Indie games have more reviews than this, and it was being high promoted. They aren't playing games for fun, they're told to review X and they do it. Reviewers have finished plenty of terrible games. It's not just the flow of movement that's a problem, but the actual responsiveness - one of the costumes lets you summon a bubble to ride over ledges, but this often popped prematurely, killing me, removing that ability from my roster altogether. A 'professional' review generally needs to finish the game, but nobody wants to actually play Balan. Your jump will take you up and then back down, lending to Wonderworld's incredible lack of rhythm, a contradiction considering its beautiful score.

There are no variables whatsoever, no built-up speed, no sliding, no life to anything the character does. You can't get on a roll and leap from point to point in perfected timing, and everything is so set in stone. Not jumping in a platformer is a bold choice, but it just means you'll be cycling through power-ups back and forth not for the abilities but to have the option to simply get up a small ledge - having to go through that clunky, obtuse rigmarole just to jump in a platformer of all things is a terrible design choice that actively works against Wonderworld. Every button-barring two are used for jumping and so, if one of these outfits has an attack such as with the dragon, then you're going to be limited as you will no longer be able to leap. Focusing on a select few and really working to perfect them and their unique interactions within levels would've gone a long way instead of throwing out as many ideas as possible, hoping some would land.īut let's talk janky mechanics, because that's the biggest issue, not the overabundance of costumes that you can find in your carousel of a wardrobe. The problem is that these quickly ramp up to redundant inclusions, like with the one that turns you into a box. Earlier on, these are useful and quaint - they feel like they have value not unlike the Tanuki or Fire Flower, whether you're becoming an itsy-bitsy spider that can scale webs or a vine-robot that can stretch up to higher places. Imagine Mario with that many variants of mushrooms. They change your wardrobe and give you a unique, fitting power, but there are far too many of them, and it can get a touch overwhelming when you break that 50 barrier. It's a step back in almost every way for platformers, and when it touts its PS5 exclusive bells and whistles, that's a hefty contradiction.īalan Wonderworld follows the typical formula: collect gems, gather collectibles to access new levels, and use power-ups to gain new abilities. However, it's a janky mess that feels stiff and awkward. I really did, because Balan Wonderworld is a jazz-clad call back to the classics with oodles of Spyro and Mario inspirations, a charming JRPG aesthetic, and a wealth of beautiful set-pieces.

Balan wonderworld review embargo