Recent reviews by VortexParty

This has been one of the most fun puzzle games I've ever played. It has so many good aspects it is a little difficult to begin listing them...

The gameplay is very satisfying and allows you to get familiar with the different mechanics and stage elements, this way a mechanic/element that is introduced early on can still appear in later puzzle stages without it feeling out of place or without you forgetting how to interact with it. This also ties in with the games difficulty. I will say I am not particularly adept at puzzle games, but even with the hardest stages I had a great time figuring them out or trying different ways to tackle them. The last two worlds in particular are the ones that gave me the most trouble, but you can really solve everything Blobun has to offer if you are patient and persevere.

The game does not punish you for not knowing how to complete a puzzle. You can skip stages, retry as many times as necessary, undo each step you take (rather than restart each time), and it even provides hints. There are no timers to stress you out either.
You can also move Stephanie (the bunny protagonist) through different means, be them mouse cursor so you click on the tile you want her to move to, making the path with your mouse, or just using arrow keys.

It has a neat design, with easy to navigate menus and good UI. The illustrations are also very nice and cute. Music was definitely one of my favorite aspects too, it is great and fits the theme of each world perfectly.

Overall it was a great game and one you're bound to have fun with, even if the puzzle genre isn't your forte. Loved it all the way.

I want to preface this review by saying that I was familiar with the Shinsengumi and their role as cultural icons in Japanese media and extended culture as a whole, even before playing this game. Perhaps no other Japanese political group has been romanticized as much as they have, it is quite fascinating to me. The end of the Bakumatsu period signaled a big shift for Japan, after all. This game is a testament to all those ideas, attributes, and even exaggerations bestowed upon the group and their history together. Of course, you don't have to know about the Shinsengumi beforehand to enjoy this game. It does a good job at explaining the era's political climate, and the glossary feature is helpful if you want to learn more as well.

You should know that there is a fantasy element to the game too. It personally is what kept me so interested and wanting to come back for more each time, along with the political themes in some of the routes. It is also what sets it apart from other retellings of the history of the Shinsengumi. Each route has differences that make you want to keep playing through them and seeing how the story develops. I will say though, some are better written than others. I do not know if it is something to do with the localization, but the dialogue in certain routes did make me roll my eyes on a few ocassions. Still, each route has something that everyone can enjoy.
Also, as other people have mentioned this particular Hakuoki game isn't as heavy on the romance as the next one (Edo Blossoms). There is ocassional romantic dialogue, but it is not the main focus.

All in all, there is a reason for why Hakuoki is one of the most popular otome franchises of them all. Kyoto Winds has a beautiful, emotional soundtrack, pretty illustrations, stellar voice acting, and a engaging rethreading of the narrative surrounding the Shinsengumi.

Balan Wonderworld is an amazing, fun, and beautiful game. It took me back to the days I played Mario Galaxy as a kid, where you would just explore and try different things with the power-ups (even if it ended up with you dying) and then you would talk to your friends about it. The game rewards you for your experimentation with the different costumes and gives you a lot of freedom on how to tackle different scenarios, either with the costumes provided in each act or the ones you have obtained previously.

The character design, level design, and soundtrack are my favorite parts of the game. They all come together in a cohesive style that gives Balan Wonderworld a unique aesthetic inspired by theater, dreams, and each character's personality/likes; representing their aspirations and inner turmoils that you as the player have to help them overcome.

My only criticism is the frequency of the enemy respawns. It can be kind of tedious, specially if you are only coming back for a costume or a collectible.

Aside from that I seriously enjoyed every second of this game. If you like cute designs, banger music, and feel nostalgic about platformers from the early 2000s, please give Balan Wonderworld a try.

PS. Lance are you free on Friday night.

Delightful little game with cute art, fun dialogue, and a simple yet sweet story. I was pleased to see accesibility options included too, but I would've liked an option that removed the color flashing in some of the "Think" stages. Regardless, as a long-time Sonic fan this game was a neat surprise and I would love to see more like it. I personally think that even if you aren't a Sonic fan you can enjoy this game too.