Shantae: Half-Genie Hero

 PlayStation 4
User Score
7.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 108 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 74 out of 108
  2. Mixed: 19 out of 108
  3. Negative: 15 out of 108
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  1. SolidXSteak
    Feb 23, 2017
    6
    Featuring tight controls, neat level design, gorgeous visuals, and funny writing, Half Genie Hero has alot to love. However tedious backtracking, an distractingly uninteresting story, and a gimmicky and underwhelming transformation mechanic make this a hard game to recommend. Shantae fans will undoubtedly find plenty to enjoy here but most others would be better off playing the previousFeaturing tight controls, neat level design, gorgeous visuals, and funny writing, Half Genie Hero has alot to love. However tedious backtracking, an distractingly uninteresting story, and a gimmicky and underwhelming transformation mechanic make this a hard game to recommend. Shantae fans will undoubtedly find plenty to enjoy here but most others would be better off playing the previous title "Shantae & the Pirate's Curse" or "Shovel Knight" over this game… Expand
  2. Letiste-Gaming
    Jan 4, 2017
    8
    Si Pirate's Curse no existiera, sin duda nos encontraríamos ante el mejor título de la saga Shantae. De hecho, la única pega que puedo encontrarle es que no ofrece tanto contenido ni profundidad como aquel, y en la comparación pierde.

    Pero como juego independiente, nos encontramos con un señor plataformas, excepcionalmente bien diseñado, entretenido, y con un apartado audiovisual    Si Pirate's Curse no existiera, sin duda nos encontraríamos ante el mejor título de la saga Shantae. De hecho, la única pega que puedo encontrarle es que no ofrece tanto contenido ni profundidad como aquel, y en la comparación pierde.

    Pero como juego independiente, nos encontramos con un señor plataformas, excepcionalmente bien diseñado, entretenido, y con un apartado audiovisual simplemente perfecto. Idóneo para empezar en la saga, y un fanservice de calidad de cara a los mas veteranos en esta.    … Expand
  3. SMICH55
    Dec 20, 2016
    10
    If there were one word to describe Shantae: Half-Genie Hero, it would be magical. The atmosphere this game creates backs that statement up. If you are unfamiliar with the Shantae series, they fall under the Metroidvania genre; a 2D, exploration based puzzle platformer. The controls are tight, the music is fun, the graphics are gorgeous, and the story is charming as heck; this all makes forIf there were one word to describe Shantae: Half-Genie Hero, it would be magical. The atmosphere this game creates backs that statement up. If you are unfamiliar with the Shantae series, they fall under the Metroidvania genre; a 2D, exploration based puzzle platformer. The controls are tight, the music is fun, the graphics are gorgeous, and the story is charming as heck; this all makes for a masterpiece of a game. I want to touch up on the graphics a bit; simply put, this is one the most beautiful games I have ever played. On par with the games made with the Ubi Art engine (Rayman Legends, Child of Light), the style breaths life into the game. Backgrounds and platforms are beautifully hand drawn and shaded in a vector / watercolor style. Character models are drawn similarly, but with an extra dimension added to make them come alive. The game performs very well, with little slowdowns. Unfortunately it is not locked at 60 frames per second, as I encountered a few frame rate drops here and there during hectic sequences, but nothing that detracted from my experience.

    For $20 bucks and a 6-12 hour story with plenty of replayability, buy this game. It is a masterpiece, and any gamer will be doing themselves a disservice by not giving it a try.    … Expand
  4. snakekill321
    Dec 20, 2016
    8
    Shantae is back again! And it is just as fun as it used to be. Shantae returns in this sequel in the same form as the other games:With belly dancing, and hair whipping. The combat is fluid, and it feels very responsive. As we watch her whip, we watch her eigh neigh as she transforms into other entities to do battle and explore.

