Today GameCritics is happy to present this video covering Melon Journey: Bittersweet Memories from guest contributor Arlyeon. For more from Arlyeon, you can check out their YouTube channel or their Discord.
TRANSCRIPT:
Hey Folks, If you’re looking for in-depth Indie reviews, You’re in the right place! As for today, I’ll be talking about Froach Club’s, Melon Journey. Or rather, their recent sequel – Bittersweet Memories.
As far as follow-ups go, this is fairly stand-alone, which makes it easy enough to sink your teeth into. That said- did this bittersweet experience have me coming back for seconds, or was it rotten to the core? I’m your host Arlyeon, Let’s find out together.
Some people feel like they live at work- but for Honeydew, this is more of a fact. Something that makes the rare instances she can find time away from the Melon Soda Factory all the more important.
Unfortunately- it’s not long before things get complicated. Like the fact that her friends intended meeting place of Hogstown is -notably- Anti-Melon- in tandem with the whole, accidentally smuggling Melon Seeds into town. Also, your friend might be missing?
Yeah- this is really putting a damper on the whole ‘take a break from work, and relax thing’. And it only gets weirder from there.
But, that’s honestly a large part of Melon Journeys charm. Because even though there might be some mysteries at the heart of this ‘seedy’ city- There’s also just a lot to do and explore in Hogstown and the surrounding areas. Whether it’s the small short stories that unfurl in the day to day lives of its denizens over the games 3 acts, or the central narrative – you have a slew of zany circumstances to soak in, and a plethora of puns to suffer through.
In fact, the sheer amount of small optional segments it had to find and engage with were a lot of fun- as were the small permutations to explore. (Many of which you -should- explore- if you’re hoping to encounter the games hidden epilogue).
That said- I do feel it necessary to emphasize something here. And that’s the simple fact that the story elements are -central- to Melon Journey. Whilst there is some minor adventure flavoured exploration to do in the game, there’s really not that much to do insofar as puzzle solving, or the like – making this feel more akin to a dialogue-centric walking simulator at certain junctures.
Still, even with that relative limitation- I still found plenty of things to do, such as new optional scenes to stumble over- or even smaller tidbits, like seeing the repercussions for earlier actions. (Editor Note: Kicking The Pop machine at the train station)
Though, it definitely felt a -lot- better to do once I’d unlocked the roller-blades in game, since getting the ability to move -quickly- around the map did a lot insofar as mitigating the amount of time I spent backtracking.
I won’t complain that much here- as far as landscapes to wander through, Melon Journey isn’t bad. Seriously, there’s just something simultaneously cartoonish but cozy about the game’s aesthetic. Visually, the areas are pretty nice, and they do a decent job of showcasing where you can go, or what you can interact with. That said- the part I -really- enjoyed was all the various character animations. It was honestly a treat to discover new things the games cast could do.
That, or the fact that your ability to save everywhere -also- has accompanying character portraits in the loading menu based on where you saved.
It’s really endearing. The quality of the sound design also lends itself well to the experience. Whether it’s sound effects, the music, or even the small bits of voice work that crop up- it all just enhances the experience.
But is it worth it? Well- In my case, I certainly enjoyed the journey. While it -does- feel a bit like a rudimentary title on a strictly mechanical level- if you’re looking for a goofy world to soak in for an afternoon, and maybe an evening, with a small dash of hammy, but wholesome storytelling- I feel this would be a good fit.
Honestly, on a narrative front, it’s definitely a HIT – though if you’re looking for something crunchier on the gameplay- side of things to really invest yourself in, or challenge yourself with- it might fall short, given that it very much embodies the idea of a casual experience.
Anywho, Thanks for tuning in. If you agree, disagree or just have something ta’ say to me, feel free to comment. For the Discord-Savvy folks, there’s a link to my YoutTube channel and my community above – The Crit Hit Cauldron, in the video description. nd to my Patreon- If you’re curious to see reviews before they hit Youtube, or just to support me, and the other members of Crit Hit.
That said, I’ll catch you on the next episode of Crit Hit. Take Care till then, Folks.
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