The soundtrack is simply superb: an eclectic range of soothing ambience, evocative piano, synth rock and so much more! Each piece reflects its setting wonderfully and is well worth a listen outside of gameplay. A first encounter with a group of travelling musicians gave a surprise fit of giggles! Lighting is also used to wonderful effect, drawing you in to each area’s unique atmosphere. Every area has so many little flourishes, and details which are a delight to look at and characters are both likeable and believable, not to mention funny in places. The pixel art and animations are simply beautiful, brimming with vibrance, colour and detail – the character animations, in particular, are reminiscent of Moon Hunters in their fluidity. Where Phoenotopia really shines, however, is in its art style and score. Depending on the skill level chosen at the beginning, this has now been adjusted to include basic attacks too, helping take the sting out of some of the more gruelling segments.
The stamina bar also originally affected every method of attack/tool use, even basic attacks, meaning Gail would be restricted to running and jumping until the bar refilled. Added to this, an in-game accessibility menu has a variety of options to better tailor the experience to suit your preference. While it is still a considerable challenge – Dark Souls was a big inspiration – players have the option to choose a skill level which will have certain aspects enabled or removed. The Switch release came under criticism for its punishing and often unfair combat difficulty which seemed very much at odds with the rest of the game. Because of this, healing in the field can be a tricky endeavour do you risk a fatal hit while trying to chow down or keep on the move? Which brings me to the aspect that divided players the most on initial release: difficulty.
Even the game said it might be good for fertiliser! But I acquired the knack on the second attempt – cooking confidence restored! Food takes varying lengths of time to consume, depending on the type of food. The latter took me a little by surprise as you’re thrown into it without warning it left me questioning my culinary skills afterwards. When injured, Gail can regain health by consuming food this is enhanced with fishing and cooking minigames. The pixel art and animatoins are simply beautiful, and the soundtrack is superb: an exlecting range of soothing ambience, evocative piano, and so much more. Phoentopia really shines in its art style and score. The only minor gripes I came across were that some tools take a little more getting used to than they should – the slingshot trajectory is much lower than the crosshair suggests! – and crawling is a little clumsy to execute when controlling with the joystick. Thankfully, Gail’s controls are smooth and responsive. Aerial attacks and falling from a height can also leave you open to attack, so timing and positioning are crucial. Using certain attacks and tools however requires stamina indicated by a green bar when the bar dips below a certain point, Gail becomes exhausted and must wait for the bar to refill before she can perform them again.
Phoenotopia awakening difficulty upgrade#
Gail can wield a variety of different weapons and tools to dispatch enemies and solve puzzles, as well as finding precious stones to increase her stats, upgrade her equipment or trade for other things. Some of said areas require a certain tool or item like a flute to gain access, encouraging the player to delve deeper into every area they uncover. However, Phoenotopia manages to create its own unique experience through a wonderful blend of different genre aspects, with a huge dollop of personality thrown in.Įxploration is the game’s main focus with a plethora of Metroidvania-style areas to explore and traverse, solving satisfying puzzles in order to progress further. The influences are proudly on display with its mix of side-scrolling action and top-down world map exploration.
Two words immediately come to mind within a few mins of gameplay: Zelda II.
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