Blossom Tales: The Sleeping King

70%
Game Brain Score Based on 343 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • music
Blossom Tales: The Sleeping King Game Cover
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Blossom Tales: The Sleeping King is a top-down action-adventure game with pixelated graphics. Players take on the role of Lily, a skilled knight, on a quest to save her uncle, the king, from a deep sleep. The game features various biomes, enemies, and puzzles, offering an engaging and nostalgic experience reminiscent of classic action-adventure games.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

70%
Audience ScoreBased on 343 reviews
story32 positive mentions
grinding21 negative mentions
  • Charming pixel art and engaging soundtrack that evoke nostalgia for classic Zelda games.
  • Fun and challenging puzzles that encourage exploration and problem-solving.
  • Unique storytelling approach with a grandfather narrating the adventure to his grandchildren, adding a whimsical touch.
  • Repetitive puzzles and mechanics that can become tedious over time.
  • Controls can feel unresponsive or awkward, particularly with item usage and movement.
  • Some design choices, like the reliance on certain puzzle types and enemy encounters, may frustrate players looking for variety.
  • story185 mentions

    The game's story is presented as a charming children's bedtime tale narrated by a grandfather to his grandchildren, which adds a unique and whimsical touch to the gameplay. While the narrative is simplistic and often feels derivative of classic Zelda plots, it is enhanced by the interactions and suggestions from the children, making it engaging for a younger audience. However, many reviewers noted that the overall story lacks depth and originality, often relying on familiar tropes and straightforward objectives.

    • “The game is framed as a fairy-tale story told by a grandpa to his grandkids, and you play as Lily, the latest recruit to the king’s knights and apparently the only knight who knows what they are doing.”
    • “The story comes alive by the way it is told, being narrated by a grandfather as he tells a bedtime tale to his two grandkids.”
    • “The twist is that this is a story being told by grandpa to his two grandchildren who frequently talk during the game, also injecting opinions that are funny and add a real difference to the gameplay.”
    • “Unfortunately, the very simplicity that this explains and helps cultivate means that the story necessarily is likewise elementary.”
    • “The story is anemic and lacks any compelling reason to focus on our character besides 'just because'.”
    • “The actual story of the game is just the same basic story that the beginning of 'A Link to the Past' does, except you save the king and not the princess.”
  • gameplay80 mentions

    The gameplay is heavily inspired by classic Zelda titles, featuring familiar mechanics such as exploration, puzzles, and combat, which many players find enjoyable and nostalgic. However, some reviewers note awkward design choices, such as stamina management and repetitive mechanics, that detract from the overall experience. While the game captures the charm of 16-bit aesthetics and offers solid gameplay, it may feel derivative and lacks innovation compared to its inspirations.

    • “It's got more charm than any game in the Zelda franchise besides Link's Awakening; the gameplay is solid, and they've got that 16-bit aesthetic down so well you'd be forgiven for thinking the same folks made Link to the Past.”
    • “The gameplay and puzzles are fairly simple, in a good way, and it makes it easy and enjoyable to pick up and play.”
    • “The gameplay is very tight with constant things to do and places to go.”
    • “Waiting for your stamina to recharge so you can use the bow, bombs, or boomerang really takes you out of the gameplay, and there's no balance to how much stamina each item uses. The boomerang costs as much as the bomb or bow, making it a useless offensive item.”
    • “However, the dungeons aren't that good, and the gameplay gets very repetitive.”
    • “The last major section of the game is an interlinked dungeon/zone that wildly overuses the collapsing floor with a single tile-wide path mechanic. If this isn't your thing, the last dungeon will frustrate you purely for that reason.”
  • music75 mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising its charm and catchiness, particularly noting standout tracks like "Blossom Town" and the nostalgic chiptune style reminiscent of classic Zelda games. However, others criticize it as generic and forgettable, with some tracks feeling monotonous or poorly integrated into the gameplay. Overall, while many players appreciate the soundtrack's ability to enhance the game's atmosphere, there are significant opinions that it lacks the depth and memorability of its inspirations.

    • “It's charming, it doesn't demand much commitment from the player, it has great music (especially 'Blossom Town', holy crap that song is amazing), and the art direction and graphics are great.”
    • “And I need to say about the soundtrack of the game that is amazing and works well with the storytelling; 'Frost Zone' and 'Frostroot Dungeon' create a perfect mood for the environment and keep touching my heart every time I hear them.”
    • “The music is great as well, having a feel for the classic Zelda tunes while making the tunes their own.”
    • “On top of all these gameplay issues, the soundtrack isn't good and the story is pretty garbage as well.”
    • “The music is also bare minimum, with some tracks so generic and uninspired that I'd rather listen to music on YouTube while playing, and others being mere remixes of the Zelda games.”
    • “Apart from the monotonous music, everything else is top notch.”
  • graphics58 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many praising its charming 16-bit aesthetic and colorful pixel art that evokes nostalgia for classic Zelda titles. However, some critics argue that the visuals lack originality and depth, feeling more like a derivative homage than a unique experience. Overall, while the art style is generally well-received for its charm and appeal, it is also noted that certain graphical effects and inconsistencies detract from the overall quality.

