Developer: Black Forest Games
Publisher: Black Forest Games
Price: $14.99
Release Date: Oct 22, 2012 (out now!)
Genre: Action, Indie, Platformer, Casual
Buy it here: Steam, GoG, and Gamers Gate
Giana Sisters is very much so remembered as the sister duo who caused a lot of waves when they launched on the C64 in 1984. (Read the wiki link here). As clones they were quite popular on the Euro market as the well made, great sounding(music wise) game. However, to the dismay of a stack of whining C64 fanboys, this game borrows a few light references from the original game.
The problem if they made the game just like the first game the following problem would follow. “IT WOULD FAIL!” In a picky and very demanding progression in the indie market. It is hard to leave a mark. As you are combating with millions of other companies who in turn are trying to survive. So to bring in a fast paced and innovative platforming style to a quite frankly dated game play style would not do the game justice.
As my rant above notes. This is a sequel to that said Commodore 64 game. This game offers a very simple storyline, you are a teenaged Giana, whose sister was kidnapped. No, not by the pedobear, but by a large dragon who was craving some young girl stew. Among the game play you are offered two forms, “Cute” and “Punk”. While you are not giving out GTS finishers to your enemies, you are delivering spinning dive bomb attacks. As a Cute form you are agilely spinning in mid air somewhat gliding across dangerous locations. You know, Chasms with big pointy deadly things. Having to swap between your powers you notice a major tone to the game. The reality or environment around you swaps. Being a cheerful, Brony’s paradise, to a dark and gritty location, that Skeletor would settle down his beach house on. The pace of the game is pretty fair. Offering some trial and error. With check points escaping from chests planted through out the levels. The enemies are paced much like what you recall from any retro plat-former. However, as you swap the dream, also the enemies change. From Owls, to flying demons.
Now that I went over some of the basics of the game I want to touch down in my opinions and feeling on the game itself. Brought into your sights is two shadows of two girls. Both of are playing with ether hand-held, or Cellphones. Then a Crystal comes into play, both try to hold it down and before Giana realizes it. Her sister is pulled in to a distant dream like land. She chases after her only to leading to her having to rescue her. I enjoyed this short introduction into the game. It allowed you to grasp the story briefly and brings you into the game. Controls as advertised are tight. And respond on the fly. Which is important due to the Punk-Cute transformation you need to move around the maps. After completing 3 levels I felt at home and instantly easy of the mechanics. Which landed to me as a instantly fun game. The more and more I got into the game the levels altered look and feel, enemies changed to fit the location. All having a pattern easy to catch on, or something you want to avoid. The animations all looked beautiful. From the simple animations of the altering backgrounds and fore grounds. Such as the floors and forest behind my maze like path, looking ether scary or pretty.
Playing with my Game-pad, with no latency in my commands to the game. I began to reach a stand point during my experience. What you may ask? Where trial and error to flex what would work to get to a higher location. So I kept pushing myself, after achieving the said location. I felt satisfied. Past the point of completion. I was left happy with the final result. The platforming puzzles were a dream to play on. My reflexes were worked, in a good way. It felt classic, but new. I would highly suggest this title to everyone who loved the classic series. For those interested in G.S. I implore you, get this game!
Suggestion to the developers: Publish this on the 3DS!
9.0
