Cave Story 3D Review: A Return to Greatness
Summary
Platform: 3DS, PC, WiiThe Pros:
Fantastic game play, an addictive story, multiple endings and hidden items will keep people playing for some time.The Cons:
It’s the same game that we have played three times now. Also, the main story can be beat in about three and half hours and the new art style just doesn't work.So back to my original question: Is Cave Story 3D still worth checking out? For new comers, the answer is an outstanding yes and you should stop reading this and go buy it right now. JUST PLAY IT ALREADY! Now, for veteran players the answer is still yes, but nowhere near as loud or prominent.
Cave Story is truly a Cinderella story in the gaming world. What started out as one man’s dream to design a game has turned into a worldwide phenomenon claiming millions of fans. The game was first released as free ware on the PC years ago and has been officially released on Nintendo platforms two times prior to this newest release. After all of its time out on the market in different forms, is Cave Story 3D still worth checking out? Well, that’s kind of a loaded question.
The story in Cave Story 3D is largely unchanged, but that does not take away from its genius. For newcomers, the story is rather simple but it is in its simplicity that people find themselves completely absorbed. Players will take control of a robot in a land inhabited by adorable, bunny like inhabitants called Mimigas. One of the Mimigas will explain to you that times are not so good for them, in fact they have never been worse. An evil man that will only be referred to as “The Doctor” has been snatching up these little fellas and those unlucky enough to be taken are never seen again. After hearing this, players will set out on an adventure to save the Mimigas from this evil man, and set the world straight once more.
Pew Pew Pew!
The characters in this game WILL make an impact on you and that is a promise. Though interactions with others will seem minimal, certain deaths and partnerships will drop your jaw at times. This is a true testament to the story telling ability of this game. You will never be told to care for these characters but for some reason you will. The plot evolves from something very simple, to something that will keep you twitching at your desk because you are not playing and want to know what happens next. It is an adventure that will be remembered.
The tight game play is something most games strive for. Players will control their character on a 2D, open world plain and will attack enemies with several, projectile based weapons that will be collected throughout the adventure. The weapons are all varied and provide several different strategies when confronting enemies and bosses. Also, each weapon is up-gradable by collecting little crystals that appear after killing enemies. Every time you take a hit however, the weapon will lose some of its experience. This adds a new sense of difficulty into the game, with players having to worry about their health and the condition of their weapons.
The physics in the game feel fantastic, with jumping speed and gravity taking center stage to create a platforming experience that rivals Nintendo’s own Mario series. The different worlds that are available to explore are all fully realized, offering unique experiences that will keep people interested through varied enemy types, fantastic music, and the promise of secrets to be found in every nook and cranny. The game can be unclear at times as to where players should be headed and what their purpose should be which may lead to some headaches. While to some this form of exploration may seem like fun, it can easily be seen as frustrating and time consuming.
In terms of visuals, Cave Story 3D is rocking a brand new style with environments that will take advantage of the 3D capabilities of the system. The face lift doesn’t seem necessary, seeing as the blocky characters and environments can seem slow, over encumbering, and sloppy. Luckily, the game comes with a feature that allows you to play with the original graphics, which I would highly recommend.
The original art style fits the feel of the game far better than its newer counterpart
So back to my original question: Is Cave Story 3D still worth checking out? For new comers, the answer is an outstanding yes and you should stop reading this and go buy it right now. JUST PLAY IT ALREADY! Now, for veteran players the answer is still yes, but nowhere near as loud or prominent. The game comes with modes previously unavailable on the original PC version and is jam packed with new secrets to find but that doesn’t over shadow the fact that it is still the same story, the same characters, the same levels, and the same game play.
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