Hey gang, Valkor here. One of my favorite action RPGs that was unique and that I really enjoyed was Dragon’s Crown Pro. I loved the action. But it was the hand-drawn art style that did it for me. As different as it was in graphics, I thought I'd never have that experience again. That is until The Little Brave stepped into my world. It has a similar, albeit less compelling, style to Dragon's Crown. However, after spending some time with the game, I can see that it still needs some work. Let’s dive in!
The Little Brave is a 2D action RPG with Metroidvania elements mixed in. In The Little Brave, you play the role of Keely, who is on a mission to save his sister from a malevolent creature called Shirak. And there will be many challenges for him to face, such as riddles to solve or monsters to encounter. Thankfully, Keely has his trusty needle and slingshot to assist him. Additionally, he will develop new skills that will allow him to enter new areas and enhance his existing powers. While not as challenging, The Little Brave also has a taste of a soulslike game. This is not a game that will stress you out. But when you do die, you're met with a bloody screen that says “You failed”. Considering how adorable the game is, it feels strange to have such a screen. But I'll accept it.
Another feature that makes The Little Brave not so discouraging is the auto-save. You can perform a manual save. But when you die, you'll start right where you left off, which saves you from unneeded frustration. Other than that, there isn't much to The Little Brave. It looks good, but after hours of play, how does the game fare? Let's dive in with the TOV Breakdown!
The Good:
From the jump, The Little Brave is simply one of the most beautiful games I've had the pleasure of playing. Graphically, The Little Brave is loaded with plenty of detail in the fore and background. There are plenty of lush greens in the outer worlds. But in caves and such appear dark and sinister. The character designs complement the game's narrative style, and the animation is smooth. The gameplay needs some work, but it's passable (I'll go more into it in the next section). Though Keely is limited in weapons and magic, his character responds well to most button presses. I was hooked as soon as I got used to the controls. Finally, the music completes the gaming package. It's beautiful yet dark and haunting at times (especially in the cave levels). It's a great soundtrack that works well with this style of game. Overall, The Little Brave is a decent game, with some issues. But if you're looking for something different in an adventure, this is one to check out.
The Bad:
My first complaint with The Little Brave is the controls. Again, it's passable, but it definitely needed some ironing out. The double jump is my biggest problem because it doesn't always go exactly as anticipated. And this contributed more to my character's death than the enemy's actions. I like that this ability is given right away. Because you have to earn it in the majority of Metroidvania-style games. However, I feel this ability should be easier to pull off. Next up, the slingshot. What is that good for? Absolutely nothing! I'm kidding! It does have its uses, especially if you're looking at ranged attacks. However, I found that I rarely used this weapon unless prompted to do so by the game. Other than that, Keely ought to have been supplied with additional weapon options. Finally, I have an issue with the combat, which doesn't feel right. With little to no strategy, you primarily use one-button-pressing attacks against the majority of your opponents. This might play better if there more enemies. But there are only so many. And a basic, straightforward attack does the trick for most of them.
The Ugly:
N/A
The Little Brave is out now for STEAM. And while there are moments where the game can be fun. The double jump could be improved and the gameplay occasionally feels awkward, so it still needs more work. However, I love a good adventure. And in that sense, the game doesn't disappoint, especially if you can overcome some of its control hurdles. So, out of TOV 5 stars, I'm giving The Little Brave a 2.5.
