Cassette Boy is a puzzle RPG for the Nintendo Change. It includes a top-down perspective, ticklish mind teasers, and a pixel-based world. Is it price exploring?
The story follows the adventures of an unnamed character who appears to be like away from the moon, inflicting it to vanish. Your objective is to set issues proper once more. Your complete premise of Cassette Boy is centered round this idea of “should you can’t see it, it doesn’t exist”.
What this mantra means in apply is that when an enemy is roofed by an object, it’s now not there, permitting you to soundly stroll by. Our protagonist sports activities a pair of headphones that grants the power to rotate the world at will. The intelligent half is you could rotate the setting to make issues seem and disappear based mostly on the present perspective, hiding enemies and exhibiting pathways.
This permits the builders to create all kinds of puzzles involving blocked paths, hidden gates, and enjoyable with switches. There are some actual mind teasers current, they usually’re enjoyable to unravel. Cassette Boy additionally options non-obligatory bonus phases, offering longevity should you’re after extra to do past the primary quest.
Aesthetically, Cassette Boy sports activities a retro look that’s strongly harking back to the Sport Boy period. The green-tinged monochromatic look will spark nostalgia for older avid gamers, although it may possibly make it tough to see issues clearly when you’re trying to find these secret paths.
This puzzle mechanic and deliberate retro model mix to create a cute journey set in a digital world. The easy story and dialogue retains issues shifting briskly, although I discovered the writing to be somewhat too cryptic for my liking. Because of this, I didn’t discover myself bonding with many of the characters, although there are some fascinating designs and personalities to work together with.
There’s a lightweight RPG aspect at play, too, with our hero sporting quite a lot of weapons à la the Legend of Zelda. You’ll be able to swing your sword, fireplace an arrow, or plant a bomb as you’re employed via enemies. At occasions, these enemies felt like a distraction from the primary quest, not fairly integrating with the general puzzle mechanic. At different occasions, the rotating display screen is beneficial to take away pesky enemies you’d favor to not cope with. There are some enjoyable boss fights thrown in for good measure, protecting you in your toes as effectively.
Cassette Boy is a brief sport, however the value is reflective of the time you’ll spend on this pixelated world. You’re in for a few four-hour journey, relying on how lengthy you’re taking to unravel the puzzles and whether or not you tackle the non-obligatory challenges and collectibles. There’s additionally a free demo out there, so give it a attempt to see if it’s your model earlier than diving in absolutely.
Total, Cassette Boy is a singular little journey that can hold you considering over the course of its brief runtime. The traditional look sparks nostalgia for older avid gamers, with a candy story that would have been fleshed out additional.
