PLATFORM: PC, SWITCH (REVIEWED) | RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW
Released in 2017, the original Blossom Tales captured the attention of retro enthusiasts with its bold and colourful pixel art graphics and startling similarity to one of the greatest games of the 16-bit era, A Link To The Past. A story within a story, a kindly old man narrates the tale of a sleeping King to his grandchildren which players then live out within the game which plays out in true Legend of Zelda style – wander around the overworld, enter dungeons, beat a boss, acquire a new item, then use said new item to move on to the next dungeon.
Sticking to the exact same formula, Blossom Tales II: The Minotaur King kicks off with the same friendly old gent sitting down with Lily and Chrys to tell them a story about two siblings whose petty squabbles result in Lily – in what can’t be anything other than a wholesale pilfering of the plot of Labyrinth – wishes her brother would be taken away by the Minotaur King. And taken away indeed he is, with Lily left to explore this unusual and magical land on a quest to find her brother and defeat the Minotaur King.
There’s not really any way of ignoring the fact that everything about Blossom Tales II is just as derivative as its predecessor. Gameplay is taken directly from 16-bit era Zelda, right down to players starting out with three hearts to represent Lily’s health which is increased by finding heart containers throughout the land. Many of its items might have different names, but they function exactly the same way as those seen in older games – the item which allows Lily to cross large gaps, for example, is a yo-yo instead of a grappling hook, but it serves the same purpose. Some excellently-designed dungeons are easily the game’s high point, allowing players to puzzle their way through environmental obstacles and putting their various tools to good use. A little more creativity and originality outside of these dungeons would have gone a long way, but as it stands, Blossom Tales II does a perfectly admirable job of paying homage to the classics without really breaking any new ground.