    The metroidvania element is not as prominent here, but it    Shantae is back again! And it is just as fun as it used to be. Shantae returns in this sequel in the same form as the other games:With belly dancing, and hair whipping. The combat is fluid, and it feels very responsive. As we watch her whip, we watch her eigh neigh as she transforms into other entities to do battle and explore.

    The metroidvania element is not as prominent here, but it is there. The game replaces dungeons with extremely long levels and it was always vibrant and colorful. for 30$ this was well worth the buy    … Expand
  5. SuperkenGaming
    Dec 20, 2016
    6
    Shantae Half Genie Hero
    Shampoo simulator.
    The game starts with a cryptic message from the genie realm. There’s a dark force wanting to use the genie magic for evil. And naturally it’s up to you, Shantae to save the day. This is a metroidvania styled 2d platformer… But unfortunately the emphasis is on the metroidvania part and not the platforming this was my first Shantae game and    Shantae Half Genie Hero
    Shampoo simulator.
    The game starts with a cryptic message from the genie realm.
    There’s a dark force wanting to use the genie magic for evil.
    And naturally it’s up to you, Shantae to save the day.
    This is a metroidvania styled 2d platformer…
    But unfortunately the emphasis is on the metroidvania part and not the platforming
    this was my first Shantae game and it immediately made a great impression…
    The game doesn’t take itself seriously it all…
    It’s hilarious...
    I was laughing throughout my journey
    You’re first tasked with going to save this village being attacked by pirates and it’s a fairly enjoyable experience.. A great tutorial level...
    Learning your willow smith styled combat whipping your hair back and forth, collecting gems along your way to spend at shops for new attacks like fireballs... and taking out your first boss…
    Then you get back to town with the stolen blueprints.. Your uncle works on this machine to stop this dark force and in the meantime you go help the town’s people…
    Don’t let the colorful, happy first level fool you…
    This is when the game really starts...
    This is a fetch quest trade Item a for item b and then item b for item c and item c for item you get the point…
    You trade items for other items you need to progress through the story and build this machine…
    The search for these items will take you to different levels in the world…
    and sadly there are only 6.. yet reaching the end is going to take you around 7 hours…
    Because this game forces a rinse and repeat gameplay loop…
    There’s an insane difficulty spike from level one to level 2.. Its brutal…
    Explore these levels for new upgrades and new magic forms to reach new areas of the other levels…
    The game relies on this to offer any bit of substance…
    It wants the player to revisit each of the 6 levels numerous times and it isn’t as simple as waiting until you hit a hard boss or level and going to explore for something to help you…
    No, the items requested in these trade deals are in a level you already beat in an area previously inaccessible… but is now accessible thanks to your new transformation
    its basically get ability in level 1 to reach an ability in level 2
    Use level 2s ability to reach an ability in level 1 to get to an ability in level 3 that you need to get to an item in level 2…
    Its constant back and forth between the same 4 levels.
    None of which are fun to re explore…
    And only 1 being fun the first time... that being level 1 with the pirates…
    That isn’t to take away from the gameplay though... its fun…
    There’s a variety of forms shantae can switch into like a monkey to climb walls, and a mermaid to swim under water…. And there are a handful of moments where you have to switch through these forms platforming and attacking…
    These are the best moments in the game…
    But getting from checkpoint to checkpoint isn’t so fun….
    the checkpoints are extremely inconsistent and frustrating…
    Their placements make 0 sense.
    There are very challenging moments in this game with no checkpoints in sight that if you slip up once you’re going to have to redo.. While the simplest and shortest platforming sections will be sandwiched in between 2…
    I’d much rather have a shovel knight system where the checkpoint is placed randomly in level rather than when you exit an area…
    Especially in the volcano level
    there’s an extremely cheap spot in that level that will definitely test your patience as it seems illogical to the games mechanics and feels like something you’ll need to get lucky with to pass
    Shantae the half Genie heroes is a charming game, it’s an addictive and fun game…
    But it’s a shallow experience padded with forced replays.
    I Give Shantae Half Genie Hero
    a 6.5/10    … Expand
  6. sololeocr
    Dec 20, 2016
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Apoye este juego en por medio de Kickstarter, durante mucho tiempo solo tenía noticias esporádicas del juego, pero valio la pena, simplemente es un juegazo, como juego de plataformas es muy divertido, ya conforme se vayan adquiriendo nuevos poderes se puede ir descubriendo nuevos lugares, el juego invita a explorarlo todo, literalmente es una pasada. Los enemigos no son fáciles, hay momentos donde pueden lo pueden poner a uno en serios aprietos para continuar, pero tampoco trata de poner un techo muy alto a la dificultad de manera que lo convierta en un juego imposible.

