Wandersong | Feb 28, 2020 | 9:15hrs | rating: 4.5/5
Save the world with song in this magical adventure platformer!
GAMEPLAY: Super clever concept where you at any time can use the right analog stick to sing notes. I stopped in my tracks regularly just to sing along with the interactive background music, but more importantly it’s used for a wide range of puzzles and interactions. The platforming is simply bad though, spasmic collision detection and mediocre game-feel. It doesn’t matter though, since it’s not about platforming challenges at all.
AUDIOVISUALLY: The animations are charming, but technically it’s certainly not a looker. The audio design is spectacular though!
STORY/PRESENTATION: It’s a very story-driven game full of humor but also emotions and wonderful messages. The ending is beautiful and gave me goosebumps! It’s refreshing to not worry about collectibles and secrets (or dealing with repetitive battles to advance) and just enjoy the varied locales and story development. I will say though, that its simplicity also made me unable to play for hours upon hours straight, which is the only true negative I can say. 40-50 minutes at a time always seemed enough.
A pleasant surprise that I wish could have garnered more attention and love. It’s not challenging, the controls and visuals aren’t perfect, but it’s still a super charming musical adventure and I haven’t smiled this much from a game in a long time. It’s Paper Mario but more fun and creative, and no interruptions by repetitive battles.