New Yuji Naka Platformer - Balan Wonderworld (Multiplatform)

I absolutely enjoyed the demo and can see why people like that game. It's a breath of fresh air compared to all the Dark Souls-like games and the 2D platformers. A 3D game which is just good casual fun.
 
Does anyone know if the Switch version's performance has improved over the demo? This seems like a game I'd enjoy, but the frame rate in the Switch demo was awful!
 
I bought it. Really enjoying it tbh. Janky and awkward at times for sure, but also imaginative and fun. It really does feel like a Dreamcast/PS2 era platformer. Whether that's a good thing is a matter of personal taste, but I love it.
 
I noticed it's X/S enhanced so I'm interested to see how it performs on the Series S when I get round to it, hopefully this weekend :blush:

Oh no, I hope your lil friend gets better soon. I'm glad you're taking proper care of him/her, though.
Thank you! Yeah he's had his drip taken out today but for some reason they didn't stitch the wound up where the drip was, they just left it open which is really bizarre. He's still got a little bit of leakage from where they removed the fatty lump so maybe that's why 🤔 He's due in for a checkup again on Saturday so maybe they'll see how it goes then.
 
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Nintendo Power magazine in the US? Was the beginning village just dropped in middle iirc. Demos usually aren't a great overall representation because small slices rarely do.

Another example being the US Shenmue 2x demo; didn't really sell anything in particular too well, although was a cool part if you had played the full game and story. Randomly drops you into Don Jiang diner meeting+fight+qte. Cool--but as a demo?

Demos being used as a full final judgment seems rash but all too common occurrence. Glad to hear Balan seems to have improved in final release.
 
Nintendo Power magazine in the US? Was the beginning village just dropped in middle iirc. Demos usually aren't a great overall representation because small slices rarely do.

Another example being the US Shenmue 2x demo; didn't really sell anything in particular too well, although was a cool part if you had played the full game and story. Randomly drops you into Don Jiang diner meeting+fight+qte. Cool--but as a demo?

Demos being used as a full final judgment seems rash but all too common occurrence. Glad to hear Balan seems to have improved in final release.
It's reviewing horribly. Seems people here just like it. Doesn't sound like anything substantial changed. My kid enjoyed the demo, but I found it pretty miserable. I'm sure they can fix the pop-in and the weird motion sickness stuff, but the gameplay is super, super, super basic. Def. one I was looking forward to (I made the thread!), but the demo and reviews have put me off.
 
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Finally got my copy in the mail. I played the demo, so when playing the full release, I could tell that it felt a bit more fluid when it came to movement. It almost felt a little too fast at first, but I got used to it pretty quickly.

I can understand some of the complaints people have, the levels are definitely not Super Mario quality when it comes to design. I feel like they are at their best when I take my time and try to find every hidden collectible I can. I also enjoy the costumes. At one point in chapter 3, one of the costumes changes it’s ability depending on the environment. That’s one instance where I felt the costumes were just fun to use and try experimenting with. Even though changing costumes does take a few seconds, the game isn’t very fast-paced to begin with, so it doesn’t really impact the experience. Also, the ‘one button does everything’ part of it hasn’t bothered me so far.

It’s definitely not one of the best platformers, but so far it’s just a fun, lighthearted game that has some amazing music and character designs.
 
I absolutely enjoyed the demo and can see why people like that game. It's a breath of fresh air compared to all the Dark Souls-like games and the 2D platformers. A 3D game which is just good casual fun.
I'm absolutely mind boggled. I appreciate a light hearted game with some colour is a nice break from the muted tones and serious nature of what seems to be most games now, but this game (based on the demo) is absolute garbage. What exactly do you enjoy about it?
 
That's like saying NiGHTS is garbage based on its very simplistic gameplay :rolleyes:
Remember it's okay for people to like stuff you don't like and they don't have to justify it.
 
I've not played it only heard the things I've seen in the press.

I'm convinced part of the backlash is that it's a game that harks back to a different era and some people don't get the charm of those types of game. God forbid something being different from the raft of shooters/Story games we seem to get, some I enjoy too.

People can like what they like. Who cares if something reviews badly if the purchaser likes it then game on. I know reviews carry weight in terms of decision making in some regard but.... I dunno I just think games should be about creativity, of course constructively critique, but games should be about enjoyment and freedom. More and more I see this is being lost.
 
