In conclusion
Looking underneath the surface, 3D Dot Game Heroes is actually a fairly solid game. The combat works, the bosses are well-designed, and the graphics are great. The real problem for me is that it’s too bogged down in its retro roots. Considering what effect that tag had on the game, all I see is dodgy humour, a rubbish menu system, irritating map scrolling, boring puzzles, and an incongruous set of weapons that paid homage to everything from Zelda to Bomberman in preference to actually being useful. Had the aim been to fuse fresh ideas and modern features with the atmosphere and feel of the 8-bit era, I think this could have been a really great game. As things stand though, it comes across as a sticky lump of confusion.
