Melon Journey: Bittersweet Reminiscences on PC
Story-driven video games have all the time been recognized so as to add just a few twists and turns, thrilling the participant sufficient to need to play extra. However, within the case of Melon Journey: Bittersweet Reminiscences, it as a substitute provides a brand new which means to surprising moments with its shocking outcomes and dark-humoristic dialogue scenes.
In case you aren’t conversant in Melon Journey, the sport initially made its debut in 2012, by which it will definitely grew to become a cult traditional as an RPG maker. It could then result in an increase in recognition for the builders, Froach Membership, who continues to make much more adorably designed video games over time. And now, they’re returning to the classics with the re-imagination of Melon Journey, that includes a green-tinted 2D pixelated world from the publishers XSEED Video games and Poppy Works.
Though the primary storyline doesn’t supply something too sustainable, the energetic presence of Hog City is the place the center of the narrative actually lives, from the chaotic Cavity Crew gang to the facility couple Kitten Princess and Sturdy Canine. Every time I had a dialogue with a resident, I’d be thrown off guard by each phrase they stated, given how blunt and anomalous characters could be. You may see a wonderful instance of this initially of the sport when a co-worker belittles you for not realizing the place your office is, differing from commonplace tutorial phases that attempt that can assist you at first.

Because the story goes, you’ll be taught that melons are primarily a drug that causes many dangerous unwanted effects. Whereas Hog City deems it unlawful, Ham City relishes its candy taste and produces a soda manufacturing facility to make use of it for revenue. Gamers will tackle the function of a advertising and marketing worker of this sugary institution as they decipher the thriller of what occurred to their lacking buddy, Cantaloupe.
You’ll largely seek for your companion at Hog City, a wierd place with distinctive characters and places. When exploring the grounds, I used to be shocked at each flip since nothing was fairly prefer it appeared. Typically I’d come across a Cheese Cult in a cemetery, and different occasions, I’d discover a canine expressing its admiration for the form of a hydrant.
In case you’re the sort who wonders why online game characters get away with breaking and getting into, you’ll undoubtedly get pleasure from what occurs each time you enter a home in Melon Journey: Bittersweet Reminiscences. Usually, residents won’t take kindly to gamers going inside their houses and can name them nosy or downright bizarre. I discovered it refreshing to see this facet, because it affords a extra lifelike and comedic tackle this typical recreation mechanic.
There’s additionally a touch of fourth-wall-breaking moments in varied scenes that always made me query what was actual or not. Particularly, when interacting with a selected object, you’ll get the fundamental ‘Do you need to pull the lever?’ immediate, solely to seek out out that it’s really the lever speaking to you and never the sport itself.

The gameplay mechanics are comparatively simple to observe because it primarily focuses on exploration and decision-making duties. As it’s possible you’ll count on, decisions closely impression the story’s consequence, even when it might appear minor or inconsequential. One thing so simple as grabbing a bowl of chili may enable you to later down the highway and open the door to different narratives for facet characters.
I often bumped into bother after I wasn’t certain the place to go because of the absence of a map and mission tracker system. Nonetheless, it didn’t take me too lengthy to determine the following plan whereas roaming round, and typically it could lead me to one of many character’s questlines for achievement completions.
The outcomes from selections can also shock you as a result of they by no means actually go as deliberate. As an example, a “good” resolution may result in a horrendous accident, whereas an “evil” interplay may flip right into a heroic act. Simply after I suppose I’ve figured it out all out, the sport throws me a curve ball and makes me query my resolution in a virtualized world.
Melon Journey: Bittersweet Reminiscences’ touring mechanic could come off as gradual at first, however you’ll get to unlock Rollerblades to make the method a lot faster and entertaining. Gamers also can count on others to affix their get together, offering them with humorous eventualities that the group incessantly will get themselves into. On prime of that, the define of the small display can change all through your journey, the place it takes on many kinds and expands additional throughout horror-esque situations.

Don’t fear; it’s not a scary recreation in a method, contemplating that it primarily lies throughout the cozy recreation style. Melon Journey: Bittersweet Reminiscences even has an digital and jazz-inspired LoFi soundtrack to make the general expertise enjoyable and enjoyable to play. With over 90 songs, I’d bob my head or go to sleep to the soothing sounds of the sport’s composer, markeryjane.
At its core, the characters are what actually drive the story, with all their weird desires, sophisticated relationships, and riveting origins. My private favourite is Ham Ghost Jr., who began as an annoying character till he finally wormed his method into my coronary heart. There are nonetheless, after all, a wide range of different residents that I loved speaking to, and I’m assured that each participant will a minimum of discover considered one of their very own favorites with every passing act.
Those that are achievement hunters may have some enjoyable with the sport’s story-driven and hidden trophies. I spent about three hours in whole with the Melon Journey: Bittersweet Reminiscences, and I nonetheless have but to do one other playthrough to get just a few that I missed. The achievements are additionally comparatively distinctive in comparison with different video games, as you need to suppose outdoors the field to earn them.
In a gaming world crammed with violence and warfare, it’s good to sit down again and loosen up in an cute universe like Melon Journey: Bittersweet Reminiscences. So, if you’re in search of your subsequent cozy recreation, you need to completely decide it up for a meager worth and get to know all these cute characters. However be certain to not overindulge an excessive amount of in these candy, juicy melons.

Reviewer: Kristina Ebanez | Award: Editor’s Selection | Copy supplied by Writer.
Professionals
- Eccentric and cute solid.
- Oddly humorous dialogue moments.
- A shock at each flip.
Cons
- No directional map to information gamers.
- Facet tales overshadow the primary storyline.
Launch Date
April 6, 2023
Developer
Froach Membership & Poppy Works
Writer
Poppy Works & XSEED Video games
Consoles
PC, Nintendo Change, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Collection X|S
















