Hyper Team Recon

Genre: 3D Platformer

Players: 1

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Review:

Hyper Team Recon is a 3D Platformer released in 2025 on PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. This game places you into the role of shapeshifting slime aliens called ayalls who have taken the form of girls to explore Earth as they scout it as a possible site for resettlement. After a collision in space causes them to crash-land and become separated, the girls explore the terrain while using transformation powers to fight enemies and get past obstacles.

The presentation in Hyper Team Recon shares a lot in common with the Paper Mario series, taking place in fairly simple 3D but with characters, items, and some elements of the environment rendered as flat 2D shapes. Unlike the Paper Mario games, this doesn’t seem to have anything to do with the game’s themes or story, it’s just a stylistic choice, though one that does have some quaint appeal, thanks in part to the colorful world and the delightful character designs. These visuals are backed by a subdued but whimsical soundtrack, with some fun sound effects like a suction cup noise whenever you jump and a sound like jangling keys when you grab this game’s main collectable, balls of tin foil.

The gameplay here has players exploring the game’s levels (mostly in 3D, though there are some 2D sections) and completing various tasks, usually by transforming into the various creatures you encounter, with each creature having a signature ability that can be used to interact with the environment in unique ways (though a few abilities are replicated across different enemy types). There’s nothing as creative here as you’d find in Mario’s copy abilities in Super Mario Odyssey, or even Kirby’s copy abilities, but they do a decent enough job of providing some variety for the gameplay.

Speaking of Mario, Hyper Team Recon isn’t anywhere close to challenging Nintendo’s plumber in the Platformer genre. The platforming here isn’t especially good, your default walking speed is a bit sluggish, and your move set at any given time is highly limited. In many ways, this really does feel closer to Paper Mario, but without the RPG battles and with a bit more of a focus on platforming.

While not really a game that’s going to thrill Platformer fans, Hyper Team Recon does make up for this in other areas. It’s interesting to explore its world and meet its zany characters, and there’s plenty of charm here to make up for gameplay that’s not exactly thrilling. If you’re looking for a more relaxed take on the genre, I think this game may be worth a look.

tl;dr – Hyper Team Recon is a 3D Platformer about alien slime girls who crash-land on Earth. This game is similar to the Paper Mario games, both stylistically and in the way it feels (though without the turn-based battles). It’s not going to challenge other 3D Platformers with its relatively simple gameplay, but it makes up for that with its charming world and characters. If you’re looking for a more relaxed take on the 3D Platformer genre, you might want to give this game a try.

Grade: B-

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