The Curse of the Sea Reds is an upcoming fantasy novel written by acclaimed author Lily Johnson. The book has garnered much anticipation among fans of the fantasy genre due to its intriguing storyline and compelling characters. Set in the magical world of Aquaria, The Curse of the Sea Reds follows the journey of Lila, a young mermaid princess, who embarks on a perilous quest to break a curse that has plagued her kingdom for centuries. Joined by her loyal friends and armed with mystical powers, Lila must confront dangerous sea creatures, solve cryptic riddles, and overcome personal obstacles in order to save her people. The release date for The Curse of the Sea Reds has been eagerly awaited by fans, who have been speculating about the novel's publication since it was first announced. While there is no official release date as yet, rumors suggest that the book will hit the shelves sometime in the spring of next year.
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Sadly for me though, the limited combat and boss fights undermine the experience and rank it lower than many other great metroidvania titles recently. Known primarily for the video game adaptations of established IPs like the most recent Peppa Pig World Adventures, Peetons Studio have embarked on an adventure of their own.
While there is no official release date as yet, rumors suggest that the book will hit the shelves sometime in the spring of next year. The author, Lily Johnson, has kept details of the book tightly under wraps, building anticipation among readers. However, she has occasionally teased fans with excerpts from the story on social media, fueling excitement and leaving readers eager for more.
Curse of the Sea Rats - Switch Review
Looking back at messages with our editor, I first put my hand up for Curse of the Sea Rats back in January 2021. A lot has happened and changed since then, but one thing remains; my thirst for a good metroidvania! My thirst has been quenched all too infrequently recently, with some hits like Aeterna Noctis, Souldiers and Ghost Song, but also quite a few misses too that have been middle of the road. Admittedly, the metroidvania formula is a tough one to crack in such a crowded genre, but Curse of the Sea Rats certainly has the potential to be worth the wait!
The Good
Curse of the Sea Rats is a pirate-themed ratoidvania (a term coined by the developer Petoons Studio, not me), with a cartoony art style. The story follows a group of human pirates who have been mysteriously transformed into rats. Amidst all of this, the captain’s son, Timothy, has also been kidnapped by the mysterious Flora Burn. You can choose to play as one of four rats (Douglas, Buffalo, Akane, and Bussa) as you hunt Flora Burn and her piratey crew along the way. Each character has full voice acting which is impressive for an indie title. Sure the script is a bit hammy at times, but it makes for a welcome change to relying on drab dialogue boxes.
More on those multiple playable characters; you can switch between them at save points which are marshalled by the mysterious Wu Yun. Wu Yun also allows you to redeem a souls-like currency to use in upgrading each character’s defence, attack and magic powers. Sadly, there are no traversal benefits or attributes between each character which makes the character switching system in Curse of the Sea Rats less nuanced than, say, Astalon: Tears of the Earth, but they each have different combat styles, meaning you can pick which character suits you. There’s also the option to play local co-op, which I tried with my wife and it was an absolute blast. It took me back to the good old days of playing as Sonic and Tails, and for a metroidvania, it was a refreshing and original take on the genre.
In line with the pirate theme, the soundtrack in Curse of the Sea Rats is awesome. There’s everything you’d expect; some sea shanties and plenty of upbeat ditties right out of the late 90s/early 00s Rare play book. There are also a number of moodier, more brooding tunes for the boss encounters. This dovetails perfectly with the art style, which makes for a vibrant and visceral experience.
TL;DR
- Voice acting is an impressive inclusion
- Local co-op is a hoot
- Catchy retro soundtrack
The Bad
Sounding and looking like a turn of the millennium game can certainly be viewed as a positive, but sadly Curse of the Sea Rats also plays like one in some aspects. The combat is pretty one-note as most character’s static attacks involve jabbing the nearest enemies with your sword or staff or whatever weapon they have. There are magic abilities too which are somewhat more exciting, but what with it being rather easy to farm the souls-like levelling up currency, you’ll have your chosen character to be pretty strong, pretty quickly. This has two outcomes; first, it means you’re unlikely to switch characters because getting one character up to full strength is pretty easy. And two, it means that, despite how uninspiring as the static sword-jabbing is, it actually gets the job done pretty well, so there’s not much incentive to use the magic powers.
The bosses are also quite uninspiring and criminally easy for a metroidvania. I don’t like ridiculously hard bosses, but I still like a challenge. However, the bosses in Curse of the Sea Rats are so straightforward that I didn’t even need to break stride. Normally when you come across a boss in a metroidvania (or indeed any game), there’s an element of preparing and stocking up on vital health items. But here, when a boss fight was telegraphed (by way of the room you’ve just entered being red on the mini-map), I was just thinking ‘Oh cool another boss fight, this will be fine’, and nine times out of ten, it was.
There’s a litany of other minor frustrations, like unnecessary perma-deaths when falling down some pits and Wu Yun’s incredibly frustrating sarcastic comments every time you die (‘Have you considered NOT failing?’ - hilarious, thanks mate). There’s also no quest log which makes some of the collectible side quests hard to follow. While these are all minor frustrations, they all sadly add up.
TL;DR
- Combat is uninspiring and too easy to level-up
- Dull, easy boss fights
- Annoying sarcastic comments from Wu Yun
In conclusion, The Curse of the Sea Reds release date has yet to be confirmed, but fans eagerly await the publication of this highly anticipated fantasy novel. With its captivating storyline and imaginative world-building, the book promises to transport readers to a magical realm and keep them enthralled until the very end..
Reviews for "The wait is over: Curse of the Sea Reds release date finally announced"
1. John - 1 star
I was highly disappointed with the release of "Curse of the Sea Reds." The film was marketed as a thrilling horror movie, but it turned out to be a complete waste of time. The storyline was confusing, and the characters lacked depth. Moreover, the special effects were poorly executed, making the movie look cheap and amateurish. I had high expectations for this film, but it failed to deliver any scares or excitement. I would not recommend wasting your money on this disappointing release.
2. Emily - 2 stars
"Curse of the Sea Reds" left much to be desired. The promotional materials for the movie promised an intense and suspenseful experience, but it fell flat on several levels. The pacing was slow, and the plot lacked coherence. The acting was subpar, with uninspired performances from the cast, which made it difficult to invest in the story or feel any connection with the characters. Additionally, the CGI effects were unconvincing and took away from the overall viewing experience. Overall, "Curse of the Sea Reds" failed to deliver on its promises and left me feeling underwhelmed.
3. Sarah - 2.5 stars
I had mixed feelings about "Curse of the Sea Reds." While the concept of the movie was interesting, the execution did not live up to my expectations. The screenplay lacked depth and failed to fully explore the supernatural elements that were teased in the trailer. Furthermore, the pacing felt uneven, with moments of suspense followed by long periods of dullness. However, the cinematography was visually appealing, and some of the underwater scenes were beautifully shot. Despite its flaws, "Curse of the Sea Reds" had potential, but it fell short in delivering a satisfying horror experience.
4. Mike - 1.5 stars
I regretted watching "Curse of the Sea Reds." The film was marketed as a spine-chilling horror flick, but it turned out to be nothing more than a cheap attempt at cashing in on the genre. The acting was cringe-worthy, and the dialogue felt forced and unnatural. The scares were predictable and lacked any genuine fright. The plot was convoluted and had several plot holes that were never resolved. I would advise anyone looking for a solid horror film to skip "Curse of the Sea Reds" and choose something more worthwhile instead.