    La música es preciosa, simplemente jueguen la primera pantalla y verán lo que digo, hay ciertas partes donde se puede escuchar la voz de la protagonista, las transformaciones molan bastante el personaje esta diseñado para que transmita una sensación de ternura, pero ojo, que es la chica es una autentica fiera a la hora de luchar.

    Gráficamente luce hermoso por todo lado, con muchos detalles, siempre va fluido, no se si a 60fps, pero si me preguntan si los debe de correr ya que se mantiene un movimiento constante, y sin que se perciba ningún problema con el movimiento. En el camino hay proyectos en kickstarter que decepcionan un poco al materializarse como sucedio con Mighty no9, pero con este juego es todo lo contrario, aquí se ve la seriedad con que Wayfoward ha hecho este juego, es que lo han cuidado en todo o casi todo mas adelante los explicare un poco mejor. Si me preguntan si valió, digo que si, sin pensarlo dos veces. Ojala que lo apoyen, por que para mi vale la pena, hay pocos juegos en el mercado en el cual se cuidan de dar al jugar una buena experiencia dando su maximo esfuerzo, son pocas las compañías que hacen este tipo de joyas y creo que hay que valorarlas.

    El unico aspecto negativo que le he encontrado a este juego es la traducción al español, ya que los NPCs tratan a Shantae cuando hablan con ella como si fuera un personaje masculino, y hay uno que otro error gramatical. No es algo que nuble al juego, pero es algo que podrían mejorar a futuro.    … Expand
  7. ShioriMate
    Dec 21, 2016
    10
    The last masterpiece of 2D action games in 2016.
    Improved music and sound, graphics, stage design and character animation are all excellent.
    Simple difficulty is rather an advantage of the game.
    I hope the series will continue to come.
  8. Monguer
    Dec 20, 2016
    8
    Maybe I'm not the most suited person to make a review of this game because I'm a huge fan of the Shantae Series since I discovered them (and I haven't finished it yet, so my judgment is based on the first hours of the game); but I needed to say a pair of things about this game.
    First, I love the music, the smooth animation and I have laughed a lot with some funny moments and details on    Maybe I'm not the most suited person to make a review of this game because I'm a huge fan of the Shantae Series since I discovered them (and I haven't finished it yet, so my judgment is based on the first hours of the game); but I needed to say a pair of things about this game.
    First, I love the music, the smooth animation and I have laughed a lot with some funny moments and details on the background; but the spanish translation of the game... It's unbelievable awful.
    Spanish is my mother tongue and I'm afraid that we can't say the same about the ones that made the spanish location. Huge errors as switching the gender in the conversations (Shantae and Risky are often referred as boys and Bolo once as a girl), literal translations that doesn't have any sense in spanish and even words not translated at all (in the item shop some item descriptions include the word "Magia" and others just "Magic" in perfect english.)
    With a translation so poorly done I would prefer to have the game in english. At least I could then have understood some parts too bad translated to be read; but that option it's not available.
    Please, if someone of Wayforward read this, please, fix the spanish translation in a future patch.    … Expand
  9. VonSeux
    Jan 1, 2017
    5
    very disappointed, worts shantae game to date. Its clear thatthe transiction to 3d build lacked the polish of the 2d titles and it feels like a totally different team was in charge of it. It looks like those poor infie titles so badly put toguether that even simple things as screen changing feels disconected. The save system is a joke. The standing animation kf the main character isvery disappointed, worts shantae game to date. Its clear thatthe transiction to 3d build lacked the polish of the 2d titles and it feels like a totally different team was in charge of it. It looks like those poor infie titles so badly put toguether that even simple things as screen changing feels disconected. The save system is a joke. The standing animation kf the main character is totally overdone and level design is a huge letdown...… Expand
  10. TheAdjuster
    Dec 27, 2016
    8
    I would give this game a 10 if not for 2 issues.

