I think its a good platformer. A great "fairy tale" visuals, nice precise control and charming music. Still game is hard: its easy to complete levels, but getting 5-star rating is tricky.

A challenging and beautiful platformer. Exceptional work considering the size of the development team. Only major complaint is the underwater controls (or lack thereof).

Overall I'm incredibly satisfied with this game from the money spent. I'm very happy with the gameplay and it has good quality controls. The switch gimmick is visually really cool, I'm sure some people will get sick of it but I thought it was always interesting to see, everything changes, even little designs in the background. The difficulty is harder than I originally thought, and it takes a good amount of time to get through it. From the hours of gameplay I've had, it was money well spent.… Expand

Probably one of the best platformer I played on PC for years. +The twist is awesome as much for the gameplay as for the visuals. +The controls are great.
+Difficulty is raising progressively.
+really not expensive for the quality of the game.

Clearly one of the best platformer choices one can make nowadays. The game has good pace and uses very well the switching methods between 2 characters. You will unlikely get bored playing this one. Soundtrack is pure bliss to listen in both world. Highly recommended game.

This game isn't bad, but neither is it great. I was hoping for something a long the line's of a more bubbly American Mcgee's "Alice", but what i got was a very gimmicky platformer that focuses more on making you switch "stances" and jumping through hoops than it does on actual quality game design. The art is beautiful for a bubbly game, but by the time i was done with the first level i was already sick of the gimmick. I played 3 levels before quitting out out of boredom with the combat/gimmicks. The biggest problem with this game is that it's a straight up skinner box. There are no alternative routes(other than ignoring gems) or puzzles that i came across(in my short play). Everything was was hoops to jump and rejump through. I imagine anyone from 4-12 would really love this game. They wouldn't catch on or be annoyed by the gimmicks and would love the artwork(It's not too adult or offensive for that age). Otherwise, i think adults will tire of it's lack of innovation and only keep playing it for the well done art and because they want to get through it. This game had potential, and i really wanted to like it. Maybe it will get better later, but i would hold off until a 2.49 steam sale on this one.… Expand

A confusing amalgam of cotton candy fairy tale visuals and "8-bit hard" gameplay. I purchased this game based on the intriguing visuals and interesting mechanic (ability switching) showcased in the trailer. I was surprised to discover that plot had been completely thrown out (magic portal sucks sisters into fantasy land...and GO!). I had expected something more from a game that seemed to be trying so hard to create a stylistic visual world. At its best, it worked for the first 5 levels. The controls weren't ideal, they felt a bit 'loose'. Hit zones felt off, I had trouble determining exactly how close I could brush against enemies, this issue was compounded by the fact that each enemy has 2 forms. Then level 1-6 happens. You realize that the developers now fancy this game as a tight, die-until-you-get-it-right, ninja-fingers test of controller mastery. The only problems are the controls AREN'T tight, the visuals provide so much interference with the tasks and the completion of segments provide no satisfaction. This game has no "easy" mode. If you can't hack it, you'd better just uninstall it.… Expand

I wasnt sure what to expect with this new episode of the Giana sisters, the DS one had been disappointing for the level design and low difficulty. Well, that was a pretty ****ing awesome surprise. This game is pretty much a super meat boy regarding the difficulty, though you get regular checkpoints to keep the frustration low. There is actually even ONE thing this game does better than SMB, its the boss fight. They are really cool, especially the last one. Overall the game keeps a nice feeling of very good old school arcade platformer while having really clever level design around the twist of jumping from the dark world to the candy world and using their respective special move. I just could not get enough of just jumping from one world to the other just to see how the environment, ennemies and even music would change. Some ennemies even get different behavior when in dark world or candy world. There s a lot of cool ideas and after finishing the game, I feel a lot of them cool be exploited even MORE. The game deserves either a level editor or an extra level pack. ( dont get me wrong, its not short. You ll have enough for your money especially with the time attack, hardcore and few other modes ). Last but not least, the composer is the same one as for the original giana sister game: the awesome Chris Huelsbeck. Its a freaking honor to have him back and justifies the purchase alone IMO :D
The remixed versions of his music by Machinea Supremacy in the game kick some serious butt as well.

