![]() Join Donatello, Leonardo, Michelangelo, and Raphael in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection. Titan Souls is less a world in which one can get lost and more an obstacle course of mechanically challenging boss battles, though the superbly soothing acoustic strings that create its soundtrack make the repeated trek between fights much more enjoyable. It’s told through a few ambiguous cutscenes, cryptic murals etched into stone, and a single encounter that offers some narrative pseudo-explanation. That same scarcity applies to the very loose story that ties it all together. However, there are no minions or monsters to slay en route to a boss fight, so while the 16-bit-style art is endearing, there’s little to really see or discover beyond the caves, paths, and stairways that lead toward your next bout with a titan. The world proper is very much a hub that non-linearly connects the usual suspects of fantasy environments: the lava region, the snow area, the forest section, and their appropriately themed encounters. It’s fortunate that these engagements are so creative and meticulously constructed, because the experience is generally devoid of anything else. And as if these hulks were goading you into their grasp, the glowing chinks in their armor are almost always plainly visible, yet painstaking to reach in the ensuing maelstrom of attacks that will snuff you out on contact. Each clash with the varied range of titans is excellently engaging, forcing you to learn their movement patterns, attacks, environments, and weak spots where a well-placed arrow undoes their imposing stature. Here, there is only one strategy: Learn where to fire your arrow and practice until you hit your mark. The simplicity is refreshing, as it scoops out the fat that so many games layer on with so many variables and strategies. I always felt as nimble and precise as the boy on screen appears, which is necessary when you’re running for your fragile life while waiting for that golden window to appear. And though scant in ways to interact with the world, what’s here is snappy and fluid. This is your entire toolkit when tackling creatures that spit fire, swing boulder-sized maces, and conjure all sorts of lethal magical forces. You can walk, run, or roll to go pick it up, or use your Force-like will to pull it back to you (at the cost of planting your feet). You have a bow and the ability to fire one single arrow – the longer you draw the bow, the further and faster the arrow travels – but the farther you shoot it, the tougher it is to retrieve and reuse. The spartan nature of Titan Souls is best summed up by the way it demands that you make every shot count.
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