It's nuts to me that it took this long for Kirby to get a full 3D platformer entry. But it's here, and I was excited.
The game is aesthetically and mechanically similar to Super Mario Odyssey in many ways, with the setting's realism contrasting the characters and the city themes invoking the Metro Kingdom, while Kirby's Mouthful Mode transformations recall the Capture abilities in Odyssey, particularly the ones that saw Mario controlling objects. In terms of overall game design, however, the game is like Super Mario 3D World and Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker with its linear levels and hidden objectives to complete. Kirby controls pretty well and the copy abilities and Mouthful Mode transformations are often fun and safisfying to use. I wish there were more of each, since I'd have liked new abilities to be introduced throughout the game. The copy abilities can be upgraded with the rewards from bonus levels, which are genuinely fun challenges testing the different gameplay abilities. The game can get challenging, but offers enough to make the player's experience customizable and easier if desired. I did like exploring levels to find hidden missions before they became revealed, and felt great when I completed them unprompted based on a good instinct.
My biggest criticism of the game is the general aesthetic. I know some people were instantly compelled by the apocalyptic abandoned-city imagery, but it personally does nothing for me and it's the game's overarching motif—abandoned buildings and cities are everywhere throughout the game, and the game's levels, while separate, are set up as connected areas of a cohesive world. Even the bosses are united by an anthropomorphic animal theme I find neither exciting nor appealing in this particular execution. The game does offer different flavors of settings and aesthetics through the different worlds, but I'd rather have a game where every level was truly free to have its own aesthetic identity under a less restrictive umbrella. It would make each level more exciting to discover and have broader appeal. And for the first 3D Kirby game, I'd have loved a showcase of its classic cute fantasy aesthetic while we got used to 3D. This game's look feels more like something to break out once 3D has become established in the series, not as the intro.
For most of the game, I felt like the plot was vague and not compelling, but the best part of the game is how rapidly that reverses at the climax. It's a case of "a lot of things coming out of left field and explaining things at the last minute" that really works to snap you into investment in the plot, and even knowing Kirby's dark side, this game's take on that genuinely surprised me. The realistic flavor of the game does pay off with the climax and finale, so perhaps it was worth it in the end.
This is a well-designed and fun game with a story that comes through in the end. I don't love its aesthetic direction, but it's still a good play.
VideoGame Finally.
It's nuts to me that it took this long for Kirby to get a full 3D platformer entry. But it's here, and I was excited.
The game is aesthetically and mechanically similar to Super Mario Odyssey in many ways, with the setting's realism contrasting the characters and the city themes invoking the Metro Kingdom, while Kirby's Mouthful Mode transformations recall the Capture abilities in Odyssey, particularly the ones that saw Mario controlling objects. In terms of overall game design, however, the game is like Super Mario 3D World and Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker with its linear levels and hidden objectives to complete. Kirby controls pretty well and the copy abilities and Mouthful Mode transformations are often fun and safisfying to use. I wish there were more of each, since I'd have liked new abilities to be introduced throughout the game. The copy abilities can be upgraded with the rewards from bonus levels, which are genuinely fun challenges testing the different gameplay abilities. The game can get challenging, but offers enough to make the player's experience customizable and easier if desired. I did like exploring levels to find hidden missions before they became revealed, and felt great when I completed them unprompted based on a good instinct.
My biggest criticism of the game is the general aesthetic. I know some people were instantly compelled by the apocalyptic abandoned-city imagery, but it personally does nothing for me and it's the game's overarching motif—abandoned buildings and cities are everywhere throughout the game, and the game's levels, while separate, are set up as connected areas of a cohesive world. Even the bosses are united by an anthropomorphic animal theme I find neither exciting nor appealing in this particular execution. The game does offer different flavors of settings and aesthetics through the different worlds, but I'd rather have a game where every level was truly free to have its own aesthetic identity under a less restrictive umbrella. It would make each level more exciting to discover and have broader appeal. And for the first 3D Kirby game, I'd have loved a showcase of its classic cute fantasy aesthetic while we got used to 3D. This game's look feels more like something to break out once 3D has become established in the series, not as the intro.
For most of the game, I felt like the plot was vague and not compelling, but the best part of the game is how rapidly that reverses at the climax. It's a case of "a lot of things coming out of left field and explaining things at the last minute" that really works to snap you into investment in the plot, and even knowing Kirby's dark side, this game's take on that genuinely surprised me. The realistic flavor of the game does pay off with the climax and finale, so perhaps it was worth it in the end.
This is a well-designed and fun game with a story that comes through in the end. I don't love its aesthetic direction, but it's still a good play.