I played the original Blossom Tales back near its launch and I enjoyed it for what it was, but it was very much a very basic and short take on a standard 2D Zelda game. Going into the sequel I expected more of the same, and to a degree that’s what I did get, the controls were still the same and simple and the art design remained largely unchanged, but to my surprise the game was a lot more fleshed out and had some neat and original ideas. The game was definitely a lot longer than the original and more fleshed out, which I enjoyed, though there was some level of tedium to it with so much of the world being locked behind specific items, which I actually enjoy, but with no way to mark these areas on the map, I ended up reexploring areas constantly to make sure I hadn’t missed anything. Aside from that, I had a good bit of fun and can say confidently that Blossom Tales 2 is probably the best and more fully fleshed out non-Zelda 2D Zelda game I’ve played. I hope to see them go even further with a third game someday.
Much much better than the first game. A mini 2D Zelda homage to rival even the likes of the "mini" 2D Zelda The Minish Cap. Unlike the first game being combat focused, this game balances combat with puzzles and exploration, and doesn't reuse the same puzzle tropes over and over again. The game also has a breath of the wild type exploration where you can find many optional "shrines" for some heart pieces. The pixel art and design here is beautiful as opposed the first game being kind of generic. Highly recommend for any 2D Zelda fans.
Although I can’t recall much about the first game, I remember being impressed by it. This game, however, felt extremely mediocre. It’s a decent Zelda clone, but doesn’t really do much to set itself apart. A couple parts rubbed me the wrong when from a completionist perspective, like the horrendous grind of the fish trading quest, to the never ending monotony of the mail quest. I wish I could remember what stuck out about the first game that feels lacking in this one
Pros:
+ a fitting sequel that is on par with its predecessor
+ graphical quality and lightning effects have improved
+ the sound design fits the action
+ the difficulty is surprisingly demanding
+ combat feels meaty and responsive
+ some items can be upgraded
+ puzzles are unique and mostly quick to solve
+ the world is large and full of secrets
+ items don't disappear after a while
+ the meta-narrative has been slightly expanded upon
+ the characters are cute and engaging
+ more sequences of interactive storytelling
+ restarting a save game gives a short recap of the current objective
+ you can ride a pig
Cons:
- game speed has been greatly reduced compared to the first game
- movement speed is far too low for the design of the action
- number of collectibles is too high
- most chests only yield gold
- gold is useless after a certain point
- using the guitar item takes far too long
- item finder song is barely useful
- no map markers available to use
- map itself is of extremely low visual quality
- most NPCs have nothing to say
- final dungeon is too short and final boss and requires simple button mashing
- no post game content
Playtime: 12 hours. Entire map explored, roughly 60% of collectibles acquired.
Magic Moments: Finding a certain weapon in a lake and recognizing it as a sly Zelda reference. Chosing which mini boss to fight at various moments.
Verdict:
A competent successor to Blossom Tales that expands upon the original without innovating to any meaningful degree. The look and feel are still satisfying, the combat is snappy, and the exploration of the sizable world map is incremental but offers plenty of challenges and secrets. The meta-narrative aspects, which allow you to chose between different enemy options or quest rewards at various moments, have been expanded upon and give the game a unique identity beyond its existence as a faithful Zelda homage. However, most rewards for these challenges are disappointing, as the economy of the world is not set up to offer any meaningful commodities beyond the obvious upgrades, and the noticeable decrease in overall game speed makes the experience much more sluggish than the first game.
The final dungeon and boss are equally disappointing and end the game on a weird Star Wars cliché and a boring final fight that can be brute forced in seconds with a bit of preparation. Still, this sequel will be catnip for any fan of the original game and can be recommended to fans of 2D Zeldas without hesitation.
Play it if you liked the first one, but one quick playthrough is enough.
+ a fitting sequel that is on par with its predecessor
+ graphical quality and lightning effects have improved
+ the sound design fits the action
+ the difficulty is surprisingly demanding
+ combat feels meaty and responsive
+ some items can be upgraded
+ puzzles are unique and mostly quick to solve
+ the world is large and full of secrets
+ items don't disappear after a while
+ the meta-narrative has been slightly expanded upon
+ the characters are cute and engaging
+ more sequences of interactive storytelling
+ restarting a save game gives a short recap of the current objective
+ you can ride a pig
Cons:
- game speed has been greatly reduced compared to the first game
- movement speed is far too low for the design of the action
- number of collectibles is too high
- most chests only yield gold
- gold is useless after a certain point
- using the guitar item takes far too long
- item finder song is barely useful
- no map markers available to use
- map itself is of extremely low visual quality
- most NPCs have nothing to say
- final dungeon is too short and final boss and requires simple button mashing
- no post game content
Playtime: 12 hours. Entire map explored, roughly 60% of collectibles acquired.
