Shantae and the Seven Sirens Review

The first Shantae game was released back in 2002 and since then there have been a total of five titles, including the most recent Shantae and the Seven Sirens. While developer WayForward is known for making highly enjoyable games, the Shantae series is easy to mark as the company's main offering. Now, three years after the release of Shantae: Half-Genie Hero, the team have taken everything they know and put it together in what could easily be one of their best releases ever.

The story for this adventure sees Shantae and friends head off to a tropical island, to take part in a half-genie festival, but while Shantae and the other half-genies might be the guests of honour, things don’t stay peaceful for long. During the opening performance all of the half-genies bar-Shantae suddenly disappear meaning it’s up to our main star to save the day. The mission to rescue the kidnapped half-genies will see players not only exploring the Sunken City beneath the island, but also facing off against series rival Risky Boots, and deadly Sirens themselves on a grand adventure that is easily Shantae’s best yet.

In Shantae and the Seven Sirens players will find a more metroidvania style of gameplay that sees them exploring an interconnected world, full of characters to meet, enemies to beat, and dungeons to complete. As is the norm with this genre there is a lot of backtracking to explore areas again with new abilities, all of which are gained throughout the course of the game at a steady pace. Thanks to the new “fusion magic” ability, Shantae is able to transform into creatures at the press of a button making the gameplay a much more fluid experience. Her signature dance is still present, but this is now used for special abilities that have a much wider impact on the game such as revealing pathways and secrets, or shocking all enemies on screen.

There's also the new Monster Card system that adds another layer onto the gameplay by allowing players to choose three perks that fit their playstyle. As enemies are defeated they will occasionally drop these cards, and by finding enough of each one, you will be able to activate its perk. These can offer benefits such as a small movement speed increase to having extra damage or defense. While they help players get an advantage that works for them they never feel like they break the game’s balance. In fact, experimenting with the different combination of Monster Cards you have is encouraged as even those miniature perks can help you out in a pinch.

These changes sit comfortably with the standard platforming controls that fans of the series will have come to know, along with Shantae’s ability to use a range of magic abilities. While the opening moments have you limited to only basic movement and your hair whip attack, within no time at all you’ll be performing combo moves on bosses all while avoiding damage and feeling the adrenaline rush. In many ways, it feels as though Shantae and the Seven Sirens has been designed to offer players a chance to create a unique build that dramatically changes up how they experience the gameplay. You’ll be hard pressed not to want to mix things up on subsequent runs.

As good as the core gameplay loop is however, it’s worth drawing attention to arguably the only real negative within the title. This comes in two forms, one being the spikes that when touched instantly kill you and put you back to the start of a room, the other being the poison water you take continuous damage in. These hazards are not major issues and are present to provide a sense of challenge, which they do very well. That said, some of the placement of them feels poor and you can often find yourself losing progress due to a sudden misstep. But even with the minor headache these caused, the rest of the level design within Shantae and the Seven Sirens is challenging while still remaining fun, even when backtracking through an area for the fifth time.

Of course, this wouldn’t be a Shantae game without some stellar visuals and audio throughout. The artwork is sharp and stylised with plenty of little details to be found across the whole title and its loveable cast of characters. As is the norm with the Shantae games, everyone is bouncing to the beat and each of these animations, along with attack and enemy animations, are smooth and easy to read. The title is beautiful both in motion during a hectic boss battle and in the moments of rest when standing in a town. It’s all easy to read and adds a layer of character that feels unique to Shantae and the Seven Sirens.

Speaking of character, the game's soundtrack is a fantastic offering that aids in bringing the world of Shantae and the Seven Sirens to life that bit more. While the soundtrack this time around has more of a chiptune feel, it doesn’t take away from the quality. Each zone is elevated by it’s accompanying track and the boss music really gets the blood pumping. This is one of those soundtracks you’ll be listening to for hours even after you finish the game. Likewise the vocal performance of the cast on the characters is top notch and feels right at home. When it comes to the presentation, Shantae and the Seven Sirens gets top marks.

With Shantae and the Seven Sirens, developer WayForward has outdone itself by creating one of the best gaming experiences of 2020. From the polished gameplay that feels fluid yet accessible, to the stunning presentation, this is a game that is definitely worth your time. If you are a longtime fan of the Shantae series or looking for a place to start, you won’t go wrong with Shantae and the Seven Sirens.