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I went into this game not having played any of the original Wonder Boy games, so this post will be solely about the game in the subject line, with no comparisons to any of those others.
So, Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom. It's a Metroidvania along the lines of the Shantae games (though the Wonder Boy series long predates Shantae, just to be clear). More like the earlier Shantae games, where the world was more of an interconnected whole, instead of the later Shantae games where there were level select screens. So, Monster Boy is more of a Metroidvania in that sense, I guess.
It starts off pretty simple, considering that you start with your basic human form, which you don't keep for very long, with it being replaced by the pig form. And you'll be stuck with the pig form and only the pig form for a while, so the early game areas are designed with that in mind. Later areas are similarly designed when you get more forms. I.e. they get increasingly more difficult and frustrating because you'll be tasked with switching forms (and, sometimes, equipment) on the fly to progress. On the other hand, conversely, when you get later forms that weren't available the first time through an area, it makes it a lot easier and faster to go back through an area again later for any collectibles you were unable to get at first.
And speaking of collectibles, there are many. Music sheets for a dude in the main town. Life upgrades that increase your health meter. Magic truffles for the pig to eat to gain magic. Several different equipment sets that can be bought or found, each of which consist of a weapon, shield, armor, bracelet, and boots (the most powerful set of which requires finding five separate pieces, per item, to be reforged). Various different upgrade gems to unlock new abilities on each of those pieces of equipment (and when everything is unlocked for a given set, that set also provides an additional complete set bonus). So, yeah, if you want everything, it'll take a while and a lot of exploring (or looking shit up in online guides to figure out where they are and how to get them, as I did for a few of them toward the end). Oh and the orbs you get that allow for shape-changing. And also the three extra macguffins you need to find in order to access the final area (well, second to final area, anyway). Fortunately, you'll find "Rainbow Drop" items that will, eventually, help you find these things more easily, though the Rainbow Drops themselves can't actually be used for that purpose until you find a specific shop way later in the game.
I'll freely admit that I rage quit a fair few times on the way through, though I always came back later and tried again, sometimes passing in a single attempt whatever thing that had stymied me before. I would say it's worth a playthrough, if you have a fairly high tolerance for difficult, precise platforming, especially in the later areas. That's not normally my cup of tea, especially these days, but in this case I endured, because everything else about the game was good enough to make up for it, on the whole. Most of the bosses are tricky puzzles, too, rather than just something you stand next to and hit with a sword repeatedly until it's dead. This could be one of those "better played with a controller" kind of games, but I made it through just fine with the keyboard (and, in one specific area, the mouse), even so.
Oh, and as always, I have to mention that the music is pretty good, too. And there's the anime intro, that's pretty cool, too, I guess. (There's another anime thing when you beat the last boss, as well, but I won't link to that here, because spoilers.)
It's currently $29.99 USD on Steam, but I got it on a 75% off sale for just $8.00 back in September of last year, though I only got around to actually playing it just in the past couple weeks or so.
I might even look into the Wonder Boy games on Steam as well. Apparently, I do already have a couple of them for the legal SEGA emulator on Steam.
So, Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom. It's a Metroidvania along the lines of the Shantae games (though the Wonder Boy series long predates Shantae, just to be clear). More like the earlier Shantae games, where the world was more of an interconnected whole, instead of the later Shantae games where there were level select screens. So, Monster Boy is more of a Metroidvania in that sense, I guess.
It starts off pretty simple, considering that you start with your basic human form, which you don't keep for very long, with it being replaced by the pig form. And you'll be stuck with the pig form and only the pig form for a while, so the early game areas are designed with that in mind. Later areas are similarly designed when you get more forms. I.e. they get increasingly more difficult and frustrating because you'll be tasked with switching forms (and, sometimes, equipment) on the fly to progress. On the other hand, conversely, when you get later forms that weren't available the first time through an area, it makes it a lot easier and faster to go back through an area again later for any collectibles you were unable to get at first.
And speaking of collectibles, there are many. Music sheets for a dude in the main town. Life upgrades that increase your health meter. Magic truffles for the pig to eat to gain magic. Several different equipment sets that can be bought or found, each of which consist of a weapon, shield, armor, bracelet, and boots (the most powerful set of which requires finding five separate pieces, per item, to be reforged). Various different upgrade gems to unlock new abilities on each of those pieces of equipment (and when everything is unlocked for a given set, that set also provides an additional complete set bonus). So, yeah, if you want everything, it'll take a while and a lot of exploring (or looking shit up in online guides to figure out where they are and how to get them, as I did for a few of them toward the end). Oh and the orbs you get that allow for shape-changing. And also the three extra macguffins you need to find in order to access the final area (well, second to final area, anyway). Fortunately, you'll find "Rainbow Drop" items that will, eventually, help you find these things more easily, though the Rainbow Drops themselves can't actually be used for that purpose until you find a specific shop way later in the game.
