Initially, I was a bit sceptical as to why Garten of Banban 4 is more than double the price of the previous two games. But after playing it, it makes sense. It’s the most complete instalment, and the most fun one too.
The action starts straight away this time around. As you descend to yet another floor of the orphanage on yet another lift, you are quickly attacked by the two-headed monster you defeated at the end of Garten of Banban 3. I can’t remember the name of it, there are too many monsters already, and there are a couple of new ones here as well that feature far more prominently.
After a short chase you find yourself caught and arrested by Sheriff Toadster. His deal is that he watched one too many Western films that have all gone to his head. He soon realises however that you aren’t the enemy, only finding yourself this far down the orphanage as you look for your kid. Once he realises your intentions are pure, he agrees to help you. But first, you need to fix the next lift that will inevitably take you to the next floor.
The main area of Garten of Banban 4 looks a little different from earlier entries, bizarrely taking on a medieval setting. One can only assume this is due to there being royalty on the premises too, as the much advertised Queen Bouncelia is making an appearance. This oversized kangaroo rules over this section of the orphanage, but is keen to help you out. However, she warns you that her court jester, Bittergiggle is on the loose. Up until now, Sheriff Toadster has done a good job protecting the queen from Bittergiggle. All he wants to do is tell the queen a joke so she can reveal what is in her pouch. However, whatever it is would spell disaster for many if it was revealed.
Confused? Whilst all that sounds like a fever dream, Garten of Banban 4 is the most constructed game of the series so far. Both Sheriff Toadster and Queen Bouncelia seem eager to help you out, which is more than can be said for the rest of the mascots.
Don’t worry though, they’re all still knocking about. Once again Banban arrives to offer you assistance, but after the last few times my patience is wearing thin with that guy. Nabnab, Mr. Kabob Man, Banbaleena, Jumbo Josh, Opila Bird and Slow Seline all make a return too, but mainly because the sheriff has rounded them all up. He means well, but he is a bit of a jobsworth. Still, seeing them behind bars and not harassing me made for a happy change.
Stinger Flynn also returns, with one of his now customary flashbacks. Following on from the previous ones, we see the mascots talking about eating vegetables and how Jumbo Josh would have loved to be eating them too.
This nice moment is ruined when a strange noise cuts through the night sky. It’s a noise even I was familiar with, and my first thought was that I’d been playing too much Garten of Banban to be able to recognise the specific mascot incoming based on noise alone.
But it wasn’t a noise from Garten of Banban, it was a noise from another game that I had the misfortune of playing and put to the very back of my mind. And just when it occurred to me where it was from… Choo-Choo Charles rushes into the campsite! It was a funny reminder that these games aren’t to be taken too seriously and feels like a good little cameo.
Unfortunately for Garten of Banban, it does show the gulf in class between the games. Even in the fourth game, the mouths of character models still don’t open when they talk, their movement leaves a lot to be desired in terms of fluidity and the overall polish is lacking.
But credit where it is due, aside from a minor sound bug in Garten of Banban 4, I haven’t had a single issue with performance. The games may be pretty ugly, with assets reused at an alarming rate, but they work solidly.
It appears that Garten of Banban 4 is where the series starts to find its stride. The story is the most cohesive, the challenges are less about jumping through hoops to avoid jumpscares and instead feel like they belong in this bizarre world. But it is still some way from being the pinnacle of this mascot horror movement, and that’s largely due to the ugliness and lack of polish overall. However, with how quickly these are churned out, I don’t expect these to ever improve.
Garten of Banban 4 is the peak of the series so far on Xbox, and also the last one available. More to come though?
