Shantae: Half-Genie Hero - Friends to the End2017

Shantae: Half-Genie Hero - Friends to the End

2017 WayForward Technologies73Good

Playtime

BriefIt typically takes about 2.5 hours to finish the game.

Playable on

Available on

Game modes

Details

Launch
December 12, 2017

Overview

Shantae: Half-Genie Hero – Friends to the End Official Trailer!

"The final piece of the Shantae: Half-Genie Hero storyline is here! When Shantae falls prey to dark magic, it’s up to Shantae's BFFs Sky, Bolo, and Rottytops to save her from a Nightmare Realm of her own imagining! Conquer remixed locales (and new challenge levels) using Bolo’s grapple claw, Sky’s egg-toss, and Rottytops’ brain-munching to beat bad guys, solve all-new puzzles, and rescue the half-genie hero. It's all possible with the power of friendship!"

Screenshots

Screenshot for Shantae: Half-Genie Hero - Friends to the End
Screenshot for Shantae: Half-Genie Hero - Friends to the End
Screenshot for Shantae: Half-Genie Hero - Friends to the End
Screenshot for Shantae: Half-Genie Hero - Friends to the End
Screenshot for Shantae: Half-Genie Hero - Friends to the End
Screenshot for Shantae: Half-Genie Hero - Friends to the End
Screenshot for Shantae: Half-Genie Hero - Friends to the End
Screenshot for Shantae: Half-Genie Hero - Friends to the End
Screenshot for Shantae: Half-Genie Hero - Friends to the End
Screenshot for Shantae: Half-Genie Hero - Friends to the End

Reception

While the game is fun, and WayForward does a good job of mixing stage hazards up to keep things fresh, I can’t help but feel a bit disappointed with Friends to the End. This is in large part due to the fact that we’re still playing essentially the same levels with the same bosses, despite the new plot and humorous interplay of banter between the trio....

There's nothing intrinsically wrong with Shantae: Half-Genie Hero - Friends to the End and the new mechanics it introduces. There's only one major issue with it, though, which makes it hard to recommend. Similar to Pirate Queen's Quest, it expects players to remain entertained by the same levels, which many, even fans, will find hard to do so.

There just isn't enough novelty, length or content on offer to satisfy as standalone purchases... Just don't tell Shantae I said that...

The story and characters are on the thin side, but nevertheless a step up from Pirate Queen’s Quest. The mechanics, meanwhile, are interesting, but the usual Shantae endgame difficulty spike (this has become a pun over time as each endgame incorporates more and more literal instant-death spikes) pushes them further than they can comfortably go.