Definitely the best platformer of the year for me.… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. A was big fan legendary Giana Sisters Cult game. The game did not fulfil my hopes unfortunately. Boring , gameplay, repetitive adversaries. Annoying, gameplay seeming one which cannot be solved many times.… Expand

A new star is born in the platformer genre with great gameplay,visuals and level design.The controls are great with a gamepad. The soundtrack is awesome, it took me some minutes to be comfortable with the music switch, but at the end it's so great. It's been a while I haven't seen a platformer of this quality on PC, and the price is very low.
The first levels are very easy, but the difficulty grows rapidly. I played the 2 first world so far with 2 awesome boss fights.
More you progress in the game better and longer the levels are.
The game has nothing to do anymore with the original mario clone I played when I was young on amiga, it's fresh and innovativ
I want more of those kind of games,really great job.… Expand

I absolutely love this game. I am always leery on checking out new platformers because in my experience they have always been hit of miss for me. This one is definitely a hit. This game takes some getting used to the mechanics a bit and can be at times almost throw your controller across the room frustrating, but at the same time it is very rewarding. Getting that jump just right is very important. I have not played this on a keyboard but I am willing to bet is it frustrating, full Xbox controller support though which is great. This game is the kind of old school platformer that we do not see that often anymore, and to get one that is this stylish makes it quite the gem. The game is not perfect, no game is, but it is fun and that is all a game needs to be to get an 'A' rating.… Expand

So many indie platformers out there.. which ony to play first? This one! Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams is an extremely challenging but also very forgiving platformer with a twist. Whenever you want it to, the game changes its music from a bright and sunny world into a dark place with demons for example instead of owls. It does not only affect the graphics and the soundtrack (which changes from retro-ish music by Chris Hülsbeck (the guy who created the music for the original Giana Sisters game in the 80s) to a faster (sometimes) metal-like soundtrack by Machinae Supremacy) but also it does affect the whole gameplay. Normal plants change into spikes or castle gates open to let you advance through the level. And sometimes even secrets are revealed by transforming the world. The level design is astonishingly good. Rich of detail (like really rich, most detailed game I have seen in a long time), cool puzzles, fast-paced (if you want to go for a speed run (or Time Attack mode), cool new game mechanics added every two levels or so... it just never gets boring and the levels get better and better and more varied as you progress but also harder and harder.

Your characters can jump on top of enemies to kill them (the classic way) or you simply dash into them by pressing a button. Another button let's you twirl which makes you stay in the air for a longer time so you can precisely land on enemies or overcome obstacles.

You will also collect gems throughout all the levels. After the first five levels there is a boss fight which is pretty tough but the checkpoint save system of the game is really fair. But after a level you will always get a rating. To unlock a boss level you will need an average of three stars per level.
You can get up to five stars in every level: Three for collecting gems, two for not dying a lot.
So even if you die 100 times in a level but collect around 85% of the gems you will still get three stars, pretty fair. But if you want 5 stars you must not die more than three (upcoming patch on 10/30/2012 changes this to five) times.

Why should you want more than three stars? Well, if want to unlock Hardcore mode (only one life per level) you will need four stars in the boss level(s). But other than that it's only for achievements I guess.

Other than that it only lacks a real story. There's around the same amount of story as in Super Meat Boy.. so .. not much. But the game really does not need it. Why 9 ouf of 10 and not 10 out of 10? Sometimes the game gets a little bit frustrating so it can happen that you die like 20 in the same level segment. But still, there are checkpoints and the devs promised more checkpoints and removing unfair placed enemies in a patch coming next week.

