Melon Journey: Bittersweet Memories Review

Melon Journey: Bittersweet Memories on PC

Story-driven video games have all the time been identified so as to add just a few twists and turns, thrilling the participant sufficient to wish to play extra. But, within the case of Melon Journey: Bittersweet Memories, it as an alternative offers a brand new which means to sudden moments with its stunning outcomes and dark-humoristic dialogue scenes.

If you aren’t accustomed to Melon Journey, the sport initially made its debut in 2012, by which it will definitely turned a cult traditional as an RPG maker. It would then result in an increase in recognition for the builders, Froach Club, 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 Games and Poppy Works.

Although the principle storyline doesn’t supply something too sustainable, the energetic presence of Hog Town is the place the center of the narrative really lives, from the chaotic Cavity Crew gang to the ability couple Kitten Princess and Strong Dog. Each 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 will be. You can see a wonderful instance of this initially of the sport when a co-worker belittles you for not understanding the place your office is, differing from customary tutorial phases that strive that will help you at first.

Melon Journey: Bittersweet Memories Scene — Image Source: Froach Club & Poppy Works through Twinfinite

As the story goes, you’ll be taught that melons are basically a drug that causes many dangerous unintended effects. While Hog Town deems it unlawful, Ham Town relishes its candy taste and produces a soda manufacturing facility to make use of it for revenue. Players will tackle the position of a advertising 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 Town, an odd place with distinctive characters and places. When exploring the grounds, I used to be stunned at each flip since nothing was fairly prefer it appeared. Sometimes I’d come across a Cheese Cult in a cemetery, and different instances, I’d discover a canine expressing its admiration for the form of a hydrant.

If 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 Memories. In most circumstances, residents is not going to 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 affords a extra reasonable and comedic tackle this typical recreation mechanic.

There’s additionally a touch of fourth-wall-breaking moments in varied scenes that always made me query what was actual or not. In explicit, when interacting with a selected object, you’ll get the fundamental ‘Do you want to pull the lever?’ immediate, solely to search out out that it’s really the lever speaking to you and never the sport itself.

Talking Lever Scene in Melon Journey: Bittersweet Memories — Image Source: Froach Club & Poppy Works through Twinfinite

The gameplay mechanics are comparatively simple to observe because it primarily focuses on exploration and decision-making duties. As you might anticipate, decisions closely influence the story’s final result, even when it might appear minor or inconsequential. Something so simple as grabbing a bowl of chili might enable you to later down the street and open the door to different narratives for aspect characters.

I sometimes bumped into hassle after I wasn’t positive the place to go as a result of absence of a map and mission tracker system. However, it didn’t take me too lengthy to determine the following plan whereas roaming round, and generally it could lead me to one of many character’s questlines for achievement completions.

The outcomes from selections can also shock you as a result of they by no means actually go as deliberate. For occasion, a “good” choice might result in a horrendous accident, whereas an “evil” interplay might flip right into a heroic act. Just after I assume 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 Memories’ 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. Players may anticipate others to affix their social gathering, offering them with humorous situations that the group often 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 kinds and expands additional throughout horror-esque cases.

Party in Melon Journey: Bittersweet Memories — Image Source: Froach Club & Poppy Works through Twinfinite

Don’t fear; it’s not a scary recreation in a means, contemplating that it primarily lies throughout the cozy recreation style. Melon Journey: Bittersweet Memories 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 really drive the story, with all their weird desires, difficult relationships, and riveting origins. My private favourite is Ham Ghost Jr., who began as an annoying character till he finally wormed his means into my coronary heart. There are nonetheless, in fact, quite a lot of different residents that I loved speaking to, and I’m assured that each participant will no less than discover one in every of their very own favorites with every passing act.

Those who’re achievement hunters can have some enjoyable with the sport’s story-driven and hidden trophies. I spent about three hours in complete with the Melon Journey: Bittersweet Memories, and I nonetheless have but to do one other playthrough to get just a few that I missed. The achievements are additionally comparatively distinctive in comparison with different video games, as you need to assume exterior the field to earn them.

In a gaming world full of violence and battle, it’s good to sit down again and calm down in an lovely universe like Melon Journey: Bittersweet Memories. So, in case you are in search of your subsequent cozy recreation, it is best to completely choose it up for a meager value and get to know all these lovely characters. But make sure to not overindulge an excessive amount of in these candy, juicy melons.