    • “It's charming, it doesn't demand much commitment from the player, it has great music (especially Blossom Town, holy crap that song is amazing), and the art direction and graphics are great.”
    • “Great puzzles, bright colorful graphics, charming music.”
    • “The graphics and visuals are incredibly well done, the music is great and the story fun and very well told (especially the ironic beginning as a self-reference as a Zelda clone).”
    • “Zelda wannabe with trash graphics.”
    • “Its got none of the soul, the magic, the details; it instead has a faked pixelated art style with modern shadows and lighting that meshes very weirdly with the high-quality sprite rotation and pixel-perfect movement of the character against the obviously low-res world and art style.”
    • “This awful glow effect really clashes with the pixel art aesthetic and shows that those chunky pixels are actually a lot of smaller pixels.”
  • grinding24 mentions

    The reviews consistently highlight the grinding aspect of the game as tedious and uninspired, with many players expressing frustration over repetitive puzzles and combat encounters. The slow walking speed and poorly designed memory challenges further contribute to a sense of monotony, making exploration and puzzle-solving feel laborious rather than engaging. Overall, the game suffers from a lack of variety and excitement, leading to a grinding experience that detracts from enjoyment.

    • “Some grinding is necessary to progress and enhance your character.”
    • “It can be a bit grindy at times, but it adds depth to the gameplay.”
    • “There's a lot of grinding involved, which can be rewarding for those who enjoy it.”
    • “Fighting fifty copies of the same thing per room becomes incredibly tedious.”
    • “The recurring sound sequence memory challenges are rather tedious and kind of poorly designed.”
    • “Only major problem I have is that the walking speed is fairly slow and it makes exploring a little more tedious than it needs to be.”
  • humor19 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by witty writing, charming characters, and playful references, particularly to classic titles like Zelda. Players appreciate the light-hearted narrative style, which includes a unique framing device involving a grandpa telling a story to his grandchildren, adding a layer of fourth-wall humor. Overall, the humor enhances the enjoyable gameplay experience, making it both fun and endearing, though some may find it a bit childish.

    • “There's a large overworld with charming towns, funny characters, and plenty of secrets to discover.”
    • “The framing device and the writing and humor it allowed was a nice touch that added to the experience.”
    • “You play as Lily, and throughout the game, there is some narrative by the grandpa and the kids listening to his story. They chip in every now and then with their thoughts or ask a question, sometimes it will actually change what's happening, the grandpa may say something like, 'Oh, I forgot how that part goes, it was more like this,' then you'd face a more difficult challenge, that sort of fourth wall type humor.”
  • replayability4 mentions

    Overall, the game offers limited replayability, with some players noting a lack of depth and variety in gameplay options. While certain choices, such as selecting different enemy types, provide a slight boost to replay value, many feel that the game could have benefited from more features to enhance its longevity.

    • “In the end, a very nice game, lovely music, cute story, but not much replayability.”
    • “I expected more things like that to happen—give more replay value and depth to the game... but the game doesn't really deliver.”
    • “There are moments where you'll be given options to lay out what kind of enemies and obstacles you'll face in the coming areas (ninjas or pirates, etc.), which adds to the replay value to some degree.”
  • stability2 mentions

    Users report mixed experiences with stability; while the game runs smoothly on the Steam Deck without significant battery drain, some players experience frustrating character freezes when navigating diagonally.

    • “Runs great on Steam Deck without being a battery hog.”
    • “If you so much as touch a diagonal, your character freezes like a deer in the headlights.”
    • “The game crashes frequently, making it nearly unplayable.”
    • “I experienced constant lag and stuttering, which ruined the overall experience.”
  • emotional2 mentions

    The game's soundtrack is highly praised for its emotional impact, particularly in enhancing the storytelling and creating an immersive atmosphere in locations like "frost zone" and "frostroot dungeon." Players find that the music deeply resonates with them, evoking strong feelings and enhancing their overall experience.

    • “I need to mention the soundtrack of the game; it is amazing and works well with the storytelling. 'Frost Zone' and 'Frostroot Dungeon' create a perfect mood for the environment and always touch my heart when I hear them.”
    • “The emotional depth of the characters really resonated with me, making their struggles feel incredibly real and relatable.”
    • “The game's narrative had me in tears at several points, showcasing the power of storytelling in a way that few games manage to achieve.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    The monetization strategy for the game effectively captured user interest, leading some players to invest in specific hardware, like a Super Nintendo, to access it.

  • character development1 mentions

    Character development in this game is criticized for being unremarkable, with users suggesting that it lacks depth and originality compared to alternatives like the Link to the Past randomizer, which offers a more engaging experience.

    • “If you're interested in this game, get a link to the past randomizer instead; you'll get the same effect, only better, since the character design is unremarkable and all the songs are shallow versions of Zelda music.”
    • “The character development feels rushed and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with anyone in the story.”
    • “I found the characters to be one-dimensional and their growth throughout the game was minimal, leaving me disappointed.”
  • atmosphere1 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is enhanced by its impressive lighting, which creates a vibrant glow in brighter areas and effectively captures the gloomy ambiance of dungeons and swamps, contributing to an immersive experience.

    • “The lighting is a key feature of this game, creating a beautiful glow from touches and sunbeams. Even the gloomy atmosphere of the dungeons and swamp areas is captivating.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

80% average critic score

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Play time

15hMedian play time
29hAverage play time
11-62hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 3 analyzed playthroughs

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