Cassette Beasts Critic Reviews

Cassette Beasts is the best monster collecting game I've ever played, with sensational combat and a wonderful world to explore.

They say that if you come for the king, you best not miss. Which is why I’m so amazed to say that Cassette Beasts not only stood tall in its own right, but managed to knock Pokémon down a notch or two in the process. While it’s true it doesn’t do everything right, and I’m still a little annoyed by how open world it is and how vague the type interactions can be, there’s so much to enjoy here. Throw in a lengthy playthrough and postgame content, and you have a game that’s well worth your money. If you’re at all a fan of the monster collector genre, you need to play this. It’s just that simple.

Cassette Beasts is simply one of the best Pokémon-like games I’ve come across, and I’m looking forward to earning a 100% completion. With a massive end-game and modder support built in at release though, I feel like I’m going to get very sidetracked on the way there.

Bytten Studio puts all of its creativity on display in Cassette Beasts. Not only does its sizeable roster of Monsters include some really fun and unique designs, but the thoughtful approach to combat and clever music element really set it apart from most Pokemon-likes. Although the characters weren’t as intriguing as I’d like in an RPG, just about everything else was enough to make up for it. Cassette Beasts is sure to be one of this year’s indie darlings.

The art and graphics in Cassette Beasts are beautiful, and perfectly match the whimsical, and at times terrifying nature of New Wirral. Without spoiling anything, the design for each boss battle is spectacular. Likewise, character portraits are beautiful and full of personality. In contrast, the game world is simple and not filled with too much detail, which helps with navigation and clarity. Because of this simplicity, the pixel art pops-up and the art style benefits a lot from it.

Cassette Beasts is an addictive and fun videogame that pleasantly engages and excites. It offers a fascinating story and context, as well-implemented sensitive themes. A must have especially for the play structure.

Cassette Beasts is a fantastic Pokémon alternative. It’s a fun monster catching JRPG, with lots of memorable moments. Any fan of turn-based JRPGs, 2D Legend of Zelda-like adventure games, or collect-a-thons should give it a play. Right now Cassette Beasts is a PC-exclusive, but there are Xbox Series X/S and Nintendo Switch versions planned for May 25 2023.

Cassette Beasts was clearly made with love. It’s packed to the brim with places to explore, relationships to develop, and monsters to capture (er, record). The few issues are minor and hardly detract from the overall enjoyment. If you love monster collectors, retro RPGs, or just want to feel like a kid again, Cassette Beasts won’t disappoint you.

Cassette Beasts feels very genuine. Whilst you can tell where the inspiration for certain choices has come from, the soundtrack, characters and story are all entertaining and heartfelt in a way that separates it from being just another Pokémon clone. Whilst the retro 80s design feels like a comforting warm blanket, the game isn’t afraid of inflicting a tonal shift into more Undertale-like otherworldly horror. You'd be forgiven for getting distracted in the gameplay loop of adventuring and collecting cute beasts, but underneath is a compelling and much more sinister story waiting to come out.

Overall, Cassette Beasts is charming, fun, and creative. Despite being a monster-collecting RPG inspired by Pokémon, it feels unique thanks to its aesthetic, design, and, most importantly, its heart. The development team has a clear passion, and the game drips with personality on every front. Cassette Beasts is a game I’d recommend to any Pokémon fan looking for a new take on monster-collecting games, as well as a game I’d suggest for anyone in the mood for a fun and breezy little RPG. It’s short, it’s sweet, and most importantly: it’s fun.

Cassette Beasts is one of the best and most entertaining monster-collecting games outside of Pokémon. Not since Monster Tale on the DS have I had so much fun capturing monsters and this being a blend of a Pokémon formula with a more grounded, realistic slice of life anime puts enough of a twist on the formula to make it feel fresh. It plays like a dream and is a ton of fun even for those burned out on recent Pokémon games hurting the format. A lot of those have felt overburdened with gimmicks or too many long quests, while Cassette Beasts streamlines things to take out all the fat. It’s the “all killer, no filler” of monster-catching games.

The best Pokémon clone by a significant margin and arguably a more enjoyable experience than the more recent 3D games, with some clever new ideas and fantastic visuals.

Cassette Beasts is an excellent title from various points of view, with some slight stumbling blocks on the quality of life, but nothing impeding and so problematic. A truly profound monster taming title that shines for the design of the boss battles and narrative citations to the Arthurian cycle. A title that rewards strategy, thanks to a really well-implemented system of interactions between elements and which also takes full advantage of fusions between creatures and synergies with travel companions.

Combat isn't the only fun thing the game has to offer. If you're in the mood for collecting and battling strange creatures, give the game a chance, it will serve you pleasant entertainment with beautiful visuals.

I had a great time with Cassette Beasts, but it was undeniably frustrating in places. It iterates on the Pokemon formula in nearly every possible way, and exploring the world via companion quests rather than just doing a big circle on your Gym challenge creates a wonderful sense of adventure. Cassette Beasts tries a lot of new things and most of them are successful. The story is compelling, the characters are engaging, and the battle system is one of the best I’ve ever used. It doesn’t pull everything off, but I’d much rather play a game that takes risks, rather than one that rehashes the same old formula time and time again.

Cassette Beats is generally a good game that takes the classic Pokémon formula and tries to iterate upon it in almost all areas. For the most part, the ideas are indeed a step up from the first few Pokémon generations, but the execution doesn’t quite come off in the pace of battles and its more obscure puzzles. The double-battle nature of the game and the beast customization offers players a great deal of strategy to engage with while listening to an excellent soundtrack. With such a broad open-world setting, RPGamers will likely find themselves immersed far beyond the fifteen hours of mainline content the game has to offer.

The fact this is all the work of mostly two developers also just blows my mind a tiny bit, too. I don't think it will convert those who have never enjoyed a Pokémon game before, and I can also see its in-depth elemental system being a bit too much like a GSCE chemistry lesson to capture the attention of those Pikachu-loving ten-year-olds. But for those who have felt increasingly like the Pokésphere just doesn't cut it for them anymore, there's definitely a lot to like and admire here. Pokémon will always likely be the dominant force in the monster-catching genre, but Cassette Beasts is a smart, evolutionary offshoot from the Game Freak family tree that I hope has a long and happy life ahead of it.

Cassette Beasts is classic Pokémon expertly remixed for those who feel they have aged out of the series' target audience.

With some of the same problems that plague its source of inspiration, Cassette Beasts doesn’t so much evolve the formula as it does swap it out for a different type. It’s fun, it looks and sounds great, and it runs beautifully on Steam Deck, for what it’s worth. But its shininess is only surface-level, with the underlying mechanics, chain reactions and all, matching but not surpassing Game Freak’s best adventures. Of course, given the two-person development team here, that’s an achievement unto itself. At the end of the day, Cassette Beasts is a remix of a song you like. Just don’t expect a remaster.