Giant character models appear in random places around the levels and disappear if you get close, while strange black enemies burst from the ground to attack unprovoked. No dialogue or explanation discusses why we’re entering these worlds, and we aren’t even introduced to that world’s character until just before the boss. Following an impressive opening cutscene where we see our main character (Emma or Leo depending on who you choose) enter the Balan Theater, we’re rather unceremoniously dropped onto the Isle of Tims and expected to dive into these levels.
The Balan Wonderworld Novel… Exists?īalan Wonderworld explains very little to the player. The mostly-overlooked Balan Wonderworld novel goes someway towards explaining why a world and setting with so much potential ended as a critically-panned sales flop.Īnd it may even provide the answers to what went wrong. There are easy scapegoats, but blaming them would distract from the game’s more deep-rooted problems. When you have talent like Yuji Naka working alongside long-time collaborators, it can be difficult to understand what went wrong from the outside looking in. The brief moments of joy in the game’s wonderfully-animated cutscenes, bizarre end-of-world musical numbers and the Tims remain small highlights in an otherwise disappointing experience. Until just over a week ago, I was the same.Īs much as I tried to be positive in my impressions on the game’s demo, the finished article of Balan Wonderworld is not a fun game to play. Did you know there was a Balan Wonderworld novel? It’s fine if you didn’t.
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