BERLIN: With its tiny monsters and tactical battles, the "Pokémon" games have long been part of the standard repertoire of console scene. A new monster-taming game takes its inspiration from this classic, but also seeks to go its own way.
At the beginning of "Cassette Beasts", players find themselves on the alien island of New Wirral. The goal is to return to Earth as quickly as possible - and that's the challenging part.
As in "Pokémon," you encounter many monsters in this world. They’re divided into classes such as fire or water and you need to record them on cassette tapes to gain their abilities.
The battle system comes up with some original ideas. For example, unlike "Pokémon,” the player can actually transform into the monsters whose abilities they capture.
It’s also important to maintain good friendships with the island's inhabitants in order to get closer to the game's goal.
In terms of graphics, "Cassette Beasts" relies on a successful mix of old and new. The monsters and the player's own character are pixel graphics, while the surrounding world is three-dimensional.
All in all, the game doesn't deliver a completely new concept, but it turns out to be surprisingly complex and well thought-out for an indie game. It gives the genre its very own touch and should appeal not only to longtime "Pokémon" fans.
"Cassette Beasts" is available for PCs, the Xbox and the Nintendo Switch, and costs €20/US$20 (RM49 in Malaysia). It's also included in Xbox Game Pass subscriptions. – dpa
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