We live in an unprecedentedly aggressive consideration financial system, one during which time and power are more and more finite and valuable. Because of this, it may be simple to miss video games which seem easy and unassuming at first look: retro monochromatic Game Boy-style graphics, cute-but-childish anthropomorphic characters, 8-bit chiptune soundtrack — Melon Journey: Bittersweet Memories is an old-school journey RPG nostalgia journey, certain, however it reconnects us to a less complicated gaming time and it is obtained all of the hallmarks of a future hidden gem.
The unique Melon Journey was a small RPG maker sport created over a decade in the past by indie crew Froach Club. It shortly turned a cult traditional, with a sold-out ‘Pocket’ model being launched for Game Boy later this 12 months by Limited Run Games. This new entry with the ‘Bittersweet Memories’ subtitle was created as much less of a sequel to the unique, and extra of an enlargement on the earlier bite-sized explorative journey.
Like lots of the finest issues in life — cats, Kirby, or Super Nintendo World during a power outage — Melon Journey is cute on the skin, however darkish on the within. It’s obtained all the trimmings of a kids’s sport (speaking animals, fruit-themed storylines, cheery music) however inside the first few moments of play you understand there’s one thing far more sinister taking place on the melon manufacturing unit. You management Honeydew the bunny as they search Hog Town for his or her lacking pal, Cantaloupe. The finest a part of this sport is the intriguing storyline, so we’ll keep away from spoiling something. Suffice it to say, some very mature themes are handled, they usually solely change into darker as you progress. While enjoying, we had been steadily reminded of one in all our different favourite video games, EarthBound — in case you’re a fan of the Mother sequence, we predict you may get pleasure from Melon Journey.
The world introduced right here is small, however it’s stuffed with element and completionists will discover a acquainted pleasure in checking each green-tinted pixel for easter eggs, hints, and hilarity. In many cases, investigating issues greater than as soon as isn’t solely a compulsion, it is a requirement for finishing sure duties, and can reward gamers with numerous new discoveries. Certain aspect quests and cutscenes within the sport will solely be accessible when particular choices are made, which suggests checking every thing a number of occasions over as you play.
It undoubtedly has a satirical aspect that anybody aware of the Game Boy period will respect. Humorous nods to the all-green colour palette, moments the place the audio skips or pops out and in with sound results and scene adjustments, and even cases of NPCs breaking the fourth wall to touch upon the sheer ridiculousness of their outdated world, that is figuring out nostalgia accomplished effectively. There’s even a secret music hidden within the 90-title jazzy soundtrack that options actual vocals and is fairly catchy. There’s a depth and a soul right here that many trendy video games appear to lack, changed as a substitute by flashy open worlds. While each types have their deserves, Melon Journey appears like a well timed reminder that not each world must be open.
In the world of artwork and creativity, there’s a now-familiar idea known as the “constraint mindset” during which artistic pondering is extremely activated when there are fewer assets to work with, and that strategy is one which Froach Club and XSEED have mastered right here, stripping the core journey again to 2-bit-style pixel artwork, bare-bones D-pad and A/B inputs, and chiptune audio, however with a passionate focus and a spotlight to element on the story that many extra superficially complicated video games lack.
On the topic of D-pad enter, you may shortly understand that the analogue stick is not one of the simplest ways to play, because the constraints on in-game motion are very genuine to the gridded programs of the 8-bit period which will be difficult to manage with a stick. You’ll need to seize your Pro Controller or something with a directional pad for the most effective expertise.
In addition to the minimalism inherent within the gameplay and design, Melon Journey’s size can also be a breath of recent air, taking solely five-ish hours to roll credit (or extra, in case you’re like us and compulsively verify all the issues, over and time and again). While some would possibly really feel the sport is just too quick for his or her liking, we discovered it a refreshing change of tempo.
Of course, nothing is ideal, particularly in artwork; twice whereas enjoying, we skilled game-breaking bugs that precipitated crashes, and with an absence of contemporary options we have all grown accustomed to, reminiscent of autosave, this did change into a bit irritating. You’ll shortly end up slipping again into the behavior of repeatedly re-saving your progress after every new scene and discovery made — once more, nostalgic, however annoying. We think about these bugs could also be fastened with the deliberate day-one replace, however nonetheless they broke a few of the magic for us within the second.
The crew behind the sport undoubtedly went all-in on their dedication to the monochromatic colour palette and 8-bit-style soundtrack, too, so be ready for each your eyes and ears to expertise some graphical and audio fatigue by repetition. It’s catchy and cute at first, however has the potential to change into tiresome after a number of hours — which makes it doubly vital that Melon Journey would not outstay its welcome.
If you are somebody who finds your self speed-reading by dialogue and skipping cutscenes, avoiding investigation of each single nook and cranny, then Melon Journey is NOT for you. This is a good little story-driven, exploration-based thriller RPG, plain and easy. Do your self a favor and keep away from this explicit journey if you’re not a serial completionist who lives for dialogue and NPC interactions. You have been warned.
Conclusion
All in all, we cherished Melon Journey: Bittersweet Memories for taking us again to our roots and reminding us of less complicated occasions when video games had been far more restricted and required a singular sort of creativity and creativeness of their nostalgic design and witty storytelling. Short however candy, in case you’re searching for a well-written little journey that walks a darkish path, you may get pleasure from this evocative, melon-choly journey.
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