Dragon Quest 8: Journey of the Cursed King
3DS, Square Enix, cert:12
★★★★
When originally released on PlayStation 2 in 2004, Dragon Quest 8 combined a groundbreaking open-world adventure with role-play mechanics and a nuanced narrative. Thirteen years later and in now 3DS form, it remains impressive. Beyond the vibrant, evocative game world this a striking masterclass in storytelling. Fully voiced and well-developed characters deftly handle weighty plot points. This maturity, however, is initially less evident in battles that are simplistic by today’s standards, but over the course of the game’s 100 or so hours, combat, story and characters coalesce into a satisfying whole.
Equally, Square Enix have bucked the trend of adding 3D visuals, instead opting for an in-game camera complete with photography missions. This meshes perfectly with the rest of the game, encouraging players to explore the further reaches of the world. The 3DS may be entering its twilight, but Dragon Quest 8 proves there is plenty of life left in the system yet. AR
Shantae: Half-Genie Hero
Wii U, WayForward, cert: 12
★★★★
Over the past 14 years, WayForward’s Shantae series has earned a well-deserved reputation as a fan favourite, with Half-Genie Hero being the fourth tale to feature gaming’s favourite belly-dancing half-genie. It has finally arrived three years after a successful Kickstarter campaign, and the boosted funding has enabled a lavish, console-exclusive release following years of modest portable entries.
The results are beautiful, blending sumptuously animated character art with bustling 3D environments. Characters drip with charm and special mention must go to the gigantic bosses that dominate entire screens with every pixel worked to perfection. As usual, Shantae’s hip-shaking grants her an array of cute and useful abilities (some perhaps a little too useful in terms of game balance), and thanks to the overflowing coffers of Kickstarter we can look forward to four new characters with unique gameplay hooks via free updates later. Half-Genie Hero may be light on innovation, but it gleams with the lustre of a magic lamp. RH
Rise and Shine
PC, Xbox One, Adult Swim Games, cert: 16
★★★★
On first stepping into the world of Rise and Shine it is genuinely hard not to be captivated by this truly pretty, lavishly illustrated take on the classic 2D arcade platform shooter. It features a good number of puzzles throughout, and plenty of playfully brash nods to other well-known games. The protagonist is a youngster named Rise, who finds himself in a newly war-torn world, accompanied by a talking gun named Shine, of course.
The central conceit of this classic buddy team-up is that Shine offers much more than a way to dispense with enemies. It must be used in increasingly creative ways as a tool for solving puzzles. At their best, those puzzles are intelligent and inventive, sitting elegantly within well-designed levels.
But Rise and Shine can feel a little heavy-footed in its pacing, and the controls often seem clumsy, undermining the full potential of this gem. The game has plenty of good ideas, but too often a lack of fluidity spoils an otherwise delightful creation. WF
