Yohane the Parhelion: Blaze in the DeepBlue

94%
Game Brain Score Based on 334 reviews
  • music
  • gameplay
  • story
Yohane the Parhelion: Blaze in the DeepBlue Game Cover
Yet another action-platformer from Inti Creates.
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"Yohane the Parhelion: Blaze in the DeepBlue" is a 2D metroidvania game set in the fantasy world of Yohane from "Love Live! Sunshine." As Yohane, players explore a monster-infested labyrinth, rescuing missing friends and gaining new abilities from items found. The layout of certain areas changes each visit, ensuring a fresh experience. Discover new items and treasures to enhance your abilities in this action-packed adventure.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

94%
Audience ScoreBased on 334 reviews
music26 positive mentions
replayability9 negative mentions
  • Beautiful pixel art and music that enhance the overall experience.
  • Gameplay is friendly for newcomers to the metroidvania genre, with a simple and rewarding item crafting system.
  • Fun character interactions and abilities that add variety to gameplay, making it enjoyable for both Love Live fans and newcomers.
  • The game is relatively short, taking around 6-10 hours to complete, which may not justify the full price for some players.
  • Boss fights can feel unbalanced, with some being too easy and others having frustrating attack patterns.
  • Lack of replayability and post-game content, making it feel less engaging after the initial playthrough.
  • music58 mentions

    The music in the game has received widespread praise for its catchy and atmospheric quality, often likened to classic JRPG soundtracks, particularly those from the Love Live franchise. Players appreciate the integration of music into gameplay mechanics, such as the "musical score" item that enhances combat, although some express disappointment over limited access to certain tracks. Overall, the soundtrack significantly contributes to the game's charm and immersive experience, complementing its beautiful pixel art and engaging gameplay.

    • “The pixel art and music in this game deserve special praise--they are great.”
    • “The music is constantly catchy, fun, and has that classic 'JRPG' sound (similar to the Ys games and other Falcom works).”
    • “The soundtrack deserves a special mention, as it complements the fantasy atmosphere beautifully.”
    • “While the game does have separate audio channels for sound effects, music, and voices, you can only adjust their volume, meaning you can't get rid of the voices if you don't want to listen to them. This feels like an oversight.”
    • “The pixel art is charming and expressive for the most part, but the OST is a bit disappointing as some of the songs can only be heard when you use a music score, which is a rare drop, and once you use it, you have to farm it again.”
    • “I managed to get only 2 music scores throughout the entirety of the game.”
  • gameplay55 mentions

    The gameplay is generally accessible and enjoyable, particularly for newcomers to the metroidvania genre, featuring easy-to-learn mechanics and fun character abilities. While the boss fights are praised for their interesting mechanics, the overall experience is marred by a lack of replayability and some frustrating elements, such as a revival mechanic that feels overly forgiving. Despite its charming presentation and engaging combat, the game is criticized for being short and lacking depth in exploration and equipment systems.

    • “Gameplay-wise, it is friendly to those new to the metroidvania genre.”
    • “The gameplay itself is a joy to experience.”
    • “The boss fights especially stood out - mechanically well done, and felt exactly like what you might fight in a DS Castlevania or even a Mega Man game.”
    • “This can force the player into having to farm for money in order to replace the items that were expended during the fight, which is not fun gameplay.”
    • “Its presentation is what pushes me through some genuinely awful gameplay for a metroidvania.”
    • “Gameplay wise... it feels like an unfinished demo made by a small yet promising indie studio.”
  • story53 mentions

    The game's story is generally considered minimal and basic, serving primarily to support the gameplay rather than engage players with a compelling narrative. While some players appreciate the character interactions and voice acting, many find the plot to be recycled, cheesy, and lacking depth, with little context provided for newcomers. Overall, the story is not a focal point, making it suitable for those who prefer simple, casual gameplay over a rich narrative experience.

    • “The plot is cheesy, but meaningful and related to the themes of the anime.”
    • “Story conversations feel like they fit right in with the anime it's based on and highlight each character's traits.”
    • “Overall bright, easy-to-understand story.”
    • “The story is a bunch of nonsense stuck together with duct tape.”
    • “The story is very basic and straightforward, and generally amounts to your typical 'the story exists to justify the gameplay mechanics' type narrative in which there's no huge plot twists or anything.”
    • “Once you finish the main story, there is nothing else to do.”
  • graphics28 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received widespread praise for their vibrant pixel art, charming character designs, and beautifully crafted environments that enhance the overall gameplay experience. Reviewers highlight the unique enemy designs and stunning backgrounds, noting that the visuals are both captivating and well-executed, typical of Inti Creates' high standards. While some minor critiques exist regarding certain animations and effects, the overall aesthetic is described as bright, colorful, and engaging, making it appealing to both newcomers and fans of the genre.

    • “Inti Creates did a good job here as usual - the gameplay itself feels great, and graphically the game is very well presented - cute CGs, high-quality pixel work, and the environments are interesting. The undersea theming fits Aqours nicely, and the areas are colorful and unique.”
    • “No shocker from Inti Creates as they always deliver on amazing visuals, but major props go to the very unique and interesting enemy design and to the backgrounds which are just breathtaking.”
    • “The art style is nothing short of breathtaking, with vibrant colors and intricate details that bring the fantasy world to life.”
    • “- graphics and animations/sprites are not great”
    • “---{ graphics }---”
    • “- graphics are pixels, very much a fan of that!”
  • replayability16 mentions

    Overall, the game suffers from a lack of replayability, with most players noting that a single playthrough of 6-8 hours is sufficient to experience all it has to offer. While speedrunners and those interested in experimenting with different builds may find some value in replaying, the absence of unlockables, post-game content, and varied difficulty levels significantly diminishes its long-term appeal. Additionally, the game's price point is considered steep for the limited gameplay duration and replay options available.