I'll freely admit that I rage quit a fair few times on the way through, though I always came back later and tried again, sometimes passing in a single attempt whatever thing that had stymied me before. I would say it's worth a playthrough, if you have a fairly high tolerance for difficult, precise platforming, especially in the later areas. That's not normally my cup of tea, especially these days, but in this case I endured, because everything else about the game was good enough to make up for it, on the whole. Most of the bosses are tricky puzzles, too, rather than just something you stand next to and hit with a sword repeatedly until it's dead. This could be one of those "better played with a controller" kind of games, but I made it through just fine with the keyboard (and, in one specific area, the mouse), even so.
Oh, and as always, I have to mention that the music is pretty good, too. And there's the anime intro, that's pretty cool, too, I guess. (There's another anime thing when you beat the last boss, as well, but I won't link to that here, because spoilers.)
It's currently $29.99 USD on Steam, but I got it on a 75% off sale for just $8.00 back in September of last year, though I only got around to actually playing it just in the past couple weeks or so.
I might even look into the Wonder Boy games on Steam as well. Apparently, I do already have a couple of them for the legal SEGA emulator on Steam.
no subject
Date: 2024-02-27 12:00 pm (UTC)From:Before I get around to Wonder Boy games though I plan on getting through more of the Final Fantasy series. Currently going through FF2 still, about to save the wyvern I believe... I assume.
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Date: 2024-02-27 07:04 pm (UTC)From:I think I might try to check out the whole series, either legit via Steam or, at least at first, via emulating the original versions or something. From what I've been able to gather, the earliest couple of games are mostly just arcade platformers (like Adventure Island I guess)? Which is... okay, but not really what I'm into these days. However, it seems like the console sequels are the ones that are more Metroidvania-ish like how Monster Boy was. Apparently, starting with Dragon's Trap was when the series really started to go that route, anyway. I'm just going by what I've read online, though, so I might be wrong. In any case, the more Metroidvania-ish ones are the ones I'd be way more interested in trying. Maybe if I play the original versions via emulation, I might even buy the remakes later on Steam (on sale, as always), if I like them well enough.
One thing that bothers me about the modern remakes, though... when looking into that Wonder Boy Returns Remix thing, I saw people in the forums for that complaining about the fact that there was apparently an earlier remake version that was completely different from the current, newer remake version, and that the older remake was delisted from Steam because of this newer thing. And, indeed, the older remake version is no longer available on Steam (though it is, apparently, still available on the PS4?). I found the delisted Steam page for the older thing via a Google search, as searching on Steam itself only brings up the new Remix thing. Apparently, the newer remake is "more faithful to the original" than the earlier remake was? And also, apparently, neither remake is as good as the original version? *shrug*
That is yet another thing I hate about the modern video game industry, just in general, when newer "remakes" or "remasters" or whatever fucking things entirely supplant the older versions or, worse, the originals, to the point that the earlier stuff is just completely George Lucas'd into non-existence (or would be, at least, if the modern video game industry had any real say in the matter). Kind of like how Castlevania: The Adventure ReBirth was claimed to be a "remake" of the original Game Boy Castlevania: The Adventure, despite being absolutely nothing like the original game other than the bare essentials of playing as a dude with a whip going after Dracula. Or, perhaps more relevantly, kind of like how the original Sonic 1-3 games are no longer available on Steam for that legal emulator thing I linked in the post above (even though they used to be and, in fact, were when I bought that thing originally, so that I, at least, have them in my version of it, at any rate, but sucks to be anyone buying it now, though, I guess), apparently delisted in favor of Sonic Generations or whatever the fuck. And, hell, even for that Generations thing, most of the reviews for that seem to be literally just "please don't delist this Sega" or whatever. Not sure what that would be delisted in favor of, now, unless there are even newer versions of the old Sonic games of which I'm not currently aware. *checks Google/Wikipedia* Apparently yet another remake called Sonic X Shadow Generations or some shit? Well, whatever, I already own (or perhaps I should say "own") that Sonic Generations Collection thing, so I guess I'm good? *shrug*
Fortunately, the original original versions (be it Wonder Boy or Castlevania or Sonic the Hedgehog) all should be still "available" via emulation (or outright piracy), but it would be better if they were available legit as well, you know? More of the fucking glorious digital future and all that bullshit, I guess.
no subject
Date: 2024-02-27 07:45 pm (UTC)From:Apparently, Sonic Origins is the actual reason all the older versions of the Sonic games were delisted from Steam.
(And this Sonic Origins bullshit is, incidentally, fucking infected with fucking Denuvo because fucking of course it fucking is, which means I'll fucking never be fucking buying it, so fucking Sega can fucking eat fucking shit and fucking die for all I fucking care. *weary goddamned sigh*)