This Indie Game Fixes Pokémon's Problems | Cassette Beasts Review

[@meta.versus]

My advise to aspiring game devs (or any creative media) has always been "Don't take notes on what you like in games, take notes on what you dislike in games." Cassette Beasts proves that my advise is sound! (Which is good, because 90% of the time I have no idea what I'm doing)

[@indiegameoasis]

Solid advice indeed!

[@sgomez8194]

I think this is why Battlebit is also doing so well. They fixed many of the issues EA was refusing to address with battlefield games.

[@ghb323]

Several quality-of-life improvements, like recording a monster will protect it from being KO’ed (stop at 1HP) when you try to lower its HP (in pokemon, being overleveled is a penalty with one-shots). The type system does more than just changing the damage value output like changing the type adds a ton of creativity in the battle.

[@kartorrent7496]

You should, “Observe, Improve, Overcome,” instead of, “Adapt, Improvise and Overcome,”.

[@ghb323]

One thing that surprised me is that when recording a beast, you cannot accidentally defeat it when trying to lower its health (to increase the chance of a successful catch). It will stop at 1HP so you’ll never miss the opportunity just because you’re too strong. In pokemon, there is no such measure in place (hope you don’t deal too much damage). That is a quality-of-life improvement.

[@diamonddrawsthegoat]

I love this video, and this is the reason why I love Cassette Beasts. It’s not afraid to show how it takes inspiration from Pokémon, in fact it kind of milks in on it. With the release of SV turning off super hardcore fans of the franchise with its glitches, this might have brought them back into the genre.

[@indiegameoasis]

Couldn't agree more!

[@AxelWedstar411]

I like how the whole cassette thing is well thought out, and not just what you use instead of more traditional capsule-like devices from other mon games.

[@Guidingsonar]

... Curiosity killed the cat, but now knowing why people love this game brought it back

[@ghb323]

The presentation is themed on 80s music, those archangles are based on VHS (notice the old-styled tv filter and text font). Really love the synthwave rock music.

[@Azzie-z3b]

"Some of them can even be romanced-" Me: Say no more *Buys entire stock of Cassette Beasts*

[@murkywaters5502]

Cool video! I've never played any of the Digimon games, but I've seen people say that this game is a lot more like the Digimon games than it is to any Pokemon game, despite any comparisons to Pokemon.

[@indiegameoasis]

I have not played any Digimon games unfortunately, maybe I should!

[@AxelWedstar411]

Maybe in the sense that the human characters are well written and not just there to move the plot along.

[@lordenma4449]

I would recommend cyber sleuth since it's the more pokémon like one

[@thatgamersnake9377]

is it bad that i immediately recognized Eugene's theme

[@DrCoeloCephalo]

Been playing this game for hours after getting it on Switch. Amazing game. Gorgeous music.

[@indiegameoasis]

Yes the switch is the perfect device for it!

[@lordenma4449]

Yeah it's worth those 20 bucks for sure

[@akirandrake414]

Cassette Beasts can get up to 16 move slots with stickers that add slots.

[@ZealanTanner]

I always look forward to your videos. Thanks for the great content

[@indiegameoasis]

Thanks so much! I should be uploading more regularly from now on :)

[@ZealanTanner]

@@indiegameoasis legendary

[@MistressNebula]

I hope Cassette Beasts grows in poularity because the only way for Pokémon to grow as a franchise is to finally have some actually threatening competition.

[@4EverK3LZ]

I love Cassette Beasts. I've put in hundreds of hours on PC and Switch. I love their new unique and fresh twist to the monster taming genre. Pokemon can learn a few things from this game.

[@sgomez8194]

This game is so good. I’ve been wanting to play a monster catching rpg game and CB does an amazing job. I think GameFreak needs to take some tips from this game bc it is incredible. Only downside I’ve noticed is the poor performance on switch version, which hopefully will be fixed with future patches.

