I love platformers. They take me to a nostalgic time in gaming before we became spoiled by high end graphics and the internet. While I was playing this title to complete a Giana Sisters Review I found myself back in that magical time. This isn’t the perfect game, but it is one of the better platformers that we have seen lately. Twisted Dreams features Giana as she progresses through her dreams as a pair of sisters that have drastically different views on the worlds that they explore. Their different views are part of what gives this title its visual appeal. While playing as one of the sisters the world will appear as a beautiful as anything you have seen with huge flowers and fluffy owls floating around. Her sister however might be one of the most disturbing individuals ever realized in video games. This sisters vision is that of evil and disturbance with all of the flowers transformed into hellish mushrooms and all of the lovable owls transforming into demons on the fly.
Switching between the two becomes the core of the gameplay in Giana Sisters. Certain areas will only be accessible by one of the sisters or the other. Switching between the two will grant you the ability to not only progress through the different levels but will also allow you to access hidden areas and collect all of the gems in the level. The gems themselves play a large role in the progression through the game as well. Each level tracks the number of gems you have collected as well as the number of times that you have died in order to grant you a score. Players can earn anywhere from one to five crystals that will count towards unlocking the boss level at the end of the three worlds the game has to offer. The worlds are set up in the traditional platforming style with each world and level numbered. While it isn’t innovative, it is a nice nod to its predecessors. The boss levels themselves are incredibly fun. You must progress through one of the most challenging levels in that particular world only to find yourself face to face with a boss who is sure to kill you a few times before you can figure out an appropriate strategy for taking them down.
For all of its visual appeal and interesting gameplay, Giana Sisters can be a very challenging game at times. It is not unforgivably challenging, but does not simply let the player cakewalk through its levels on their first try. The challenge is very welcome as Giana Sisters only has three worlds with no more than nine levels on each. Thankfully the game offers multiple modes for the player to experience the levels in. While the backbone of the game comes in the Adventure Mode, we also get a chance to play through in a time-trial mode as well as a score attack mode that rewards players for not only collecting gems but defeating the various enemies throughout.
Overall, Giana Sisters is an incredibly fun platformer that provides enough replay value to warrant your attention. With a fair amount of challenge and plenty of modes to test your skills, players will not be disappointed in the adventure that lies in front of them. This is the type of game that someone can enjoy in short spurts or even in long sessions because of its quick accessibility and depth. If you are a fan of platforming titles and have been yearning for a new IP that can take you back to the roots of your gaming love, then I would absolutely say that Giana Sisters should not only be on your radar but in your collection as soon as humanly possible.
[checklist]- A well designed platformer with plenty of challenge
- Too few levels and worlds.
[button color=”green” link=””]Recommended[/button] Recommended: Recommended games are not held in the same esteem as those of a Must Play. A game that receives a “Recommended” is one that you certainly will enjoy playing, and our editor recommends that you do, but it may have a few problems that stop it from being the type of game you have to have right that instant. Example: Halo 4, Saints Row 4