from creative and new titles, to wonderful throwbacks of classic styles or titles. Blossom Tales: The Sleeping King is the latter, being a throwback to Zelda: A Link to the Past, which I haven’t played, so I wanted to see how the game would stand up on its own without nostalgia goggles.

Blossom Tales: The Sleeping King tells the story of Lily, a young heroine who wants to save her kingdom. The king has been put to sleep thanks to a magic spell cast by his traitorous brother and can only be woken with a potion made from three specific ingredients. Due to her age, Lily is told she can’t take part yet and to leave it to the soldiers that have been given the task.

Naturally Lily proceeds to go hunting for, and subsequently finds, the necessary ingredients, usually finding the soldiers struggling or in peril, where she then saves the day in the process. The plot is interesting and creative but not overly deep, which isn’t a bad thing. The most interesting element of the story is how it is told, which is via a story being narrated to some children, framing the story itself but also contributing to the game. There are times where you are confronting a boss, when the children will then start to fight over which boss you are fighting, and you get to make a choice.

The idea of the story affecting the day to day life doesn’t stop there, as it is used throughout the game to explain or question odd moments. The best of which is upon your death the kids exclaim shock, and are reassured the story doesn’t end there, followed by your resurrection at one of the checkpoint stones.

The game’s presentation is through gorgeous pixel art that drips with charm. From the beautifully designed world and elements, to the gorgeous people designs, and the weird and unique enemies which you will spend a lot of time slashing and shooting at, the gorgeous world isn’t limited to the squares you uncover on the world map, but hides many secrets, as well as dungeons.

Hidden throughout the world are many secret caverns which can be uncovered in many ways, but generally by blowing up things such as rocks, or moving hidden furniture. These caverns can be as simple as a chest at the bottom, to such a chest being obfuscated by a puzzle, or a challenge of some assortment. One of the challenges that made me uncharacteristically fill with rage was where you need to navigate a long, windy, and thin path that collapses as you go. Oh, and bats come and try to knock you off your path too.

These cleverly hidden secret areas are snippets of the experience you will receive in a dungeon, which are the major points of the main story line. These involve long series of puzzles, with varying aesthetics, usually peppered with a few bosses, and plenty of frustration. That’s not to say they aren’t enjoyable. They are creative and fun, with varying levels of difficulty, but they are long. Plenty of times a puzzle felt like it was the final one for a dungeon, when it was only a third of the way through.

These dungeon lengths possibly could have been shorter, and more numerous to break it up, but I don’t know how this would affect its representation of A Link to the Past. I can comment briefly on how the game looks in relation to its inspiration, as when I was playing it my partner walked in and asked if I was splaying Zelda. A few seconds of observation triggered that, so it’s clearly nailed its goal there.

Combat is simple, which basically involves using your sword to slash away, and tools like bombs and arrows, which are also used in troubleshooting, to carve your way through the masses of enemies. Side quests can upgrade these weapons, but most of your time is spent learning the timing of enemies to not get slaughtered.

The biggest frustration I had was with the menus. It wasn’t uncommon to open a menu to try to check my map or change something, and accidentally change the equipped weapons by pressing their corresponding buttons. This I imagine is a faithful quirk, but this is something that could have been left in the past.

All in all, Blossom Tales: The Sleeping King is a wonderful game that shouldn’t be overlooked. Without the knowledge of the old Zelda games, I was still able to enjoy the experience from start to finish and it should appeal to any Switch owners with an interest in older styled games.

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