    #1 It glitched out and crashed on me in the bat transformation room. After getting it, I jumped off to check for secrets and got stuck below the room.

    #2 The character design is a bit less sexy, and more cutesy. The art for Pirate's Curse was tops imo.
  11. SwitSwat
    Jan 3, 2017
    10
    I'm a big fan of the Shantae series. Got this on launch day and was not disappointed. Gameplay wise, It plays the best out of all the game in my opinion. The transformations are smooth and cool, and the classic hair-whipping is still there, and it's still satisfying. This game plays more like a traditional platformer as opposed to other games, which may be a positive or negative for some.I'm a big fan of the Shantae series. Got this on launch day and was not disappointed. Gameplay wise, It plays the best out of all the game in my opinion. The transformations are smooth and cool, and the classic hair-whipping is still there, and it's still satisfying. This game plays more like a traditional platformer as opposed to other games, which may be a positive or negative for some. This does make backtracking a little boring at times, but the game isn't long enough to the point that it would be much of a hassle. Overall, great game.… Expand
  12. Zidane_Mina
    Jan 24, 2017
    8
    1/2 genie hero retains the same formula that has made previous entries so much fun to play: simple and responsive combat, solid controls, awesome music, good level design, funny characters and silly story. Transforming dances return, way more in depth than before, and the overall level layout has been streamlined for easier navigation (which is a good thing, considering the huge amounts of1/2 genie hero retains the same formula that has made previous entries so much fun to play: simple and responsive combat, solid controls, awesome music, good level design, funny characters and silly story. Transforming dances return, way more in depth than before, and the overall level layout has been streamlined for easier navigation (which is a good thing, considering the huge amounts of backtracking this game requires). The graphics are bright and colorfull, vibrant and most important: fluid. The only thing that this game lacks, are more awesome boss fights, but other than that, is a very good game, specially for those who were born on the golden era of platformers (the late 80's and early 90's)… Expand
  13. chesaro
    Dec 23, 2017
    8
    Great game, beautiful graphics and animations, and megaman x (ish) gameplay to make it even better, the only thing i didn't like was the unnecessary paid dlc, because the game itself is not that long and the paid dlc are part of the "start your adventure" menu, it feels like the game is incomplete if you don't pay the extra money (the one available is 9. 99, so the other is going to beGreat game, beautiful graphics and animations, and megaman x (ish) gameplay to make it even better, the only thing i didn't like was the unnecessary paid dlc, because the game itself is not that long and the paid dlc are part of the "start your adventure" menu, it feels like the game is incomplete if you don't pay the extra money (the one available is 9. 99, so the other is going to be the same), for just playing as risky and shantae friends, just not cool.… Expand
  14. tomvs123
    Nov 9, 2020
    6
    A decent platformer with some metroidvania elements.

    I don't really like platformers and only somewhat like metroidvania games, but was pleasantly surprised by this one, mainly due to its wacky writing, art style, and relatively unique character transformation mechanics. This review will be short, so I'll only cover a few things that stood out to me. As far as    A decent platformer with some metroidvania elements.

    I don't really like platformers and only somewhat like metroidvania games, but was pleasantly surprised by this one, mainly due to its wacky writing, art style, and relatively unique character transformation mechanics.

