![[SSRF] Shantae: Risky’s Revenge (Director’s Cut) by Wayforward](https://i0.wp.com/quinnscurios.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/shantae-riskys-revenge-opt-1.png?fit=960%2C540&ssl=1)
Basic Info
- “Shantae: Risky’s Revenge (Director’s Cut)”
- Release Date: 6/15/2014
- Released On: Steam
- Developer: WayForward
- Publisher: WayForward
- Genre: Action Platformer, Metroidvania
- Time Spent on the Game: 6.5 hours
Start
“Shantae: Risky’s Revenge,” was originally released for the Nintendo DSi via “DSiWare” in 2010. The game was then ported to PC and released as the “Director’s Cut” in 2014. I cannot speak to the differences between the two versions of the game, as I have only played the “Director’s Cut.” Based on the Steam page, it seems the main changes include updated portrait artwork, quality-of-life improvements (like configurable controls and a, “re-imagined warp system”), and “Magic Mode,” which lessens the cost of magic, but also cuts defense in half. I can say that the “Magic Mode,” only unlocks after beating the game, acting as a “new game plus,” of sorts.
My own experience with the game started with Humble Bundle, as that’s where I purchased the game. Unfortunately, I can’t say when or a part of which bundle, as Humble Bundle does not provide that information in my library of purchases or my associated email account. What I can say, though, is that I first started playing the game in late-2016, as that’s when I unlocked my first achievement for the game. I then dropped it for almost a decade (holy shit) before picking it back up in August of 2026. Excuse me while I disintegrate into dust, I guess. Woof.
Anyway, rather than have an existential crisis I’m going to tell you what initially drew me to the game. Yeah. Well, a few things caught my attention about the game. While I’d never played the original “Shantae” (which was released for Game Boy Color in 2002), I’d heard good things about it. The same was true for “Risky’s Revenge,” which, as previously mentioned, I was able to purchase at a discount via Humble Bundle. When you add in that the game’s protagonist is a woman and the genre is “Metroidvania” / action platformer, I was drawn in. Unfortunately, I didn’t stay for long.
Stop
Reviewing my achievements for the game, it seems I didn’t get much further than the opening hour or two. Why did I quit, then? Honestly, the reason seems a bit silly in retrospect: I didn’t like the mechanic of, “jumping between planes,” found in the opening hub and first biome of the game. In retrospect, that feels like such a small detail to get hung-up on. At the time, however, I felt exhausted by the idea of branching paths because I was worried they would lead to a headache-inducing amount of exploration and a mind-boggling amount of map knowledge being required.
With that being said, I’m guessing there were other issues that put me off the game, even if “plane hopping” is the one that stuck with me. What I find funny, though, is that the plane-hopping mechanic only features prominently in the hub town and the first biome! If I would’ve kept playing for even a little longer, I would’ve seen that my most memorable complaint didn’t stick around. Given the amount of time that’s passed (and the fact that I finished the game), I think it’s safe to say that I played the game with fresh eyes when I picked it back up earlier this year.
Restart
What brought me back to the game almost a decade later? I’d say it boiled down to two things. First, I remembered how small-minded my reason was for bouncing off the game. That alone made me want to give it another chance. Second, I wanted to knock another game off of my backlog. “Risky Boots” was an easy choice in that regard because I’d already started playing it, “How Long to Beat” pegged it at under 5 hours to finish, and the game still had all the positive qualities that drew me to it in the first place. (Also, knocking the game off of my backlog would bring me one step closer to buying a new game; as I’ve mentioned in a previous post, I’m only buying new games when I complete two from my backlog (retro games excluded).)
Finish
So, did I follow-through and finish the game? I spoiled it above, but yes, I did. I also spent far more than five hours with the game, only finishing after about six and a half. It took me this long because I ended up “100%-ing” / completing the game by finishing all the side quests, gathering all the upgrades, and generally doing all there was to do on a single game file. There were still things I struggled with on this play-through, though (and the issues go beyond my past reluctance to experience something new!).
With regards to the gameplay experience, I found the “underwater” visual filter to sit somewhere between annoying and nauseating (i.e. not a good place to be). The 2nd upgrade to Shantae’s hair – which serves as her primary mode of attack – felt bad. Why? No amount of mashing ever matched up with how often you attack. It feels like there should be a rhythm or method to it, but, no. The only way to make it work the way it feels like it should (ie one mash = one attack) is to get the third and final hair upgrade. Oh, and did I mention that the respawn rate for the standard enemies encountered throughout the game is ridiculously fast? I thought something was wrong with the game with how quickly the enemies reappeared from off-screen.
I also found the hit-boxes for some of the enemies to be off the mark. This was especially true for the (SPOILER WARNING, but also, c’mon her name is in the title of the game) penultimate boss fight with Risky Boots. This issue was only exacerbated by the fact that some bosses take way, way too many hits to defeat. The final boss is the worst offender; said boss doesn’t have phases or mechanics that change over the course of the fight, either, they just had a huge health pool. (I ended up beating this boss with a can-do attitude and all the potions I purchased from the shop but never used until the final confrontation. Woo.)
The issues didn’t stop with the gameplay alone, unfortunately. While I appreciate the more light-hearted tone the game takes, the story openly contradicts itself. Shantae spends the entire game learning to not do it alone and to rely on her friends, but then insists on handling the final two battles alone. I get why this had to happen for gameplay reasons, but with regards to Shantae’s arc and character development? Hogwash.
Beyond that, I didn’t love how much and how consistently the game sexualized Shantae. She is constantly crawling in and out of caves, for one thing. Literally any other screen transition could have been used. Both of her outfits show a lot of skin (in “regular” mode and “magic” mode). Her dance animation involves giving the player a, “come hither” look and she does a little booty shake every time she crouches. Even the game’s creator, Matt Bozon, has stated that the female characters have, “a deliberately sexy design to them.”
Ultimately, I think Shantae’s creators deserve recognition for having a woman-led series. I also appreciate the hurdles that had to be overcome to make that happen (e.g. being asked by publishers to switch to a male lead). Still, I find the overt, “male gaze” of the game off-putting. Sexiness? Not the problem. The character’s portrayal and design in the larger context of how women are portrayed in games? Kind of a problem.
Conclusion
Overall, I enjoyed my time with the game; it delivered on its promise of a woman-led Metroidvania with light puzzle elements (even if I found the objectification of the lead a bit sleazy). If that sounds like the sort of game you’d be interested in, it’s worth checking out. The pixel art pops, the genie transformations add a bit of depth to the experience, and the writing is light-hearted (if not especially deep). For my own part, I do not intend to start a “new game plus” by way of “Magic Mode,” at this time. I’m AM glad I got over my initial, superficial issues with the game to find a more nuanced experience underneath, however.
