Shantae: Half-Genie Hero
| Shantae: Half-Genie Hero | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | WayForward Technologies |
| Publisher(s) |
WayForward Technologies Marvelous USA[note 1] |
| Composer(s) | Jake Kaufman |
| Series | Shantae |
| Platform(s) |
Microsoft Windows PlayStation 4 PlayStation Vita Wii U Xbox One |
| Release date(s) | Q4 2016 |
| Genre(s) | Platform, Metroidvania |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
Shantae: Half-Genie Hero, stylized as Shantae: ½ Genie Hero, is an upcoming platform video game in development by WayForward Technologies for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Wii U, and Xbox One. It is the fourth game in the Shantae series, following Shantae and the Pirate's Curse, and the first to be specifically developed for high definition game platforms.
The game was funded via Kickstarter,[1] and although the campaign ended in October 2013, WayForward still accepted donations via PayPal on its website up to December 2014.[2] The game will be released in Q4 2016.[3]
Gameplay
As in the previous installments of the series, the player takes control of Shantae, a half-genie who can use her hair as a whip and who can transform into a variety of creatures, such as a monkey that can climb walls and a crab that can move around underwater. The game is divided into chapters, which can be revisited once the player has acquired new powers to find new passageways and powers.[1] The game is presented in high definition, with 2D character sprites on 3D environments.
A difference from the previous installments is that the player can also choose to play as Shantae's villainous nemesis, Risky Boots, who uses "Tinker-tools" as substitutes to Shantae's powers. The game in this case follows a similar structure to that of Shantae's mode.[4] On August 22, 2014, the Hero Modes stretch goal was reached, which means that the player will also be able to play as Shantae's friends Sky, Bolo and Rottytops. Each character will have a unique story and gameplay style; Sky uses birds and can collect eggs to gain new abilities, Bolo fights with a ball-and-chain, and Rottytops's playstyle is based on feeding and self-dismemberment.[5]
Plot
The half-genie Shantae wakes up in the middle of the night, and goes outside. She explores Scuttle Town, and discovers a cave with a magic fountain behind a trapdoor. She touches the water, and gets spirited away to the genie realm, where she sees a magical seal swelling as a powerful evil tries to escape. She passes out, and wakes up again in her bed.[1] Nothing else about the story is currently known yet.
Development
WayForward Technologies unveiled Shantae: Half-Genie Hero in early September 2013 as the first game in the series for home consoles. The financing of the game was based on the crowdfunding principle, through a Kickstarter campaign with a target goal of $400,000 which ended on October 4, 2013 with more than $800,000 (including PayPal donations), which was over double the target.[6] Although the campaign has ended, WayForward still accepted donations via PayPal on its website up to December 16, 2014, when the campaign closed at nearly $950K.[2] The original release date was October 2014, but because of the additional funding and promised stretch goals the game was delayed.[7] Development was completed by November 2016.[8]
Matt Bozon, one of the creators of Shantae series, revealed that the title of the game was stylised as ½ Genie Hero as a tribute to Rumiko Takahashi's manga Ranma ½, which he claimed several times as an influence on the Shantae series.[9][10]
Notes
- ↑ Only publishing the retail versions on PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, and Wii U
References
- 1 2 3 "Introduction to Half-Genie Hero with Matt Bozon". Kickstarter. Retrieved 2013-09-04.
- 1 2 "Let's fill up that Art Museum!". Kickstarter. Retrieved 2014-12-12.
- ↑ "Happy Anniversary, Backers!". Kickstarter. October 18, 2016. Retrieved October 19, 2016.
- ↑ "Stretch Goal: Risky Boots Mode". Kickstarter. Retrieved 2013-09-26.
- ↑ "You guys and gals are our HEROES!!". Kickstarter. Retrieved 2014-08-22.
- ↑ "WE DID IT!". Kickstarter. Retrieved 2013-10-04.
- ↑ "GenGAME Shantae: Half-Genie Hero Updates With Release Date Delayed". Gengame.net. 2014-08-15. Retrieved 2015-12-17.
- ↑ https://www.hardcoregamer.com/2016/11/22/shantae-half-genie-hero-completed-release-date-coming-soon/236859/
- ↑ "The Kickstart - Shantae Is Back In 1/2 Genie Hero". Girl Gamer. Girl Gamer. September 9, 2013. Archived from the original on September 17, 2013. Retrieved December 3, 2015.
- ↑ Isaac, Chris (December 2, 2015). "Interview: Shantae Co-Creator Matt Bozon Discusses the Series' Future & Shantae in Super Smash Bros.". The Mary Sue. The Mary Sue. Retrieved December 2, 2015.