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Shantae: Half-Genie Hero

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Shantae: Half-Genie Hero
Developer(s)WayForward Technologies
Publisher(s)WayForward Technologies
Marvelous USA[note 1]
Director(s)Matt Bozon
Producer(s)Christopher Shanley
Glenn Seidel
Designer(s)Matt Bozon
James Montagna
Programmer(s)Walter Hecht
Composer(s)Jake Kaufman
SeriesShantae
Platform(s)Microsoft Windows
PlayStation 4
PlayStation Vita
Wii U
Xbox One
Release
  • WW: December 20, 2016
Genre(s)Platform
Mode(s)Single-player

Shantae: Half-Genie Hero, stylized as Shantae: ½ Genie Hero, is a platform video game developed by WayForward Technologies for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Wii U, and Xbox One. It was the fourth game in the Shantae series, following Shantae and the Pirate's Curse, and the first to be specifically developed for high definition game platforms. The game was released in December 2016.[1]

The game was funded via Kickstarter,[2] and although the campaign ended in October 2013, WayForward still accepted donations via PayPal on its website up to December 2014.[3]

Gameplay

As in the previous installments of the series, the player takes control of Shantae, a half-genie who can use her hair as a whip and who can transform into a variety of creatures, such as a monkey that can climb walls and a crab that can move around underwater. The game is divided into chapters, which can be revisited once the player has acquired new powers to find new passageways and powers.[2] The game is presented in high definition, with 2D vector character sprites on 3D environments, unlike previous entries' dedicated pixel art aesthetic.

A difference from the previous installments is that the player can also choose to play as Shantae's villainous nemesis, Risky Boots, who uses "Tinker-tools" as substitutes to Shantae's powers. The game in this case follows a similar structure to that of Shantae's mode.[4] On August 22, 2014, the Hero Modes stretch goal was reached, which means that the player is also able to play as Shantae's friends Sky, Bolo and Rottytops. Each character has a unique story and gameplay style; Sky uses birds and can collect eggs to gain new abilities, Bolo fights with a ball-and-chain, and Rottytops's playstyle is based on feeding and self-dismemberment.[5]

Plot

Late one night, the half-genie Shantae is awoken by the sound of a voice. Following it outside, she discovers a secret cave, where an emissary of the Genie Realm warns her of an impending evil that only she can defeat, but disappears before it can elaborate further. Shantae suddenly awakens, revealing the experience to have been a dream. She goes to visit her Uncle Mimic, who is working on a new invention, the Dynamo, which will keep Scuttle Town constantly powered and safe from attack. However, the pirate Risky Boots begins a siege on Scuttle Town, with one of her Tinkerbat minions stealing Mimic's blueprints. Shantae gives chase and defeats Risky, retrieving the blueprints, but Mayor Scuttlebutt once again fires her from her position as the town's guardian genie due to Risky's escape and the damage incurred. Mimic reveals that several components are still needed to complete the Dynamo, so Shantae begins searching across Sequin Land for the remaining components, helping those she finds in need of assistance along the way.

With help from her friends Sky, Bolo and Rottytops, Shantae retrieves all of the components needed to finish the Dynamo. Mimic switches the device on, but the Dynamo goes haywire and blasts Shantae with dark magic, turning her to her Nega-Shantae form. Risky appears and reveals she had swapped Mimic's blueprints with her own, and that she plans to power up the machine and use it to invert the magical polarity of the entire Genie Realm, turning them evil. Shantae attacks the group while Risky escapes with the Dynamo in tow, but Shantae's friends manage to snap her out of her trance, returning her to normal. To prevent Risky's plan, Mimic creates a Magical Polarizer to reverse the Dynamo's effects, and Shantae sets out for Risky's hideout. Upon arrival, Shantae defeats Risky and the Dynamo-powered Tinkerbrain, but the emissary from her dream pulls her into the Genie Realm and reveals their magic has already been corrupted. With no choice left, Shantae decides she must destroy the Genie Realm to keep the world safe and destroys the repowered Tinkerbrain, returning to the real world and escaping the exploding hideout as Risky swears vengeance.

Shantae reunites with her friends at her lighthouse, where Mayor Scuttlebutt announces Shantae is rehired as Scuttle Town's guardian genie. As the others depart, Shantae expresses regret for having to destroy the Genie Realm, but the emissary appears and reveals that Mimic's Magical Polarizer worked, purifying their magic and saving the Realm. The emissary also explains that Shantae's mother is alive and well in the Genie Realm, having given up Shantae as a child to keep her safe while devoting her own life to protecting the real world from greater threats. Finally understanding her mother's sacrifice, Shantae leaves to celebrate with her friends as the emissary returns to the Genie Realm.

