While Bitsummit serves as a great place for indie devs to get their projects out there, it’s also a chance for gamers to discover games they might never have heard of otherwise. There are many games that unfortunately end up flying under the radar, games that are decent but aren’t breaking the mold like aHollow Knightor an Animal Well. It’s kind of a shame too, because games like often do have something to offer, even if it is “just” a well-polished metroidvania title.
If one were to go to the Steam page for Yohane the Parhelion: -Blaze in the Deep Blue-, they might be tempted to write it off as it’s a tie-in game for a Love Live: Sunshine spin-off anime of the same name. It’d be an understandable first reaction: TV and movie tie-in games aren’t always the best. In this case, however, doing so would be a mistake. There’s real care and craft going into this one, making it a fun play even if one isn’t familiar with its source material.
Yohane the Parhelion stars the titular young witch as she navigates a treacherous labyrinth in search of her friends.Unlike Animal Well,this game is comfortable sitting within mainline metroidvania conventions. Players fight their way through chambers filled with enemies and collect new abilities which open up more avenues. This isn’t to say that there aren’t any unique hooks in terms of gameplay, though. There are special rooms that’ll remix themselves each time they’re entere and Yohane’s powers function differently from the likes ofSamus Aran.
New abilities for Yohane primarily come in the form of new characters to summon. Some grant new attacks, while others give new movement options. All of them save for the first cost energy, so exploration and combat requires some sort of plan in order to avoid running out at an inconvenient time. Weapons, at least those available in the demo, also function as a kind summon that draws from a different meter, so players do have options available.
Even with all this going on, Yohane the Parhelion: -Blaze in the Deep Blue- seems to be aimed primarily at genre newcomers rather than longtime players. The portion shown in the demo wasn’t all that tough in terms of difficulty, and it didn’t sound like defeating later bosses was going to rely entirely on player skill. So maybe this won’t be the first choice for those looking for a challenge. Still, a lot of modern entries in the genre are going forhigh-skill fights within dark, depressing settings,so something more light, airy and straightforward like this might yet hold appeal for more experienced players.
While playing through the demo, the aspect of Yohane the Parhelion that sticks out most besides the summon-based gameplay was its presentation – its sprite work in particular. A lot of detail has been put into these character designs, with those of bosses and more threatening enemies standing out. Animations also feel well-done across the board, helping to add a sense of character to the summons. Together these qualities made most interactions and encounters fun to look at as well as play through.
There’s one potential knock, though, and it has to do with the voice lines tied to Yohane and her summons’ actions. There’s nothing wrong with the voices themselves; rather it’s an issue of repetition. Yohane and her summons have something to say each and every time they do something, so they can start to get bothersome if one doesn’t have much patience for that sort of thing. It’s a minor gripe, but one that those considering this game should keep in mind nonetheless.
Again, Yohane the Parhelion -Blaze in the Deep Blue- isn’t the kind of game that’s out to push the boundaries of its genre. Rather, it’s a competently-made metroidvania that offers unique takes on the standard formula and surprisingly high production values when it comes to animations and sprite work. This isn’t a slam dunk for any and all enjoyers of genre, but there may indeed be enough here to keep it in mind after it launches later this year.