[@davidwinnerwise1429]

I really agree with what you said. A game called cassette beasts should have excellent soundtrack 😂👍🏾 And they delivered perfectly

[@skylarmclean8239]

If I had a nickel for every time I played a seemingly cute jrpg that tackled themes of death, mental health, and eldritch horror, I'd have two nickels. Which isn't a lot, but it's weird it happened twice

[@ThatsJustLikeYourOpinionMan]

14,000 fusion forms?! No way they designed all those forms. They had to automate it in some way, right? Like just swap limbs/torsos/heads around? Hard to say without having played it.

[@luckysgi-5karrow378]

This game looks great and definitely going on my wishlist for later, but a lot of the stuff doesn't really address the issues of Pokemon more than it is doing its own thing. For example, giving Pokemon 8 moves will utterly destroy its balance, and much of the non-push over stuff is Battle Tower-like content + online PvP. I've tried out a a certain Pokemon "fan game" and trying to make everything like end-game from the start is the most tiring thing I've played. Much of what makes Pokemon fun post-game, with all growth tools & grind shortcuts available, is experimentation and making teams. For a game that relies so much on battle information making nearly every fight, even some wild ones, a test almost as hard as online PvP is not the way to do it. I think the biggest reason it can stand on its own is mainly because the singleplayer can actually feel like more of Pokemon's end-game, online PvP content with less grind and RNG. And that *is* a very good reason. Pokemon Company still chooses not to fix this for whatever idiotic reason. Pokemon also owes its popularity to an RPG with a multiplayer aspect. Not many RPGs have that in mind and made it stand out, let alone the battle mechanics.

[@baconlabs]

Yep, I'm sold. This looks like a ton of fun!

[@indiegameoasis]

You won't regret it! The soundtrack alone is worth the price of admission

[@Mark-101]

​@@indiegameoasisWritten by my son Joel 👍🎵

[@CaliburDS]

Excellent review

[@indiegameoasis]

Glad you liked it!

[@trevorswims5754]

I wouldn't say it's better than pokemon, but it's definitely a game worth playing.

[@indiegameoasis]

For sure!

[@brightboi4291]

Is it just me, or does your character look EXACTLY like Pixel Terror (Specifically, Bentley in the covers.) Maybe I'm just hallucinating.

[@Dooddood0]

I mean i love this game but its clearly trying to be its own thing so i can't say its pokemon but better.

[@indiegameoasis]

I would say Cassette Beasts is similar enough to Pokémon to warrant a comparison, even though it can stand on its own as well

[@Dooddood0]

@@indiegameoasis ya know what, that's fair.

[@DrCoeloCephalo]

There's nothing wrog with comparing games that clearly share a genre so you can evaluate how each one handles overlapping concepts. Platformer games like Mario and Sonic merit comparisons just as much.

[@williamelmorejetrabbit5504]

I think it'd be better if there was some sort of level scaling like in the PlayStation one final fantasy games. It sounds like a nightmare to program though since you're always catching new Pokemon.

[@characookie241]

There actually is level scaling, and you can even choose how much you want it to level scale in the options menu!

[@Ramperdos]

Everything sounded pretty great, except the type interactions. Something about changing your type after being hit sounds weird to me after playing Pokemon since Gen 1 + other RPGs with elements/types.

[@indiegameoasis]

It is weird at first but you get used to it quickly.

[@OrdemDoGraveto]

I liked Cassete Beasts. But I hardly disagree it's the FIRST in bringing the formula into the modern age.

[@king-zg2tm]

Is it finished?

[@indiegameoasis]

Completely finished, yes!

[@oXGoldenHeartXo]

they are adding a dlc, actually!

[@memoman_yt]

Wow

[@baalfgames5318]

No. Just... no. I would rather play a buggy, unpolished mess of a game where you can ACTUALLY PLAY AS a slew of likeable and charming characters over an "amazing" game where you are FORCED to play as these uninspired human-sue characters who merely SHAPESHIFT into these emotionless pixels that try too hard to be creative that they end up being charmless, which is honestly a problem with newer Pokemon designs, tbh.

[@kleefirestar]

Pokemon is only on top cause of its popularity its never really judged as a game and if it was it would be a joke

[@swapnilgohil7280]

You do realise pokemon made th whole handheld gaming explode and how innovative it was from Gen 1-5. Atleast give credit where it's due.