Magic Moments: Finding a certain weapon in a lake and recognizing it as a sly Zelda reference. Chosing which mini boss to fight at various moments.
Verdict:
A competent successor to Blossom Tales that expands upon the original without innovating to any meaningful degree. The look and feel are still satisfying, the combat is snappy, and the exploration of the sizable world map is incremental but offers plenty of challenges and secrets. The meta-narrative aspects, which allow you to chose between different enemy options or quest rewards at various moments, have been expanded upon and give the game a unique identity beyond its existence as a faithful Zelda homage. However, most rewards for these challenges are disappointing, as the economy of the world is not set up to offer any meaningful commodities beyond the obvious upgrades, and the noticeable decrease in overall game speed makes the experience much more sluggish than the first game.
The final dungeon and boss are equally disappointing and end the game on a weird Star Wars cliché and a boring final fight that can be brute forced in seconds with a bit of preparation. Still, this sequel will be catnip for any fan of the original game and can be recommended to fans of 2D Zeldas without hesitation.
Play it if you liked the first one, but one quick playthrough is enough.
Completed with 100% item collection and upgrades. Blossom Tales II is very deliberately following the template of classic 2D Zelda games, especially so A Link to the Past. In its gameplay mechanics there's very little here that's original - usable items range from a standard sword and shield, to bombs and a bow, and even bottles for potions; there's an overworld and several more puzzle-focused self-contained 'dungeons'; upgrades come from quarter hearts and energy fragments; and plenty more! All this aside, the game does a really excellent job of capturing that classic Zelda feel, with meticulous level design and balance, a wide range of (simple) quests and a fun story (albeit lacking the 'epic' feel that Zelda games typically evoke). That really sums up the experience here, and Blossom Tales II is just wonderfully fun to play despite being nearly entirely unoriginal - and sometimes, that's all the counts!
Another passable Zelda clone, but parts of it are REALLY rough, and doubly so after leaving the game alone for a while. The game's sound and animation lack oomph and its puzzles are generally pretty easy, so it's hard to find specific strengths to point to. Lily's movespeed feels mismatched with the scale of the world, which contributed to an overall dragging feeling as I played through Blossom Tales 2.
Overall, I found this game to be a bit better than the first game. I really like the narrative of the grandpa telling his grandchildren stories. It's a good way to make a ton of adventures that have independent stories. As for the gameplay, this game takes even more things from more Zelda games: rolling, item crafting, bottle hunting, and sword skills. The trading and the side quests does a better job at encouraging players to explore and engage in things outside of combat. Both of these games scratch the itch for a 2D Zelda game. I do wish this game let you set manual map markers. There's a ton of things to keep track of in the overworld, but there's no way to track them all. Also, I wish there was more of a use for currency. Money becomes literally useless after awhile.
Se você gosta de RPGs de ação com visual pixelado e aventuras de fantasia, você provavelmente vai gostar de Blossom Tales II: The Minotaur Prince. O mundinho de Lily é bonitinho e gostoso de jogar, além de ter sido feito com muito carinho. Agora, eu não acho que muita coisa dele vá ficar guardado na sua memória. São tantas inspirações que ele acaba não alcançando uma identidade própria, seja visual, mecânica ou narrativamente. Mas se você já jogou tudo que tinha pra jogar, então o Rei Minotauro precisa ser preso de novo e você vai ter um bom tempo durante essa missão.
mais: https://cosmonerd.com.br/games/critica-games/blossom-tales-2-minotaur-prince-critica/
mais: https://cosmonerd.com.br/games/critica-games/blossom-tales-2-minotaur-prince-critica/
It's more ambitious than the first game, but it feels a little worse to play.
Blossom Tales 2 improves upon almost every aspect of the original. The sprite art is more detailed, the cuteness is dialed up, the writing is sharper, the dungeons more finely tuned, nothing overstays its welcome. It is an ode to the childhood of someone who grew up in the 80's.