Development

WayForward Technologies unveiled Shantae: Half-Genie Hero in early September 2013 as the first game in the series for home consoles. The financing of the game was based on the crowdfunding principle, through a Kickstarter campaign with a target goal of $400,000 which ended on October 4, 2013 with more than $800,000 (including PayPal donations), which was over double the target.[6] Although the campaign has ended, WayForward still accepted donations via PayPal on its website up to December 16, 2014, when the campaign closed at nearly $950K.[3] The original release date was October 2014, but because of the additional funding and promised stretch goals the game was delayed.[7] Development was completed by November 2016.[8]

Matt Bozon, one of the creators of Shantae series, revealed that the title of the game was stylised as ½ Genie Hero as a tribute to Rumiko Takahashi's manga Ranma ½, which he claimed several times as an influence on the Shantae series.[9][10]

Reception

Shantae: Half-Genie Hero has received very positive reviews upon release.

USGamer's Nadia Oxford rated it 4 stars out of 5, praising the game's "lush backgrounds and butter-smooth animations", as well as its "surreal sense of humor", but expressed disappointment at the game being a "soft reboot", not following the plot from Pirate's Curse.[11] IGN's Vince Ingenito rated it 8 out of 10, approving its varied action and level design, comparing Shantae's animal transformations to the suits in Super Mario Bros. 3; he also commented that "its hand-drawn look and toe-tapping music successfully channel a joy and enthusiasm that has become far too rare in modern video games."[12] Kotaku's Mike Fahey called it "a whole lot of fun", praising its gorgeous visuals, rich music, and smooth gameplay.[13] Destructoid's Kevin McClusky rated it a 7.5 out of 10, calling its visuals "unbelievably gorgeous" and the soundtrack "excellent"; however, he criticized the excessive difficulty in some spots and the lack of a map system.[14]

Notes

  1. ^ Only publishing the retail versions on PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, and Wii U

References

  1. ^ "Shantae is Ret-2-Go!". Kickstarter. December 6, 2016. Retrieved December 6, 2016.
  2. ^ a b "Introduction to Half-Genie Hero with Matt Bozon". Kickstarter. Retrieved 2013-09-04.
  3. ^ a b "Let's fill up that Art Museum!". Kickstarter. Retrieved 2014-12-12.
  4. ^ "Stretch Goal: Risky Boots Mode". Kickstarter. Retrieved 2013-09-26.
  5. ^ "You guys and gals are our HEROES!!". Kickstarter. Retrieved 2014-08-22.
  6. ^ "WE DID IT!". Kickstarter. Retrieved 2013-10-04.
  7. ^ "GenGAME Shantae: Half-Genie Hero Updates With Release Date Delayed". Gengame.net. 2014-08-15. Retrieved 2015-12-17.
  8. ^ "Shantae: Half-Genie Hero Completed – Release Date Coming Soon - Hardcore Gamer".
  9. ^ "The Kickstart - Shantae Is Back In 1/2 Genie Hero". Girl Gamer. Girl Gamer. September 9, 2013. Archived from the original on September 17, 2013. Retrieved December 3, 2015. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  10. ^ Isaac, Chris (December 2, 2015). "Interview: Shantae Co-Creator Matt Bozon Discusses the Series' Future & Shantae in Super Smash Bros". The Mary Sue. The Mary Sue. Retrieved December 2, 2015.
  11. ^ Oxford, Nadia (December 20, 2015). "Shantae: Half-Genie Hero PlayStation 4 Review: Ret-2-Go!". USGamer. Gamer Network. Retrieved December 21, 2015.
  12. ^ Ingenito, Vince (December 20, 2015). "Shantae: Half-Genie Hero Review". IGN. Ziff Davis LLC. Retrieved December 21, 2015.
  13. ^ Fahey, Mike (December 20, 2015). "Shantae: Half-Genie Hero Is A Whole Lot Of Fun". Kotaku. Gizmodo Media Group. Retrieved December 21, 2015.
  14. ^ McClusky, Kevin (December 17, 2015). "Review: Shantae: 1/2 Genie Hero". Destructoid. Destructoid. Retrieved December 21, 2015.
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