When I first played Narita Boy, I was not sure what to expect. This is a game clearly influenced by classic titles such as Another World, and classic movies like Tron, but there is more to it that just that. Narita Boy is a 2D action platformer with some unique aspects as well, but I will be up front and admit that I did not like the game. This is not due to the flashing visuals either, which can be hard on my photosensitivity ( i can take steps to handle that), but due to a problem I had with the game itself.
Narita boy seems to blend its own cyber-esque imagery with modern and retro game design and never quite feels like it knows what it wants to be. The gameplay is actually rather simplistic, with combat and other abilities gradually introduced and some unique boss fights here and there, but combat never feels like a major part of the game. If anything, it feels like combat interrupts the game more than anything, with slippery controls and delayed input causing attacks to be thrown off.
It is clear that the narrative is the main draw of Narita Boy but even as it gets Meta in its storytelling, the game still tries to pay homage to its roots while not quite understanding the precise aspects of them. Take the influences from Another World for instance, which was groundbreaking for the time and had a profound impact on the way stories would be told in gaming from then on. Narita Boy tries to mimic the cinematic feel of that game, along with its film influences, but it ends up being close to Undertale than Another World, and the mix does not produce the best outcome that it could be.
The game is gorgeous, I will admit that. Though as mentioned, you should either take precautions of avoid if you have photosensitivity issues. The thing is, with its unbalanced and frankly unpolished gameplay, Narita Boy feels like it is all style and no substance. Maybe I was not the audience for this kind of game, but I walked away truly unimpressed from my time with the game. The story was not enough to save the overall product and as a result I find myself left wanting.
In conclusion, I do not recommend Narita Boy. It just feels lacking to me in too many ways.
Disclaimer: A review key was provided