Old School Puzzles To A Fault - Monster Boy And the Cursed Kingdom

     I was initially a bit confused between Monster Boy and The Cursed Kingdom and another game Wonder Boy and The Dragon’s Trap. Both appear to be 2D action platformers where the central character can transform into a variety of animal forms. Though the art style differs, the covers look very similar in design.

      However it turns out they are both part of the same series with The Dragon’s Trap being a remake of an older game in the classic Sega Wonder Boy Series, whereas Monster Boy was simply the latest entry in the same series albeit with a slightly altered name. So I played and recently finished Monster Boy, and though I may give The Dragon’s Trap a go at some point it certainly wont be for a while since my experience with Monster Boy left me feeling a little burnt out.

      The reason being that despite being modernised with fresh graphics and music this games is still very old school in regards to its progression, in particular the frequently obtuse and frustrating puzzles it throws at you. It’s the kind of game that you will likely need a guide to even finish – and that’s not good at all.

      Though progression through the game in general is helped along (ie: where to go next is usually always marked on your world map,) the puzzles required to progress within each area make up a large part of the gameplay, and unlike many other metroidvania games the gameplay emphasis appears to be more on these puzzles rather than action or indeed platforming, with the puzzles almost always requiring you to utilise whatever skills each animal transformation you gain throughout the game has afforded you. On paper this is a sound idea and whilst the majority are admittedly easy enough to work out, there are a handful that are really obscure to solve and as many are time sensitive or require rapidly switching between animal forms it becomes frustrating really quickly.

      Inevitably with this type of game there is lots of backtracking required through previously explored areas. As you are unable to mark the in game map for yourself – (which you could do and was really useful in Timespinner) you would be required to either manually note these yourself on paper somewhere or consult a guide. That’s the thing - can anyone finish this game without a guide? Admittedly I rushed through the game using a guide for bits I got stuck on during the late game as I just wanted to finish the damn thing - but still managed to clock around 19hrs playtime. I can’t imagine how long it would take for someone to finish the game without consulting any kind of guide at all, if this is even at all possible. In fact, I would be very surprised if anyone save for the most meticulous and stubbornly thorough has managed to finish this game without at least looking up some hints somewhere.

      In most games, secret areas and items are usually optional and sometimes just there if you want to 100% a game or want to view the ‘true’ ending. However in Monster Boy there is only one ending and you cannot even progress through the final stage without acquiring a certain item (whose parts are scattered throughout the game in secret areas). It’s strange that this is the default.

The game’s balance is frustrating as well. Despite having 20 hearts and the best equipment at the end of the game, spikes, lasers and some enemies can still kill you in 2 or 3 hits. Conversely, boss encounters (especially the further you progress in the game) end up just being glorified puzzles than real enemy encounters – you can only hurt them using really specific actions rather than any fighting or platforming skill required on your part. The last boss has about 6 or so different phases which seems daunting, but as soon as you work out the ‘puzzle’ of each phase (i.e.: what monster form you are required to use) he becomes too easy.

      The game’s puzzles are admittedly designed well if you are to take them in isolation, but their overall balance within the game is all out of wack. The checkpointing is generous but the amount of times you have to redo several rooms in an area after dying trying to solve a puzzle or triggering a failure gets frustrating quickly. This is mitigated slightly by once a room puzzle being solved it usually stays solved so you can pass through it later again easily for purposes of exploration, but certain harder puzzles or challenging sections really should have had quicker resets.

      Compare this to what I wrote about in my piece on Celeste. That game although very hard at times had great checkpointing and ways of motivating the player to persist in the face of adversity. Also, the further challenges (collectible strawberries, B-sides etc.) were entirely optional if the player was looking for an additional challenge. In Monster Boy you have to solve some of the games more obscure secrets and find hidden items in order to even finish the game.

      I can say that Monster Boy has a wonderfully animated intro & ending sequence, great hand-drawn graphics and music (once you get past the garish beginning area), but ultimately the game is a frustrating experience that I will likely not be revisiting. 

     It seems the game was made especially for fans of previous Wonder Boy games (there are some nice moments of homage included here) but the game’s old school roots of obscure puzzle based gameplay in terms of both its progression and secrets hurts the game for me rather than elevates it - which is a real shame. I guess I just prefer more action and less puzzle solving in my metroidvanias.

31st May 2020