QCF: Freedom Planet

ey there, I'm sure I can ask you all a question right—do you like Sonic the Hedgehog? Me too, and apparently so do the developers over at GalaxyTrail. Unlike most games that take influence from other IP's, Freedom Planet doesn't do anything to try to hide it, in fact, it displays it's love for the sonic franchise loudly and proudly.

The game really feels like a spiritual successor of sorts, which is great considering Sega managed to drive their own franchise into the ground. Although this game borrows a lot from classic Sonic's gameplay, it has its own unique flare and tone.

The method used to dispatch enemies in this game is not simply “jump on his head” but rather, it has its own dedicated attack button, and it's one of the things I feel gives this game its own identity. Now, I myself have only played the game as the story's main protagonist, Lilac (whose name is obviously derived from the color scheme they chose for the character.)

So I can only speak on her behalf as far as gameplay goes. Lilac has a special attack where she flies up in the air at a 90-degree angle, which is very reminiscent of games such as Rocket Knight Adventures, and its sequel, Sparkster. The story follows Lilac and her crew as they try to stop the evil Lord Brevon from stealing the kingdom stone, a jewel that if acquired, will give Lord Brevon immense power.

Unlike most traditional platformers, Freedom Planet is very plot heavy and the game is filled with cut scenes in between each stage. However, if that isn't your thing, and you want to stick solely to the action, you can choose whether or not to include cuts cenes during your play-through. These cut scenes are all very well written and for once, we have a game that seems to have pretty decent voice acting.

The art style in the game is unlike any other, and I actually sat here and tried to think of something to compare it to...and I couldn't. It's packed to the brim with vibrant colors and sports quite a bit of aesthetic polish for an indie game. If you're looking for a challenge, look no further. While not being incredibly difficult, this game is not afraid to test your skills and at parts, can be a bit frustrating, and that's due to good level design. Every death you endure is 100% your fault.

One of the only gripes I have with this game is the length of the levels...they're just a bit too long for my taste, but I know others may enjoy that sort of thing. At times I've run into parts of a stage which got just slightly convoluted, but it wasn't enough to ruin the game.

All in all this game is a must-buy for any lover of retro platformers, and platformers in general. If you're anything like me and you miss the glory days of the blue blur, you have to check this game out. You can even go to GalaxyTrails website and download a demo if you're not convinced. Get this game...you'll be glad you did.