Shantae: Half-Genie Hero

 PlayStation Vita
Metascore
82

Generally favorable reviews - based on 4 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 4
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 4
  3. Negative: 0 out of 4
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  1. The Vita Lounge
    Jan 11, 2017
    90
    A charming action, puzzle, platformer that's competent in almost everything it sets out to accomplish. Shantae: Half-Genie Hero is a hilarious and tight experience with a very likable cast and excellent visuals, writing, dialogue, and voice-over. If there's one complaint to be had, it's that it's a little too easy.
  2. Wccftech
    Jan 8, 2017
    90
    A true blast to play, thanks to a beautiful presentation, great writing and an excellent, varied gameplay experience that never feels stale, with plenty of optional content that makes everything even better.
  3. GameSpew
    Dec 27, 2016
    80
    Shantae: Half-Genie Hero brings the series to the best place it has ever been, thanks to some fantastic visuals, a catchy soundtrack and a loveable cast of characters.
  5. Game Informer
    Jan 9, 2017
    78
    Shantae’s reliance on revisiting levels holds Half-Genie hero back, but the excellent platforming, myriad transformation abilities, and characters elevate it to an experience worth pursuing. The world of Sequin Land is a fun place to visit and I enjoyed my time there, even if I was forced to keep seeing the same sights.

User Reviews

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User Score
8.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 36 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 26 out of 36
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 36
  3. Negative: 5 out of 36
  1. Yanarchy
    Dec 21, 2016
    4
    Gaming at 7 FPS has never been less fun. I am a huge Shantae fan, having played every game in the series multiple times and I love every one.Gaming at 7 FPS has never been less fun. I am a huge Shantae fan, having played every game in the series multiple times and I love every one. I was looking forward to this one for it's HD graphics, but I can confidently say I would rather have the pixel art any day if performance is the price I have to pay. I can only speak for the Vita release, but this game plays like crap! I have experienced massive frame drops at even the most non-intensive sections of the game. It might be great on other platforms, and feel free to try this game on them, but don't even bother here. In regards to the gameplay itself, it behaves like classic Shantae: whip, jump, and transform your way through the various levels of the game. Unfortunately, the game decided to totally ditch the exploration element of it's Metroidvania style that made it so much fun to play. Rather than exploring levels room by room, you play through straight-forward left to right platforming levels with practically no exploration whatsoever. You can go back to levels to get new stuff with your new abilities and transformations, but since there is no segmented map to rely on this task becomes tedious and confusing, often requiring you to play an entire level again just for a measly health container or other non-essential power up. In summary, although Shantae has never looked better, this version of the game suffers from massive framerate issues, and the game itself is shallow and tedious. I can't recommend this game, but I might recommend other versions to only the most die-hard of Shantae fans.… Full Review »
  2. Tomoncio
    Aug 27, 2021
    9
    ¡Es imprescindible tener este gran plataformas en PSVita! Shantae: Half-Genie Hero tiene una jugabilidad muy buena. No sólo se trata de saltar¡Es imprescindible tener este gran plataformas en PSVita! Shantae: Half-Genie Hero tiene una jugabilidad muy buena. No sólo se trata de saltar y derribar enemigos: también tienes que aprender transformaciones (mono, sirena, águila, etc.) y sacar provecho de ellos. Por este motivo, aunque el juego tenga pocas zonas, invita revisitarlas con frecuencia tras adquirir nuevas transformaciones para desbloquear secretos y nuevos poderes. En cuanto a la historia es fácil de entender, si bien la traducción al castellano es bastante mala. Gráficamente se ve genial, aunque en áreas con muchos enemigos pueden haber caídas de FPS (normalmente se mantiene a 60 fps y si baja nunca es por debajo de 40 fps). Y la banda sonora es muy pero que muy motivadora. Aparte del modo de juego principal, mediante DLC puedes desbloquear otros modos donde incluso puedes jugar con otros personajes o cambiar los poderes de Shantae. ¡Sin duda alguna es un imprescindible!… Full Review »
  3. onenaghi
    Jul 29, 2018
    9
    One of the best platformers on the Vita, Shantae plays and looks great. The production level quality is brilliantly demonstrated in theOne of the best platformers on the Vita, Shantae plays and looks great. The production level quality is brilliantly demonstrated in the visuals, music, and audio.

    The gameplay is well balanced, including both easy and difficult sections. The game also gives you plenty of opportunities to make use of her various form transformation dances and magic. The game can be be done in less than 10 hours, but if you want to collect all the items or look for "clues" for a better ending, it will definitely take longer. Finding secret areas and hidden items is rewarding but going back to find them can sometimes feel repetitive. The level designs are very well done, but it's quality over quantity since there is only a handful of areas to enjoy. Thankfully there are also more modes and characters to explore.

    Overall, I'm very happy to come across this game. If you're looking for a great platform game, this game has plenty of fun. It plays as good as it looks.    … Full Review »
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