Balan Wonderworld review: A prolonged exercise in frustration

After three levels in Balan Wonderworld, I was lost. I did not understand how to unlock the fourth stage, so I spent a half-hour wandering around the hub area trying to figure it out. I would’ve spent much longer if it weren’t for the chat in my livestream. It turns out that I needed to go back and get some more collectibles to unlock the next stage. And that’s when I knew how little respect Balan Wonderworld had for my time as the player.

Balan Wonderworld is the 3D platformer from publisher Square Enix and developers Arzest and Balan Company. Yuji Naka, one of the creators of Sonic the Hedgehog, is Balan’s director, and he worked with artist Naoto Ohshima, who collaborated with Naka on Sonic Adventure. It’s available on consoles and PC for $60.