Cassette Beasts [PC] | REVIEW

I’ll be honest, I had kinda started to grow tired of all of the ‘monster-collecting’ games that have been releasing these days, with so many trying to replicate the Pokémon formula but rarely offering anything that felt distinct or creative. Then I played Cassette Beasts. Not only does it offer a unique, clever, and charming take on the established formula that kept me hooked in the whole time I was playing, but it also stands out as one of the best titles that I’ve played so far this year.

Check out some screenshots down below:

Cassette Beasts sees players awakening on New Wirral Island, a mysterious locale full of quirky characters and, more ominously, wandering monsters. Curiously, you have no idea how you actually awoke there, nor do the others that have taken residence on the island. They have learnt something REALLY cool though: they can ‘record’ the monsters they encounter onto cassette tapes, allowing them to take on the form of the beasts to battle other monsters and expand their collection of creatures. You learn how to do it too, starting your journey to, ah-hem, ‘collect them all’ (and maybe find out the secrets behind New Wirral Island).

I really, really, REALLY loved the vibe of Cassette Beasts’ storytelling. The whole ‘wake up with amnesia’ trope has been done time and time again in RPGs, but the way it’s utilised here and ties into the mysteries within New Wirral Island feels genuinely refreshing, whilst the charming interactions with NPCs add a whimsical tone to the experience that shows it never takes itself too seriously. It’s just a whole lot of fun and doesn’t slow down from start to end.

Naturally, the crux of Cassette Beasts is its monster-collecting gameplay, and for the most part it does feel pretty similar to the Pokémon series. You’ll encounter monsters in the wild, you’ll beat them up a bit, and then you’ll get the opportunity to capture them by recording them onto one of your cassette tapes… simple. One neat feature is the fact that you’re able to see the percentage chance you have of successfully obtaining a monster, though it basically boils down to weakening them before making the move. Either way, it’s the tried-and-tested formula players have seen plenty of times before, so you shouldn’t expect much different from usual. It’s fun to collect monsters, and with plenty to find, you can expect to spend some hours playing before completing your collection.

“The whole ‘wake up with amnesia’ trope has been done time and time again in RPGs, but the way it’s utilised here and ties into the mysteries within New Wirral Island feels genuinely refreshing, whilst the charming interactions with NPCs add a whimsical tone to the experience that shows it never takes itself too seriously.”

When it comes to battling, Cassette Beasts does things a little bit differently. For one, you’ll go into battle with a partner helping you out, meaning you’ll battle with two monsters at a time. Whilst this offers a tactical advantage such as being able to utilise two different elemental types to exploit enemy weaknesses (especially since you can also find yourself facing off against multiple monsters at once), it also ties into the game’s fusion system, which allows any two monsters to fuse forms to create a more powerful creature that embraces the best of both monsters. You can only do this when your fusion meter is full, but it will give you the upper hand over any foe you face. More impressively, each amalgamation is completely unique, meaning you’re constantly discovering all-new monsters to fight with right until the end of the game. It’s hard not to be impressed by it, with the fusion system proving to be deep, immersive, and full of wicked monsters to utilise.

Battling offers plenty of strategy across the different skillsets of each monster in your party, whilst the fact that you need to build up action points on each turn to perform specific actions means there’s an element of risk versus reward in place as you determine the order to perform your moves. Do you strike early with an ability that requires less action points? Or do you save them up to hit something a little stronger, all whilst leaving yourself open to enemy attacks? There are actions you can perform that don’t require any action points to use so no turn is ever wasted, but combat does demand a bit more planning in some of the trickier encounters.

There’s also the fact that when facing other humans, you have to specifically defeat them to win – each time you defeat one of their monsters, they’ll have a moment of vulnerability where you can attack them specifically before they’re able to call upon another one of their tapes. It’s all about timing and waiting for the right moment to strike. The elemental system is incredibly deep too, with elemental weakness exploitation not simply causing more damage, but bringing creative effects into each battle. It ensures battles are unpredictable, whilst the aforementioned fusion and attack timing keeps each showdown exciting and fun.

Check out some screenshots down below:

Whilst the storytelling and combat in the game is top notch, Cassette Beasts also offers a world that’s a treat to explore. Not only is there a sense of freedom and discovery to be found in its open-world design, but it also brings with it plenty of secrets to uncover, puzzles to unravel, and quests to complete (some of which are super silly but in the best way possible). And don’t get me started on the boss battles, which are a real spectacle and bring a real sense of tension to the fray. There’s a LOT going on in the world, and whilst the open nature can make it feel a little overwhelming at first (especially since you have to hear rumours from NPCs to learn where to go), it doesn’t take long before you’ll find yourself invested in exploring every nook and cranny. Add to that the lovely old-school visuals, the catchy soundtrack that offers plenty of nostalgic throwbacks, and the excellent monster design, and it’ll be hard not to be blown away by everything Cassette Beasts offers. I love it.

I would be remiss not to mention some of the little flaws I encountered though. As mentioned, the open nature won’t be for everyone (especially if they’re used to the more linear Pokémon adventures), whilst I even ran into a few technical issues here and there. Nothing game-breaking at all, but just a couple of crashes and frame stutters – I did play on the Steam Deck which might be the problem, though it’s a verified title so I’m not sure? The combat system may be a little too technical for some players too, especially since it doesn’t always feel like it goes through the ins-and-outs of how every mechanic works fully. I’m nit-picking a bit because I personally loved the combat, but I could see how the depth it offers might not be for those who preferred the simple mechanics found in Pokémon. It comes down to what you want from your monster-collecting games, really…

Developer: Bytten Studio
Publisher: Raw Fury
Platform(s): PC (Reviewed), Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
Website: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1321440/Cassette_Beasts/