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.