    This review will be short, so I'll only cover a few things that stood out to me.

    As far as Japanese/anime-inspired games made by western studios go, this is the only one I've played that I could easily mistake as being fully Japanese-created. If there weren't western studio logos at the start of the game, I wouldn't have known any better. The art, animations, themes, and even some of the writing just feels Japanese. And that's a good thing. The game hits all of the high Japanese design points while also pulling in some fresh ideas from a western perspective.

    Though the game is short and limited in scope. I did not buy the DLC, but might in the future if there's some sort of "complete" edition.

    The writing is wacky, though not consistently so. The first two bosses and sections are quite good, with the 2nd being better than the 1st, but then it goes downhill from there with the game settling into a sort of norm and no longer surprising me with witty lines, crazy scenarios, or wild boss fights.

    The metroidvania aspects are relatively unique, but are a bit condensed since there's only 5 levels in the game. As you learn new transformation abilities, you'll go back to previously-cleared levels to unlock hearts, magic, or new abilities.

    The transformation abilities are good and fun, but are normally limited to unlocking only a couple of puzzles each. Turning into an elephant to bash blocks, a spider to walk on ceilings, a mouse to get through tiny mazes was fun, but there's only so many times you can do similar puzzles using those forms before you become tired of it, which is probably why they weren't overused.

    After you complete the short main game, there's not much to do unless you buy the DLC. The pajama mode seemed interesting, but I got tired of it quick after I realized I was just going through the same levels again with some overpowered abilities.

    Decent game that I wish it were longer. Though I might be expecting too much from the platforming genre.    … Expand
  15. Reaver319
    Feb 14, 2017
    9
    Hands down one of the best old school platforming games made in years. It's cute, funny, beautifully drawn, fantastic soundtrack and also just the right amount of sex appeal (watch her transformation dance) ha ha. Wayforward did a great job with this game and the only reason it's not getting a perfect 10 is because it's kinda short... but then again it's only $30 in store and $20 forHands down one of the best old school platforming games made in years. It's cute, funny, beautifully drawn, fantastic soundtrack and also just the right amount of sex appeal (watch her transformation dance) ha ha. Wayforward did a great job with this game and the only reason it's not getting a perfect 10 is because it's kinda short... but then again it's only $30 in store and $20 for download. Waiting patiently for the DLC missions.… Expand
  16. bunnyofthesea
    Mar 14, 2017
    8
    This is a fun little action sidescroller platformer. The game is nothing deep just plain fun. The game is a little on the short side taking me around 6 and 1/2 hours to complete with getting all the collectibles but for the price point i think that is okay. If you enjoy these new age indie platformers you will enjoy this game and the others in the series.
  17. Lucain24
    Apr 15, 2017
    9
    With the way the market is in today's gaming, we tend to fall into the ones who go big. In this game they kept the elements that made a classic game good, and made it incredible. With these guys updated from the pixelated to the now flourishing movements of Shantae, it feels new, while keeping the elements classic. The music drew me in, I was stuck in the mermaid area, and I found myselfWith the way the market is in today's gaming, we tend to fall into the ones who go big. In this game they kept the elements that made a classic game good, and made it incredible. With these guys updated from the pixelated to the now flourishing movements of Shantae, it feels new, while keeping the elements classic. The music drew me in, I was stuck in the mermaid area, and I found myself not dreading every second of it, the music kept me going. The story is a bit eh...nothing groundbreaking really. Basic "stop the bad guy" with a little bit of lore. Sub par to me, but hey it sold.… Expand
  18. EternalTouch
    Apr 20, 2018
    9
    Shantae is the story of the half genie hero of Scuttle Town, protecting the town from all foes that come her away, along side her uncle, and her friends Bolo, Sky, and many others. She along with her animal-shifting abilities, must fight to defeat Risky Boots and other enemies to not only save her home, but the Genie Realm as a whole.

