Patience test – review of the game “Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom”

Fatal spells

Our hero Jin tries to fish in peace. His idyll does not last long, however, as soon his unfriendly uncle shows up and starts casting spells. As a result of their actions, all inhabitants of Monster World, including Jin, turn into animals. The hero has to roll up his sleeves and set off on a journey in search of amulets that will help restore the inhabitants to their original form. The plot of the game, however, is only the background for the gameplay itself.

In search of amulets 

During the game, we travel through various locations in search of these amulets. Besides helping to repair the damage done by the uncle, they will allow the player to change the form of the character. We start the game as a pig with a black band on his right eye, and over time we will be able to take the form of a frog, snake or lion. Each animal has its own abilities, uses different weapons and attacks. The beginning of the game gives a false impression of its difficulty level. It shows the player what to do and how the individual animal forms of the main character work. With time, however, the variety of individual characters comes to the fore, combined with jumping, items and puzzles that give new skills. The difficulty level increases dramatically, and even the slightest mistake may result in starting the stage all over again.Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom  is a game of the kind that causes an unbridled urge to throw your gaming gear out the window. It doesn’t mean it’s her fault. The levels are well designed and the map is really big. You can return to previously completed locations to unlock previously inaccessible places.

A beautiful and colorful world 

The visual setting of the game attracts attention with hand-painted stages, but the animations of individual well-drawn characters, as if taken straight out of an animated film, look best. My personal favorite is the pig, which has managed to make me smile many times, despite how tiring the game can be. The music sounds very professional, it can attract the player’s attention and let him forget about the difficult journey ahead. The soundtrack to Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom took  two years to create, and you can really hear the enormity of the work put into it.

Summary 

Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom  presents the formula of a classic adventure game in new, colorful robes. However, do not be fooled by its cartoonish setting. What at first may seem like a not very demanding walk, after time it becomes an expedition that requires a lot of patience. I recommend it in particular to fans of platformers looking for a challenge.