Shantae: Half-Genie Hero - PlayStation 4

One of the best games I have played this gen! I honestly have had more fun playing this than I have some AA releases. The art style is adorable, the game play is so much fun and it has a stellar sound track. It's a must buy, especially for $19.99.

When I first started the game I didn’t have the high expectations, having never played the series before, but it took less than an hour for me to enjoy it. The game is really good and surprisingly challenging to keep me entertained.

Shantae: Half-Genie Hero is a charming and colorful game that offers a delightful adventure full of platforming and exploration. You play as Shantae, a half-genie with a ponytail that acts as a weapon, who must save her world from evil. The game features a gorgeous 2D art style with a catchy soundtrack that will keep you engaged for hours.The platforming mechanics are solid, and Shantae's ponytail whip adds a unique twist to the gameplay. The level design is clever, with multiple paths to explore and secrets to uncover. There are also boss battles that provide a nice challenge, but can be frustratingly difficult at times.Unfortunately, the game does have a few missteps. The story is a bit underwhelming and doesn't offer much depth or character development. The dialogue can also be cheesy and cringy at times, which can detract from the overall experience. Additionally, the game is relatively short, with only a handful of levels to play through.Despite its flaws, Shantae: Half-Genie Hero is still a fun and enjoyable game that is well worth playing. The colorful art style and catchy soundtrack make it a joy to look at and listen to, and the platforming mechanics provide a solid challenge. If you're a fan of platformers or just looking for a fun and lighthearted game to play, Shantae: Half-Genie Hero is a great choice.

Okay, I bought this game for reasons and it definitely went above my expectations. The look and animations are stellar. It feels good to attack and move. A beautiful game with good looking characters. (The audio for characters is kinda weird because, in some non-voiced text parts, characters will talk at random after I've already started their dialogue, but whatever)My problems start with the level design. I liked going through the levels. They hooked me in with the music, the decent platforming, and the promise of more content when I upgrade my genie magic, so of course I'm gonna come back and revisit levels of my own volition to experience them again! But the game is hellbent on forcing you to come back multiple times to these places and collect things to progress. I'm not against games with collectibles, I'm against a game making me "have" to backtrack when I "want" to backtrack but stops my progress ever-so-often to make me backtrack even more. That makes me resent the backtracking!My other problem is the DLC. After I completed the game it made several game modes available to me. After jumping for joy, I noticed they cost 7-8 dollars to play. Each. I did not play those game modes.If it weren't for the forced backtracking and the game being stingy with power-ups and content, this game would be absolutely amazing.

Very enjoyable and a great price

The game shipped on time and was packaged as well as one would expect. No complaints on that end. As far as the product itself goes, if you're into Metroidvanias then the Shantae series is a must play. Half Genie Hero was a jumping point for the series from pixelated sprites to a more high definition style of graphics that actually looks like the series' artwork. I absolutely recommend this game and the others in the series as well.

This is a fun classic platforming game with a colorful and silly atmosphere.

when it was delivered it looks as though something tried to chew through the case. The packaging was ripped as well. My husband likes to keep the cases in mint condition, so that’s out the window for him, unfortunately disappointing for him.