Shantae: Risky’s Revenge is a metroidvania platformer from the good folks at WayForward Games. In this 3DS game, the sequel to Shantae, which was released for the Gameboy Color, you once again assume the role of Shantae. Shantae, a politely bumbling and snarky female half-genie, is forced into action to defend her homestead of Scuttle Town from the…scantily clad pirate, Risky Boots.
Unusual costume choices aside, Shantae: Risky’s Revenge is a terrific retro-romp through the golden age of carefree platforming. As Shantae you will criss-cross and re-visit areas in, around, and outside of Scuttle Town as she seeks out 3 lost relics which will thwart Risky Boots’ plans of mayhem and destruction.
To defend yourself against Risky Boot’s army of soldiers and monsters, you must employ Shantae’s main attack – the ferocious, head-banging’ hair whip, which is upgradeable to be faster and more destructive. As you advance through the game, you will also find various potions, spells, and upgrades to make your game more enjoyable and Shantae more formidable.
Perhaps the main drawback is the relative size of the world that Shantae takes place in. While small and accessible, you will inevitable find yourself tracking, backtracking, and RE-backtracking through the same areas again and again.
You will, like all metroidvanias, come across areas that you aren’t quite ready for or aren’t meant to be in all-together due to a lack of power, health, skill, or special ability. Therefore you must backtrack out of those areas to a main byway in order to continue on adventuring. But you must always make sure you remember WHY you couldn’t advance in the previous area as you will need to return at some point in the game with a new spell, item, or ability to unlock it and go forward. The game gets rather tedious in this respect.
While this may hinder your enjoyment of the game for a while, the frustration of going back and forth is made more than bearable with a solid soundtrack, lush visuals, and smooth controls. While it may irk your soul on occasion, being able to re-listen to beautifully constructed musical scores and seeing exquisitely painted backdrops and enemies will make revisiting an area for the fourth of fifth time enjoyable.
Overall, Shantae: Risky’s Revenge is completely worth Nintendo’s asking price of $11.99. This gem of a metroidvania platformer will satisfy both old and new players to the genre and ensure a solid gameplay experience.
