Balan Wonderworld

 PlayStation 4
User Score
5.7

Mixed or average reviews- based on 220 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 119 out of 220
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 220
  3. Negative: 97 out of 220
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  1. PolygonPal
    May 1, 2021
    7
    A wonderfully gorgeous game that sadly failed to live up to hype due to various gameplay problems.

    The Good: Beautiful worlds and amazing character designs. Gorgeous cutscenes and mesmerizing tunes. Emotional. Playing with Tims is surprisingly fun. Easy to play. Costume system allows for creative solutions to puzzles. Balan Statues make for an interesting way to unlock more    A wonderfully gorgeous game that sadly failed to live up to hype due to various gameplay problems.

    The Good:
    Beautiful worlds and amazing character designs.
    Gorgeous cutscenes and mesmerizing tunes.
    Emotional.
    Playing with Tims is surprisingly fun.
    Easy to play.
    Costume system allows for creative solutions to puzzles.
    Balan Statues make for an interesting way to unlock more levels and reward exploration.

    The Bad:
    Incredibly simple gameplay. If you understand a costume's function you've pretty much mastered it.
    Very bad at explaining mechanics. (The Box Fox costume is the definitive example of this in game)
    Level design early on is extraordinarily basic.
    Tims might seem annoying and uninteresting if the player doesn't feel motivated to play with them. The game also explains nothing about them.
    Items in levels must be reset by defeating the boss(which are all very, very easy). This makes grinding for gems and going for Gold Hats on Balan Bouts rather annoying.
    Relies heavily on the costume system.
    The one button system makes costumes feel restrictive and sometimes annoying and detrimental.
    Ultimately better to just read the ebook.

    Details:
    Balan Wonderworld is by no means, a good game. It offers a level of simplicity beyond even Kirby. But by the same token, I find myself unable to call it bad with the charming designs and fun moments I had with clever costume use. I can completely understand why many wouldn't be interested in the game, but I highly recommend giving the game a fair shot should you find it on sale, if given the chance you might find yourself enjoying some of the games more heartfelt moments(the random choreographed dances after every boss might prove irksome however). Its also fun to watch the Tims roll around like marbles in the hub area if you feel the need to take a break.

    Verdict:
    Art: A+
    Gameplay: D
    Intuitiveness: D-
    Creativity: C+
    Cute bird thingies: B-
    Dance numbers: Z

    Recommended to novice players and those that like Disney-esque spectacles. Just be sure to nab it on sale. If you absolutely refuse to buy the game. At least consider buying the ebook on Amazon or another site.    … Expand
  2. Kotayro
    May 5, 2021
    6
    Balan Wonderworld is a game that could've been at least a decent game. Most if not all of Balan Wonderworlds story and other details like the dancing animals and sitting giants aren't explained in the game but instead in the official website and novel. There are certain mechanics in the game like the Balan's Bout and repeatedly picking up costumes you lost again can feel repetitive. BalanBalan Wonderworld is a game that could've been at least a decent game. Most if not all of Balan Wonderworlds story and other details like the dancing animals and sitting giants aren't explained in the game but instead in the official website and novel. There are certain mechanics in the game like the Balan's Bout and repeatedly picking up costumes you lost again can feel repetitive. Balan Wonderworld is a game that gradually gets better with the player collecting new suits to use in different levels in different situations.

    To sum it all up Balan Wonderworld is a game that has the a lot of what a good game needs, but is incorporated poorly.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

10
#10 Most Discussed PS4 Game of 2021

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
44

Generally unfavorable reviews - based on 10 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 10
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 10
  3. Negative: 6 out of 10
  1. BaziCenter
    Apr 22, 2021
    35
    Balan Wonderworld is a boring, dull and dated platformer presented in a beautiful package to persuade parents who are looking to buy a game for their children.
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  2. GameOver.gr
    Apr 16, 2021
    30
    An oversimplified control system and an archaic level design could have been a fad if Balan Wonderworld had been released more than a decade ago. But in these times, Balan Wonderworld is nothing more than an uninteresting, tasteless relic of the past. Players who are interested in beautiful, fantasy-inspired platformers have many more interesting options out there to pick.
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  3. GameMAG
    Apr 5, 2021
    50
    All in all Balan Wonderworld is an archaic action-platformer with tons of shortcomings in terms of level design and overall presentation. If you love the genre, you would probably be repulsed by this game, instead of welcoming it with open arms.
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