The customer support by Black Forest Games is amazing. So far they answered every single question I had, every tweet I made, and I have not seen a single suggestion thread on the forums that has not been commented by a developer. Fantastic work. Also I heard of a free DLC coming... okay, screw it, the game and the company just deseverd another 10/10 user review.… Expand

Really happy to see the final result of the game. From all the games I backed on kickstarter,it's the first one I recieve, and I'm really surprised by the quality of the game which is much higher than what I was expecting.
All aspects are good. There's really nothing to complain about. Price is low for what you get.
We need more games like that on Pc.

What a pleasant surprise! I was fully expecting a run-of-the-mill, neither-here-or-there indie platformer, but I was absolutely blown away (and I'm a hard one to please too). The controls are incredibly solid, the gameplay is fun, the dual worlds mechanic doesn't become a tiresome gimmick, the difficulty is just right... the bosses will make you gouge your eyes out at times... which makes it so much more fun! All in all, congratulations to the dev team on this gem. The game is especially a treat if you've played the original Giana Sisters in 25 years ago, the musical score will bring you more than a little nostalgia.… Expand

To keep a long review short. This game is FANTASTIC.

In it's core it's a true 2D platformer, however the graphics are stunning. This with the help of DX9 or DX11. I love the way how the backgrounds switch from lovely smurf land to hell. This including the music. The level's it self goes from way to easy to uberhardcore 2D platform frustration ala Super Meat Boy. You will die... a lot!


The music, this is a true feast for the ear, with old style tunes from Chris Hulsbeck and hardcore punk from Machinae Supremacy mixxed together..... WOUW!!

Anyway I totally recommand this game to anyone who has a slight love for platforming games.… Expand

I love this game! First off- it is gorgeous. The art makes it a wonderful place to spend some time. Add to that the fun twisting-musical score and you are instantly transported into a world that is worth investing some time in. And, do plan on investing some time because make not mistake, this is a challenging game! As a fan of the old-style Sonic games, I was in platformer heaven! The price is extremely reasonable, and that gameplay itself is responsive, logical and, most importantly, FUN! Highly recommended!… Expand

What could the people who leave negative reviews for this game possibly want another 20 years.... oh wait an eternity of Mario games with the same concept. "Oh no! Bowser has taken Peach to his giant spiky castle in the lava world or galaxy" Give me a break people. Start thinking outside the box. The world is thirsty for new ideas not the same prequels remakes rehashes ect.

Excellent. No gimmicks, fluid controls, great gameplay, excellent design, well-managed difficulty (that goes into hardcore difficulty and still cuts the novice some slack) and you'll want to lick the graphics off the screen and stuff your ears full of soundtrack.

Challenging and fun as old games used to be, backed by stunning graphics and an amazing soundtrack. Best platform game I played in a while, maybe ever!

can say nothing about this except that it is damn epic! A mash-up between modern & classic! A good story line and a good adventure! The idea of 2 sisters with completely different magical realities on a fun adventurous quest to save their sister or friend (Not sure which is which since I didn't complete the game yet myself lol). But still! The game is fun! The story line interesting! And if there was a sequel then it would make a perfect series to start with as a franchise :) Perfect quality + Awesome effects! Character design is good, too! So, I recommend playing this with a controller or game pad since it's specifically designed to be running on a PC. So, keyboard controls are a bit hard & takes a while to get used to, so it's why some people usually recommend a PC controller/game pad to play games like this. Overall, price is low, level difficulty increases along your journey, more progression = longer levels + good experience.

In conclusion, a really fantastic game with awesome graphics, epic sprites & effects, epic story, good challenges along the way after adventure mode as well! Not to forget that the music is well-made and really catchy :D! Definitely recommend it to people who want to have fun in such a well-made game such as this! I'm very satisfied and I'll recommend this to my friends + a special thank you to my friend, Nova, who recommended me to play this game and declared it as a pretty fun game! Almost everything in this game is wonderfully epic. A really good job on the work + needs a bit more tweaking but still a really really good game.… Expand

It's a absolutely best platformer for PC for now. I haven't so much fun since playing SuperMario on SNES or SuperFrog on Amiga, when i was a kid. Great music, beautiful, colorful worlds, quite difficult, but not irritating, lot of secret locations. Pure fun.