I got the opportunity to play the demo of Blossom Tales: The Sleeping King. It's a Zelda clone action-RPG, but with loads of cuteness attached to it. While most games like this have a modern aesthetic, this games is definitely going for the retro look.

    Even though it goes for the retro look, and uses chiptune music that's sprinkled into the mix, the game does have some modern sensibilities. Things such as auto-saving and using a recharging magic meter for sub-weapons almost right out of A Link Between Worlds. The game itself is about a little girl who is with her brother, and they both are begging their grandfather to tell them a story. So he does just that. Only the little girl, Lily, is transposed into the story as the main character. With an opening feeling reminiscent of Dragon Quest III, Lily is given permission to join the King's Knights. Unfortunately, on her first day on the job, the King is cursed to Eternal Sleep, and the evil big bad needs to be defeated to wake the King up.

    The demo I played was pretty linear, but there were some areas I could explore outside of the path it had laid out for me. There are of course heart pieces to collect, as well as sub-weapon energy upgrades. Money could be found everywhere, and while this game is relatively easy, finding hearts to restore health can actually be a problem, as their frequency is considerably lower compared to money. The demo went all the way through the first dungeon, and you can expect even a decent amount of traps and puzzles right out of the gate. The puzzles are too brain busting, but what was on offer was nice. I also suspect that the demo will carry my save data over to the final game. I really enjoyed what I played, so I am eagerly awaiting the final release. This is one to watch out for.