    This was definitely the first game in a long time    Shantae is the story of the half genie hero of Scuttle Town, protecting the town from all foes that come her away, along side her uncle, and her friends Bolo, Sky, and many others. She along with her animal-shifting abilities, must fight to defeat Risky Boots and other enemies to not only save her home, but the Genie Realm as a whole.

    This was definitely the first game in a long time that fit into the arcade/platformer style. It was an enjoyable experience, offering a great experience for all ages. It is mechanically understandable even from the perspective of a child, but is more than enough for an adult to ponder on and fall in love with. Along with all of the DLC content available, there is enough Shantae for weeks, even months worth of entertainment.

    Shantae will go down as one of my favorite games to play in 2018.

    Shantae: Half Genie Hero Score: 9/10

    Any platformer players would love to play this game. I recommend this to anyone looking for a fun experience, full of puzzle, tough boss battle, and plenty of comedic value,    … Expand
  19. Fluffinella
    Sep 16, 2018
    7
    I liked it. I think it is a bit over-hyped. Pros: beautiful colorful graphics, catchy music and tight controls. Basic metriodvania goodness if you like backtracking....which leads me to the cons. 6 levels...4 of them you will be visiting a dozen times....so be aware of it. I think the dance option selection is unnecessarily tedious. I bought everything in the store 3 levels into theI liked it. I think it is a bit over-hyped. Pros: beautiful colorful graphics, catchy music and tight controls. Basic metriodvania goodness if you like backtracking....which leads me to the cons. 6 levels...4 of them you will be visiting a dozen times....so be aware of it. I think the dance option selection is unnecessarily tedious. I bought everything in the store 3 levels into the game....which seemed kind of lame. It is easy to max your gems at 999 and not be able to spend it on anything. Some frustrating parts in a few levels that made me want to chuck the controller....but non-the-less i finish it in 8 hours with 97% completion. I recommend you download it when it is on sale...otherwise there are better games to be played. Game on!… Expand
  20. crazykid008
    Sep 25, 2020
    1
    This game is bad cause shantae's attacks are weak and she is useless against any
  21. Ginger_Avenger
    Nov 16, 2022
    6
    First taste of the series here and I can say: it feels like a Capcom game from the 90s, and the art style and presentation are pretty nice. It's an OK challenge, and I did like it enough to finish it. I thought I'd like the transformations more, but it wasn't winning me over. Still, it's fun if you like these sorts of 2d platformers.
  22. Warrior_of_Doom
    Jul 19, 2023
    7
    The overall score is based on how much fun I personally had with every component of the game
    and the overall experience.

Awards & Rankings

57
#57 Best PS4 Game of 2016

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
81

Generally favorable reviews - based on 28 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 27 out of 28
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 28
  3. Negative: 0 out of 28
  1. DarkStation
    Apr 25, 2017
    80
    Shantae: Half-Genie Hero is an excellent 2D platformer that doesn’t take itself too seriously. The humor is quirky, the gameplay is great, and it expertly crafts a retro-style game into a glossy and new coat of paint. Even so, it didn’t seem to provide the same sense of awe that Shantae and the Pirate’s Curse provided in the not-so-distant past of 2014. This is not to say that Half-Genie Hero missed the mark; it’s just different from what you would expect out of the series. Fortunately, that’s one of the best features about the series as a whole. Each game feels unique, bringing a whole new taste to the table every time. This is what always brings me back to Shantae, and it’s what makes Half-Genie Hero all the more enjoyable. Ultimately, Shantae: Half-Genie Hero manages to create a sense of old-school bliss in the modern era where there proves to be little success, and it’s wonderful.
    Read full review
  2. games(TM)
    Mar 9, 2017
    80
    A delightful surprise that'll warm your heart. [Issue#184, p.81]
  3. Games Master UK
    Feb 18, 2017
    77
    A beautiful HD realisation of a very likeable world that's lovely to revisit. Both fun and funny. [Feb 2017, p.73]
See all critic reviews »