That's what convinced me to buy it.
How my own brain is starting to interpret game reviews lately...

Feels like a PS2 game = Hmm. Might be worth checking out. :unsure:

A transcendent, deeply philosophical tour de force of artistry that questions the human condition 🧐 = Avoid.
 
To be honest, I've always been a bit like that. If the masses didn't like it I always had this strong feeling I would.
And 90% of the time I have :LOL:
 
That's like saying NiGHTS is garbage based on its very simplistic gameplay :rolleyes:
Remember it's okay for people to like stuff you don't like and they don't have to justify it.
No doubt, but NiGHTS and this are a lot different. NiGHTS was cutting edge when it came out. Definitely not to everyone’s taste, but no one could say they’d ever seen or played anything like it.

Def. agree no one should defend themselves. Enjoy what you want. I’m bummed out, personally, but I’m glad some of you like it.
 
A bit depressing reading/watching the mainstream public/critics drag this game through the mud. I'll still support it, but Imma wait abit to see if some of the short-coming people's reported gets ironed out technically through more patches and during a time where I can really sit down and absorbed the work on its own merit without all these opinions still sitting fresh on the back of my mind.
 
Easy Allies gave it a 4.5....Easy Allies...the guys who are generally pretty lenient about everything...they gave it a 4.5

Is it really that bad? I thought the demo was too simplistic for its own good, but the game certainly had some charm that still left me slightly intrigued. Is it just a case of critics dragging it through the mud? Or is it bad?
 
Easy Allies gave it a 4.5....Easy Allies...the guys who are generally pretty lenient about everything...they gave it a 4.5

Is it really that bad? I thought the demo was too simplistic for its own good, but the game certainly had some charm that still left me slightly intrigued. Is it just a case of critics dragging it through the mud? Or is it bad?
Personally, I heard about the bad reception from the demo and went and bought Balan anyway, I'm glad I did because I'm really enjoying the game. The critics seem to describe the gameplay as frustrating but I genuinely find it relaxing. I mean, it's not as if the game is hard, all those dancing characters scattered around the level are a pretty obvious hint about which costume you should use in any given situation. The rest will come naturally as you get more familiar with the costumes. I've found both the sheep/flower (slow hover descent) and cat (running through the air for a short period) extremely useful when replaying levels to get those hard to reach trophies.

Those trophies though, necessary to get a set number for progression, perhaps that's where to find the real problem with the critics? Make no mistake Balan is a throwback to PS2/N64 collect-a-thon platformers. Something that critics have repeatedly claimed to love in all manner of editorials and videos over the years. Yet the similarly designed collect-a-thon Yooka-Laylee also drastically underperformed and met with lukewarm reviews. Charitably I'd say there is a serious discontent between expectations and reality, the critics claim to want something but when they actually get it they dismiss these games out of hand.

But that's not the full story here. The attitude towards Balan from the professional gaming media has gone from dismissal to outright hatred. More of a visceral reaction then a rational response, the critics are throwing everything they've got at it. As though they are trying to kill Balan before it can establish itself as a franchise. Like the return of Yuji Naka with this weird dreamscape of a platformer somehow represents an existential threat. Are they scared? Do they fear that if given the chance Yuji Naka will create a new Sonic and start another console war? Either way it does the industry no good to have so many apparent lizard brains trying to shape online discussion.
 
Personally, I think they gave it those reviews because it’s $60 and plays and looks like something that should cost no more than $20. Sorry. I don’t buy into these dramatic scenarios. He’s barely relevant anymore. No ones trying to destroy his career. I think it’s tough that these reviews can potentially stop someone’s career in its tracks, but developing a game with a very narrow group of fans in mind tends to lead to poor sales, etc.

I’ve only played the demo, but I’ve read a few reviews and seen full gameplay. The game’s not technically great and the gameplay is extremely basic. There are also quite a few graphical glitches. What reviews should it have gotten, if the world were more fair? I think it’s objectively not up to standards, so what would you hope to see in a more balanced review?
 
Yeah I didn't understand why Yooka Laylee received the reception it did either. It did exactly what it claimed to do and somehow that was bad? Didn't get that one either at all.

As for Balan. I liked the atmosphere of that demo, but the game play was just too brain dead to really enjoy for me. But then again, I think I honestly don't really care for 3D collect-a-thons too much as is. It's not a particular favorite genre of mine.
 
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