Melon Journey: Bittersweet Reminiscences on PC
Story-driven video games have at all times been recognized so as to add a number of twists and turns, thrilling the participant sufficient to need to play extra. However, within the case of Melon Journey: Bittersweet Reminiscences, it as a substitute offers a brand new which means to sudden moments with its shocking outcomes and dark-humoristic dialogue scenes.
Should you aren’t acquainted with Melon Journey, the sport initially made its debut in 2012, through which it will definitely grew to become a cult traditional as an RPG maker. It could then result in an increase in recognition for the builders, Froach Membership, who continues to make much more adorably designed video games through the years. And now, they’re returning to the classics with the re-imagination of Melon Journey, that includes a green-tinted 2D pixelated world from the publishers XSEED Video games and Poppy Works.
Though the primary storyline doesn’t supply something too sustainable, the energetic presence of Hog City is the place the guts of the narrative actually lives, from the chaotic Cavity Crew gang to the ability couple Kitten Princess and Robust Canine. Every time I had a dialogue with a resident, I’d be thrown off guard by each phrase they stated, given how blunt and anomalous characters might be. You may see a wonderful instance of this at the beginning of the sport when a co-worker belittles you for not understanding the place your office is, differing from commonplace tutorial phases that attempt that can assist you to start with.
Because the story goes, you’ll be taught that melons are primarily a drug that causes many dangerous negative effects. Whereas Hog City deems it unlawful, Ham City relishes its candy taste and produces a soda manufacturing unit to make use of it for revenue. Gamers will tackle the function of a advertising and marketing worker of this sugary institution as they decipher the thriller of what occurred to their lacking good friend, Cantaloupe.
You’ll largely seek for your companion at Hog City, a wierd place with distinctive characters and areas. When exploring the grounds, I used to be stunned at each flip since nothing was fairly prefer it appeared. Generally I’d come across a Cheese Cult in a cemetery, and different occasions, I’d discover a canine expressing its admiration for the form of a hydrant.
Should you’re the sort who wonders why online game characters get away with breaking and coming into, you’ll undoubtedly take pleasure in what occurs each time you enter a home in Melon Journey: Bittersweet Reminiscences. Typically, residents won’t take kindly to gamers going inside their properties and can name them nosy or downright bizarre. I discovered it refreshing to see this aspect, because it gives a extra sensible and comedic tackle this typical recreation mechanic.
There’s additionally a touch of fourth-wall-breaking moments in numerous scenes that usually made me query what was actual or not. Particularly, when interacting with a selected object, you’ll get the fundamental ‘Do you need to pull the lever?’ immediate, solely to seek out out that it’s really the lever speaking to you and never the sport itself.
The gameplay mechanics are comparatively simple to comply with because it primarily focuses on exploration and decision-making duties. As you could count on, selections closely influence the story’s end result, even when it might appear minor or inconsequential. One thing so simple as grabbing a bowl of chili might enable you to later down the highway and open the door to different narratives for aspect characters.
I often bumped into hassle once I wasn’t positive the place to go as a result of absence of a map and mission tracker system. Nevertheless, it didn’t take me too lengthy to determine the following plan whereas roaming round, and typically it could lead me to one of many character’s questlines for achievement completions.
The outcomes from selections may additionally shock you as a result of they by no means actually go as deliberate. As an illustration, a “good” choice might result in a horrendous accident, whereas an “evil” interplay might flip right into a heroic act. Simply once I suppose I’ve figured it out all out, the sport throws me a curve ball and makes me query my choice in a virtualized world.
Melon Journey: Bittersweet Reminiscences’ touring mechanic might come off as gradual at first, however you’ll get to unlock Rollerblades to make the method a lot faster and entertaining. Gamers also can count on others to hitch their celebration, offering them with humorous eventualities that the group regularly will get themselves into. On high of that, the define of the small display screen can change all through your journey, the place it takes on many varieties and expands additional throughout horror-esque cases.
Don’t fear; it’s not a scary recreation in a method, contemplating that it primarily lies inside the cozy recreation style. Melon Journey: Bittersweet Reminiscences even has an digital and jazz-inspired LoFi soundtrack to make the general expertise stress-free and enjoyable to play. With over 90 songs, I’d bob my head or go to sleep to the soothing sounds of the sport’s composer, markeryjane.
At its core, the characters are what actually drive the story, with all their weird desires, sophisticated relationships, and riveting origins. My private favourite is Ham Ghost Jr., who began as an annoying character till he finally wormed his method into my coronary heart. There are nonetheless, after all, a wide range of different residents that I loved speaking to, and I’m assured that each participant will not less than discover considered one of their very own favorites with every passing act.
Those that are achievement hunters may have some enjoyable with the sport’s story-driven and hidden trophies. I spent about three hours in whole with the Melon Journey: Bittersweet Reminiscences, and I nonetheless have but to do one other playthrough to get a number of that I missed. The achievements are additionally comparatively distinctive in comparison with different video games, as you must suppose outdoors the field to earn them.
In a gaming world crammed with violence and warfare, it’s good to take a seat again and loosen up in an cute universe like Melon Journey: Bittersweet Reminiscences. So, in case you are in search of your subsequent cozy recreation, it is best to completely decide it up for a meager value and get to know all these cute characters. However make sure to not overindulge an excessive amount of in these candy, juicy melons.
Reviewer: Kristina Ebanez | Award: Editor’s Alternative | Copy offered by Writer.
Professionals
- Eccentric and cute forged.
- Oddly humorous dialogue moments.
- A shock at each flip.
Cons
- No directional map to information gamers.
- Aspect tales overshadow the primary storyline.
Launch Date
April 6, 2023
Developer
Froach Membership & Poppy Works
Writer
Poppy Works & XSEED Video games
Consoles
PC, Nintendo Change, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Sequence X|S
