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Balan Wonderworld |OT| Days... into Dreams

Komatsu

Komatsu

Member
FqwDnYB.jpeg


Developer: SquareEnix, Balan Company & Arzest
Publisher: Square Enix
Director: Yuji Naka
Artist: Naoto Oshima
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, Playstation 4, Playstation 5, PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S

BALAN WONDERWORLD is an action platformer game themed around the Balan Theatre. Led by the enigmatic maestro named Balan, the stars of the show Emma and Leo will use special abilities from a multitude of characterful costumes as they adventure in the bizarre and imaginary land of Wonderworld. Here memories and vistas from the real world mix with the things that people hold dear. Twelve different tales await our stars in the Wonderworld, each with their own unique quirks. They will explore all corners of these labyrinthine stages, filled with a myriad of tricks and traps, to get to the heart of each story.

HAPPINESS-Steam-GIFs-Video-01.gif

BALAN WONDERWORLD is a wondrous action platformer game themed around the Balan Theatre. Led by the enigmatic maestro named Balan, the stars of the show Emma and Leo will use special abilities from a multitude of characterful costumes as they adventure in the bizarre and imaginary land of Wonderworld. Here memories and vistas from the real world mix with the things that people hold dear. Twelve different tales await our stars in the Wonderworld, each with their own unique quirks. They will explore all corners of these labyrinthine stages, filled with a myriad of tricks and traps, to get to the heart of each story.

HAPPINESS-Steam-GIFs-Video-02.gif

Over 80 different costumes open up all the action you could want!​

The stars of the show can use powers from the inhabitants of Wonderworld by wearing their colourful costumes, with over 80 different ones to try on!
Bash your enemies, walk in the air, freeze time or manipulate all kinds of objects... the possibilities are endless when you pick up a new costume.

​


naka-ohsima.png

Two Legendary Creators Reunite!​

Come one, come all and enjoy the pinnacle of Square Enix storytelling in an all-action world of wonder created by the legendary Naka Yuji. For the first time in 20 years Naka Yuji and Oshima Naoto join forces forming the BALAN COMPANY team; founded around, bringing together action game development, video and music production professionals from both inside and outside of the company.

2-Player Local Co-op Mode​

Enjoy an even more wondrous adventure as one player controls Leo and the other controls Emma in 2 Player Co-op Local Mode. Co-operate together combining the abilities of two different costumes which will surely open new paths as you wander through Wonderworld!

HAPPINESS-Steam-GIFs-Video-01.gif




metacritic-balam.png


Sources/Attributions: Most images and flavor text taken from the game's Steam page. General description taken from Metacritic.​
 
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Northeastmonk

Northeastmonk

Gold Member
This game will probably have a cult following many years after its release. It reminds me of the many obscure retro games we find and enjoy. I am curious to hear what others have to say about the final product.
 
B

BoilersFan23

Member
Honestly thought the demo was solid despite how many did not like it. I got the full game and liking it. My only issue is replaying levels to get enough statute trophies to move onto the next level set.
 
Komatsu

Komatsu

Member
SpongebobSquaredance said:
Could you say something about your experience so far?
Click to expand...

Game looks great on the PS5 and the platforming mechanics are solid. That said, there are a number of design hiccups that are incredibly annoying: you can't change between "costumes" (literal costumes that give you different powers, like Mario's raccoon tail) on the go and, to make matters worse, there is this MIND-BLOWINGLY annoying QTE mechanic that you can actually fail at.

It's a game designed explicitly for kids, so it's very upbeat and colorful. It does have that Naka charm but it's clear the dude's not directed a game since 1998. I'd give it a solid 7.5/10.
 
Rran

Rran

Member
I would like this game to do well, but it seems a lot of people are soured on it because of the demo. Seems charming, if rough around the edges.
 
J

jaysius

Banned
Furry trash to yiff to.

furrie i sit on you GIF by beeeky


I really can't believe any self respecting company put this shit out in 2021, it's like a gimped version of Kameo.

It's a god damn shame the that the gameplay doesn't match the incredible level the CGI cutscenes are.

I played the demo, the worlds were really too big everything is too wide when it doesn't need to be, your character could be a car and the levels would still have space, it makes them bloated and useless and awful looking, the combat was a disgusting joke. The abilities that each character had felt more like something that should be default for any modern 3rd person platforming game like the ABILITY TO FUCKING JUMP with ANY COSTUME, yea it's a 3rd person game and some costumes CANNOT EVEN JUMP!!!!!

The graphical style chosen reminds me of something you'd see in a Steam indie game that a youtuber plays for "meme lulz".

