There's something special to a retro gamer about the resurrection of a cult classic, as it either gives a hidden gem a new lease of life, or it introduces gamers to a series they've never heard of before. Sunsoft has capitalised on this idea, as Tasto Alpha has developed the single player platform game, Ufouria: The Saga 2, which manages to combine being part-remake and part-sequel of an underappreciated NES game called Ufouria: The Saga — released as Hebereke on the Famicom in 1991.
As a quadruple U-four-ia team, you throw Popoons to environmentally clean dirty Bumyons, which evil spaceman Utsujin has littered across the planet. The key action-adventure gameplay mechanic is to swap between four companions: main character Mr. Hebe alternates skills between O-Chan, who can swim on the surface of water, Sukezaemon, who floats across longer jumps, and Jennifer, who sinks into deeper pools to find underwater caves.
In a similar approach to Wonder Boy III: The Dragon's Trap — as a light introduction to Metroidvania tropes — you explore a map to find traditionally arranged stages, which randomly alter as you backtrack, and levels branch out from an interconnecting World Atlas. For example, early on you observe unreachable platforms, which Hebe can return to later with a Suction Cup ability to climb adjacent walls.
The illustrated picturebook graphics are adorable, even if the fabrics and feltwork aren't as intricate as Yoshi's Woolly World. The iron bead effects are a creative way of displaying dialogue, and areas like Shady Forest's burnt umber autumnal colours are striking. Naoki Kodaka's remade NES music includes standouts like Horizon Tree's carousel tune and Inky Caves' Egyptian sounds, but Hebe's House's main theme becomes repetitive and could grate on the ears.
Younger gamers might forgive an under four-hour main game and a non-existent difficulty curve, but unfortunately, the tasks necessary for a Platinum only shallowly extend the game's length. Even a Vending Machine purchase of a CRT television to make enemies more powerful didn't noticeably increase the gentle difficulty. Timing each Butt Bounce is fun, but boss encounters are overly simple, plus collecting Utsu-cans and four rocket ship parts feels like busy work.
Other additions only superficially extend longevity, including a bookcase collection of your progress, and aesthetically upgrading Hebe's House, although Hidden Art scrolls give each of the four characters individualised special moves. Ultimately, Ufouria: The Saga 2 provides no reason to return as compelling as searching for hidden background bubbles to free residents in Klonoa: Door to Phantomile.
Comments 4
Extending my thanks to Push Square's Stephen Tailby for contacting me about this PS5 Ufouria: The Saga 2 Mini Review, because I hadn't heard of Sunsoft's 1991 Famicom/ 1992 NES Ufouria: The Saga before, so I've gained some retro knowledge by researching about this game.
It's been a chilled out, relaxing PS5 side-scrolling platformer to review, which is just nice and mellow to play overall.
If anyone is interested in buying Ufouria: The Saga 2 to target its Platinum Trophy, the main game might be a cakewalk — and only takes about three-and-a-half hours to beat — but the Platinum is more time consuming.
The best advice I can give is to collect over 50,000 coins as early as possible, because the Gold 'Ufouria Aplenty' Trophy is a grind. The most elusive Gold Trophy I've encountered so far is called 'How's it flappin'?', because I've been quite thorough exploring to collect all the eggs from every Vending Machine, but I seem to be missing an egg somewhere.
One last tip is that if you buy the CRT Television for 1000 coins to encounter more powerful enemies, be sure to Butt Bounce on the telly to turn the screen on to activate the increased difficulty. The game's still too easy with the TV on, regardless.
Ufouria: The Saga 2 has released today on PS5 for £19.99 on the UK's PS Store (Friday 1st March, 2024), so please feel free to send me any questions, folks.
$25 is a bit much considering, but I've added it to my wishlist and will wait for a deep discount. Thanks so much for the review!
it has a vibe similar to those Yoshi games.
To supplement this Mini Review, it's interesting to compare the differences, and the similarities between the NES original and this PS5 sequel.
NES Ufouria: The Saga starts differently to the new game, as there's a greater sense of being lost in the exploration, since the player initially feels unsure about which direction to take.
Once Hebe meets O-Chan in the NES game, each character's skill differences are more pronounced, where not only can O-Chan swim on the surface of water, but she also doesn't slip and crash on ice.
The 1992 NES original holds the player's hands less, and the retro game is noticeably more challenging than the sequel.
I described PS5 Ufouria: The Saga 2 as part-sequel and part-remake, because the graphical themes of the stages, Naoki Kodaka's recreated NES music, and the similar boss battles feel like a remake, too.
However, the sequel's design has levels feeding away from Hebe's House area as a central point to the World Atlas, and the way the four characters' personalities are expanded is unique to Ufouria: The Saga 2.
The new game also has consistent humour with O-Chan as a karaoke loving orange cat-like girl, Sukezaemon as a ghostly looking character in sunglasses and a baseball cap who floats across big gaps, and Jennifer is a sleepy green anglerfish-like boy who explores deep below the water.
Both the 1991 original Famicom Hebereke game and the 2024 sequel have Kerasu bird muck to avoid though, and the PS5 game even has a Trophy if you get hit with Kerasu droppings 30 times!
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