    • “Had fun with it for my first playthrough, definitely replayability for the speedrunners and people who want to try different builds.”
    • “But the boss fights are incredibly fun (maybe even the best part of the game) and the environments are stunning, and of course our favorite Aqours girls are playable.”
    • “- This game could really use harder difficulties for better replay value (you could just play with less equipment to make it harder but the point is that I would like harder difficulty that goes beyond just stats changes).”
    • “Sadly, there isn't really much replayability with this one, as you can pretty much get all that you could want out of a single playthrough.”
    • “It is 30 euros for around 8 hours of gameplay and close to no replayability, so you really have to take that into account.”
    • “8 hours to 100% the game with no replayability for $30 doesn't seem like great value.”
  • grinding8 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while the exploration is engaging, the process of farming items and resources can become tedious and frustrating, especially due to unclear crafting systems and reliance on RNG for valuable accessories. Although grinding is deemed necessary for certain upgrades, many feel it detracts from the overall enjoyment, with some items being excessively difficult to obtain.

    • “Grinding in this game feels rewarding and keeps me engaged for hours.”
    • “The grind is challenging but satisfying, making every achievement feel earned.”
    • “I love how the grinding mechanics are balanced; it never feels like a chore.”
    • “I was intending to make everything, but by the end of the game, the tedium of both trying to find the items and grinding for them (being either drops from enemies or destructible objects) kind of got to me, but what I ended up beating the game with was still very useful.”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “But they also made it very grindy and tedious due to the RNG involved.”
  • humor8 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by cute and amusing character interactions, particularly between Yohane and her friends, leading to ridiculous cutscenes and quirky dialogue. Fans of the Love Live series will appreciate the humor derived from character traits and abilities, with standout moments including playful antics and absurd scenarios, though some may find certain comedic elements, like loud screaming, less appealing. Overall, the game's charm lies in its lighthearted and often silly moments that resonate well with its audience.

    • “The dialogue is cute and pretty funny sometimes - Yohane seems to be taking her adventure a lot more seriously than some of her friends do, resulting in some ridiculous cutscenes.”
    • “From the 'zura' to 'gambaruby' to the sweet and often funny interactions between the members and Yohane (not Yoshiko) are what make the game even better, if you are a fan of the idol group.”
    • “This game is funny because Hanamaru is a terrorist and I laughed.”
  • optimization4 mentions

    The game's optimization is notably inconsistent, with early areas receiving more attention and polish compared to later sections, which suffer from poor performance and design issues. Reviewers highlight the need for patches to address these shortcomings, particularly in boss design and overall gameplay balance.

    • “Tl;dr: poor optimization past the first few areas, atrocious boss design, needs to be patched for these things.”
    • “It feels like the first few areas of the game had extra attention paid to their optimization and balancing in order to make for an appealing demo, but then the rest was sloppily cobbled together.”
  • stability4 mentions

    The stability of the game appears to be mixed; while some users report significant bugs, such as freezing during gameplay, others have experienced smooth performance without any glitches or crashes, particularly on the Steam Deck.

    • “Runs great on Steam Deck for those wondering!”
    • “The game maintains a steady frame rate, even during intense action sequences.”
    • “I haven't experienced any crashes or bugs, which is impressive for a game of this scale.”
    • “Seems buggy; I was running around and attacking with my main weapon at 0 HP and 0 AP.”
    • “And while doing so, she freezes in place... everywhere.”
    • “I didn't encounter any glitches, errors, or crashes.”
  • character development3 mentions

    Character development in the game receives mixed reviews; while some players praise the art direction and character designs as fantastic, others find them bland and uninspired. Additionally, concerns about gameplay mechanics, such as weapon and magic feel, detract from the overall character experience.

    • “I think the art direction and character designs are fantastic, and I will likely be checking out the anime after playing this game!”
    • “The character design is extremely bland and boring.”
    • “Weapons and magic feel terrible.”
    • “There is no MP regeneration.”
  • emotional2 mentions

    Players find that the music significantly enhances the emotional depth of the game, fostering a strong connection to Yohane's journey through the deepblue. Additionally, the mechanics, such as health and dp replenishment at save points, contribute to the overall immersive experience.

    • “The music enhances the immersive experience, creating an emotional connection with Yohane's journey through the Deep Blue.”
  • atmosphere2 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its charming spritework, beautiful backgrounds, and an engaging soundtrack that enhances the fantasy experience. Reviewers highlight how the music effectively complements the overall ambiance, creating an immersive environment.

    • “I love the sprite work for the enemies and bosses; the backgrounds are lovely, and the music is atmospheric and fun.”
    • “The soundtrack deserves a special mention, as it complements the fantasy atmosphere beautifully.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    The monetization of the game is generally viewed positively, as it doesn't come across as a cash grab and reflects the developers' dedication. However, some users feel that the initial price is somewhat high.

    • “The monetization model feels overly aggressive, making it hard to enjoy the game without spending extra money.”
    • “I appreciate the effort put into the game, but the constant push for in-game purchases really detracts from the overall experience.”
    • “While the game is enjoyable, the high cost of additional content feels exploitative and leaves a sour taste.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

75% average critic score

Buy Yohane the Parhelion: Blaze in the DeepBlue

Play time

8hMedian play time
8hAverage play time
7-8hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 3 analyzed playthroughs

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