NGL I was excited to play the demo, I really was, I love 3D platforming games, it was the few seconds after I started playing the demo when the shitty feeling set in.

As for the positive user reviews, it's catching some attention for the wrong reasons.
Balan Wonderworld receives suspicious surge of positive Metacritic user reviews (msn.com)
 
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Heimdall_Xtreme

Heimdall_Xtreme

Jim Ryan Fanclub's #1 Member
Komatsu said:
Absolutely wild that the player response has been very positive while the media is pretty much bashing it in unison.

It's Naka, though, so of course I had to buy it.
Click to expand...
Never trust in idiots who analyze video games

I know it's a wonderful, beautiful game ...

I'm glad I don't need a piece of review shit to know the truth.
 
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Heimdall_Xtreme

Heimdall_Xtreme

Jim Ryan Fanclub's #1 Member
Fuz said:
People who still give even a sliver of credit to "professional" reviewers leaves me baffled.
Click to expand...
In meristation magazine´s that is an official video game website of Spain when the analysis of Cyberpunk 2077 came out, i spat his review at the director of the magazine in his face, i criticized him so much that he could not give even solid arguments as I did.

It felt so good to win an argument over a "Video Game Analyst" who knows nothing.
 
U

UnNamed

Banned
Good concept but awful execution.
On Switch (Demo) some parts are as they take them from an unreleased Dreamcast project, and maybe they are.

Very stiff, very slow, but the part with different abilities to unlock new areas is good.

Based on the demo I would not buy it, but maybe it is better than it seems.
 
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lh032

lh032

I cry about Xbox and hate PlayStation.
I am the type of gamer which enjoys all kinds of genre.
But this game...bores me alot, when I play the demo, i just could not get into it, it feels extremely low budget, and i dislike the constant need to switch costume.
 
D

DonkeyPunchJr

World’s Biggest Weeb
lh032 said:
I am the type of gamer which enjoys all kinds of genre.
But this game...bores me alot, when I play the demo, i just could not get into it, it feels extremely low budget, and i dislike the constant need to switch costume.
Click to expand...
I don’t believe you. Only professional reviewers dislike this game. Real gamers love it, and over time everybody will grow to appreciate this game as the true gem it is. You must be part of the fake gaming news media.
 
Andodalf

Andodalf

Banned
Komatsu said:
Absolutely wild that the player response has been very positive while the media is pretty much bashing it in unison.

It's Naka, though, so of course I had to buy it.
Click to expand...

It's not wild at all. The reviewers are a cross section of gamers. The only people seeking out this game, playing it and reviewing it as a user on metacritic, are people who already know that they really like this weird Dreamcast esque type of title.

Essentially, players are self selecting here and reviewers are not.
 
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Tangerine

Tangerine

Member
This game is incredible. I can't emphasise this point enough. I thought I knew what a great game was, but after experiencing the absolute torrent of joy pouring down upon my soul that Balan Wonderworld and the perpetually dancing NPCs instills within, I realise now I was totally blind before. This game has opened my eyes. I can only describe it as seeing a completely new color for the first time. A color so beautiful if I wasn't sitting down to play this game, I would fall to my knees in tears of pure elation.

I am not worthy. I have seen beyond the veil. I have witnessed God. He wears a hat and his name is Balan.
 
S

SpongebobSquaredance

Unconfirmed Member
cireza said:
People in their forties reviewing games for kids.

This game sucks it was not designed for me.
Click to expand...
Doesn't mean much when critics lack the skill for kid games.
Gamespot thought Spongebob: Battle for Bikini Bottom is difficult, but they are not the best when it comes to plattformers.
Anyway, I don't think that "games designed for kids" should be an excuse for low effort and bad quality.
 
S

SpongebobSquaredance

Unconfirmed Member
cireza said:
Game looks nothing like this. That's maybe why it is getting rankings in the 80s from users.
Click to expand...
Yeah, it reminds me of 6th gen 3D platformers. It looks sweet and totally up my alley. The reception of the demo was mixed though and it seems like the Switch version is rough.
 
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Komatsu

Komatsu

Member
TheCockatrice said:
It's not positive at all. Metacritic user scores are a lot of fake 10's. It's a shit game especially when you consider the price for it.
Click to expand...

There are plenty of reviews on Metacritic that are complimentary of the game. Even on Steam, the majority of the reviews are positive.

image.png



Lionel Richie said:
The metacritic user reviews on this shit are my favorite thing ever lol.
Click to expand...

It's amazing. :messenger_tears_of_joy: :messenger_tears_of_joy: :messenger_tears_of_joy:

image.png
 
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