Blossom Tales: The Sleeping King (PC) Preview

One commonality among all action-adventure titles is that special weapons tend to be underutilised. Oh, sure, if there's a cracked wall or a faraway switch, that's reason enough to use a bomb or fire an arrow. In most cases, however, everything collects dust while the hero sticks almost exclusively to sword swinging. This game avoids the issue by tying everything to a gradually recharging meter. It's quite the incentive for players to throw everything they've got at the monsters, since inventory stocks are no longer a concern. This makes for a very dynamic game. Special weapons can also be upgraded. With a few materials, the bow can be reinforced to fire a spread of three arrows.

The adversaries of the land have also received considerable boosts. They're faster, more numerous, and aren't shy about throwing a lot of projectiles around. Expect to walk into rooms, only to find them filled with monsters. Thankfully, the controls are extremely fluid, so dodging attacks shouldn't be a problem. Another aspect worthy of mention is that the heroine has a rather small hit box. Granted, Lily isn't exactly dealing with a bullet hell, but this does allow for some very close calls. It's a minor touch, but it does wonders for keeping the player in the action, rather than well out of harm's way.

It goes without saying, but there are plenty of puzzles and secrets. The first dungeon has everything one could expect, such as shooting arrows through cauldrons of fire, to get rid of passage-blocking bushes. It's been done before, but this game mixes it up by having more traps to contend with. While Lily is trying to light everything, she has to work her way around swinging spikes and trap doors. Again, the great controls make this endeavour smooth and entertaining. It's worth exploring every inch of the overworld, due to the prevalence of gold, heart pieces, and other goodies. Even early on, cash is very useful, since it can be used to buy the materials for the enhanced bow.

While it's still early, the difficulty seems to be very well-balanced. Anyone familiar with Castle Pixel's previous game, Rex Rocket, knows of its "have mercy" level of challenge. This action-adventure is far more inclusive. There are warp points throughout the land, falling into holes only takes away half a heart, and Lily can always chug a healing potion if the situation becomes hopeless. While the pro-gamers are free to impose their own challenges, everyone else can approach the game in a way that is consistent with their skill level. It's a far better alternative than butting heads with a brick wall. Although, don't be surprised if the developer decides to include a few tough achievements, or even some sort of extreme difficulty setting.