Flynn and Freckles Review

Flynn & Freckles (PS4, Steam) (Rated Everyone 10+)

Video Review

Sometimes when scouring the barren wastes of retro-based independent platformers, you find a buried treasure. For those with a taste for 90's to early 00's platformers, specifically the likes of Spyro and Jak & Dexter, you will be right at home with Flynn & Freckles. A pirate-themed old-school platformer, that may be rough around its edges, but at its core is a fun and challenging adventure. You start out on an island with a couple of mini-quests to solve, this portion of the game has a very distinct Legend of Zelda vibe, right down to collecting runaway chickens, and of course, mowing the lawn for gold coins. 

This is where you will learn the game's platforming mechanics, which require decent reaction timing. Those with a passion for games of this nature will have little difficulty, those accustomed to the more accessible platforming of modern games, will find a worthy challenge. I realized I was only missing my jumps due only to my premature attempts. I never felt that the game was unfairly causing me to miss any attempt, however that is not to say the game is easy, as it does not hold your hand. You will receive little to no guidance in your objectives, or in the game's simple yet deceivingly challenging puzzles. 

The story is a simple one that does lack voice-overs, with the exception of grunts and the occasional hello. Thankfully the writing is quite charming, the characters are cute, clever, and the jokes land surprisingly well. Flynn & Freckles does not attempt to reinvent the wheel in any way, rather it simply tries to take a well-loved genre that does not get the same attention it once did, and pay homage to it. The visuals are easily the game's best asset, as the levels are stunning, warm and ultimately joyful to traverse through. Although some of the jumping puzzles can be a bit confusing at first, one that has you attempting to light pillars by leaping on them, can be quite the brainteaser. Yet none of them were ever frustrating to crack, they just took a bit of time and mental energy. Admittedly it does require a bit of trial and error to uncover the solution at times, but that is part and parcel for these types of games.

Of course, what would any good platformer be without a whimsical and enduring score? The music may be simple, but it is exceedingly well crafted and makes exploring the expertly crafted levels a pure delight. Combat is extremely simple, one button dodging, one button to attack, and a spin attack if you hold down the attack button. Though diverse, interesting and lively enemy design crafts encounters, which are far more exciting than one would expect. The boss fights are definite standouts, both in their mechanics and art design. The attack animations, patterns and arena designs make for some enthralling conflicts. The checkpoints are well placed, for the most part, the one exception would be lacking a checkpoint after a challenging platforming section, that is followed by a fairly tense battle. However this is also part of the old-school design, and you're never placed more than a minute or two away from where you died.

Depending on skill level it can take four to six hours to finish, though it could take longer if you search for every collectible or if you are less skilled at these style of games. I rarely take a keen interest in the indie platforming market, as most are poorly made and rarely match the quality of the games they wish to emulate. Flynn & Freckles by Rookie Hero Games, is one of those rare games that manages to be as good as the games the creators clearly love so much. The only fault I found within the game, was that some of the English written text was poorly translated, never enough to lose sense of what is going on, but enough to be noticed. That is a major feat though given the small four-man team that made the game, and it is due to the original language being translated into English.

I have been burned by so many games like this before, and I was skeptical of how this one would turn out. I loved the art style when I first saw it, but I kept thinking of all the failed attempts at recreating these kinds of games. Then I sat down and finally played the thing, and I was in for a real treat. If you enjoy the genre and miss playing games like this, don't pass this one up. It may not appeal to those with a limited interest in platformers, yet for fans it is a true treasure.