I completed the DLC, with 100% of items collected, in almost exactly 150 minutes. The player then essentially re-runs the five stages again, using new-found abilities to gather previously out-of-reach upgrades and to collect fifteen genie crystals, before ultimately tackling a sixth stage and a final showdown. The player controls Risky through Half-Genie Hero’s five stages, collecting the components necessary to create her new invention, the final boss of the main plotline. Other than these features, some new narrative dialogue, and the LEWD bathtub option screen, little has changed. I was happy to see some returning enemies from Pirate’s Curse, all of whom are beautifully styled and animated. The levels remain largely unchanged, though some areas, tuned specifically to Risky’s abilities, have been augmented into Half-Genie Hero’s layout. Completing each world also unlocks further skills, many of which will be familiar to fans of the previous Shantae game, Pirate’s Curse. That is exactly what they’ve received here, as Pirate Queen’s Quest reuses the stages and bosses from the main game, but replaces the player character with the dastardly Miss Boots, who has her own mobility options and attacks to call upon. The Pirate Queen’s Quest DLC has been a long time coming, but fans have shown excitement for the opportunity to experience a Shantae game as a different character. Shantae: Half-Genie Hero – Pirate Queen’s Quest (PC, PS4, Vita, Switch, Wii-U, Xbox One) Today, you can return to the Half Genie Hero world, but this time in the role of the genie-girl’s notorious arch-enemy Risky Boots, Queen of the Seven Seas! Sometimes, people love a game’s world, and just enjoy being part of it. Last year’s Shantae: Half-Genie Hero was a popular release, despite its streamlined design, audience-dividing aesthetic changes and incredibly low difficulty. Simply put, the Shantae games make me happy, whisking me away briefly from the blues of the world, like many good video games should. I love the colours, the characters, the world, the adventures and the music. But boy, do I grin like a dang fool when playing the Shantae series. I always find gaming pretty intense, even when having fun.
Very few games make me smile while playing.
Do what you want ‘cos a pirate is free (to Kickstarter backers)