The way I describe this game to people when talking about it is – it’s a ‘Japanese LEGO game’. The game is big, there’s a lot to do and a lot of back-tracking involved. You’ll also have to beat 48 QTE segments, which I didn’t particularly enjoy, and then replay all twelve worlds again for a third bonus stage upon completing the game – with another bunch of statues to unlock! You’ll find costumes that grant you new and exciting abilities and powers, allowing you to progress and discover the six Balan statues hidden within each of the initial 24 stages. You’ll travel to twelve distinct worlds, each with its own enemies, visuals, music, and bosses. The Balan Theatre appears to these two as they are troubled, allowing them in so that Balan can seek their help in restoring happiness and passion back into the hearts of twelve other similarly troubled individuals across the world, through the mystical Wonderworld. The game may not give the best first impression, but once you open your heart and really get into it, it becomes super addictive and a joy to play.įrom here, the story is merged in a brilliant way, showing both of their first interactions with Balan, a magical overseer of a wonderful world, simultaneously yet separate. I went into this game with little expectations, I’d played (and hated) the demo, seen some negative review scores, and been told by a few people not to play it, yet after a few hours, I was hooked. Square Enix published the game, releasing it on all the major platforms – as well as a digital novel, which supposedly expands on the story and answers questions that the video game leaves unanswered…

This is clearly the Balan Company‘s first game, and I sincerely hope we see future sequels after my experience with this title. Arzest are better known for the 3DS versions of Poochy & Yoshi’s Woolly World, Hey! Pikmin, and Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story, so seeing another cute adventure game seems perfect for their portfolio. I’ve completed the main game, unlocked a lot of the costumes, finished some of the bonus stages, and built the Clock of Happiness – but did I enjoy it?īalan Wonderworld was developed by Arzest and the Balan Company (owned by Square Enix). It’s been a few weeks since Balan Wonderworld released, a game that seems to have received a lot of negative coverage from the press and a mixed reception from gamers – but was this justified? The game is clearly aimed at a younger audience, with a simple story and gameplay mechanics so that everyone of all ages can enjoy this beautiful-looking game.

Balan wonderworld ps5