I got Rise of The Sphinx for Christmas and I’m making it everyone’s problem
This game can be summed up in the two sentences I said when thanking my mom for getting it for me. “This game is atrocious. Thank you so much for buying it for me.”
More thoughts under the cut. There are spoilers.
Another quick review of this game is: buy it if you want, but do not pay full price for it.
The good: I CAN BE MY BLORBOS. Both Ladybug and Chat Noir are playable in every level. You get to explore Paris. You can switch between characters whenever so I had so much fun talking to everyone and then switching who I was to see how the dialogue change. You can upgrade the stats of both LB and CN and learn new skills, which is nice. The plot is actually pretty good. It proves again that Natalie is the brains of this operation. Using Chloe to create akumatizations in others is not new, but it does make sense. The new Chloe akuma design (Clonika) does slay. I get to beat up Hawkmoth. There are cute little character moments. Ladybug and Chat Noir talk throughout the levels and while some of it gets old most of it is cute. DID I MENTION THE BLORBOS?
The bad: It plays like a PS2 game. The models are...questionable. There is a good amount of time spent watching loading screens and things still phase into the levels. I jumped in the wrong spot on the Clonika level and clipped through the level and couldn’t get out so I had to redo the whole thing and I was almost at the end of it. You can’t control the camera and it sucks ass. There were several times I had to do a leap of faith or run ahead without being able to see where I was going. Collecting items and orbs is a big part of the game so it sucks that you can’t freely look around. Some areas of the levels were really laggy. This was worst in boss fights but would also happen sometimes when I was just walking around and I was like, I’m not even doing anything? There was one platform section in the last level with some orbs that I gave up on because my jump was so messed up and I also clipped through and slid off the platform without moving several times. The combat was very lackluster, lots of button mashing and standing around until you could get a hit in on bosses. IS THAT WHAT YOU THINK A SPHINX IS? THAT IS MOTH. SHOULD HAVE BEEN CALLED RISE OF HAWKMOTH. COME ON. There is a flashback that explains how HM came to be (Natalie and Gabe are stuck on finding the cat and ladybug miraculouses and Gabe decides that using one miraculous might bring out the others), he makes a huge giant sentimonster moth. It sets up Miracle Queen and the big change of status quo that follows. His RISE in power, perhaps.
The meh: There are A LOT of collectibles. Some are right in your path, which is nice for the literal children playing this game. Some require more exploration or replays. It was nice that exploring was rewarded somewhat. Sometimes there would be a little area you could go to and there would be nothing there and I would be like why did you make it so I could go here and then not put anything here? Like this an obvious spot for a collectable and there’s nothing? In general the levels also go between rooftops and the street and it’s not always clear when jumping down is encouraged and when it will kill you. The game is very forgiving of that, though. Each akuma transforms Paris and honestly I really liked some of then new elements that each akuma brought. It was weird to have such empty levels and not interacting with the akumatized villain until the end in most cases. I really liked seeing the lucky charm each time and how LB and CN used it but it could just be cut scenes without the QTEs. The little comments were cute but did get old. There is one for CN where the subtitle says Woohoo but it’s more like a deranged giggle and it makes me want to come for Bryce Papenbrook’s kneecaps. As for Christina, Mari has one “awesome!” that I found grating. Other than that the voice acting is great!
TL:DR The game is clearly a cash grab made to capitalize on children who will beg for anything with Ladybug and Chat Noir on the packaging and plays like it. The quality is poor and the game play is simple. However, you do get to be your blorbos, the story is solid, and there are cute character interactions so if that’s what you’re looking for and you have the cash to spare, go for it.
