Teslagrad 2 is an interesting beast. To me, it's a bigger, bolder, and much smoother follow-up to its predecessor, but I can also easily see why some might find it to be inferior.
The platforming this time around takes a much different approach, drawing from the more loose, physics-based style of games like The Fancy Pants Adventures compared to the original's much tighter, more reliable feel. Again, I can completely understand why some wouldn't take to this as much; it's more floaty and more reliant on speed and momentum to make your jumps rather than timing. However, I found this approach, in combination with Teslagrad 2's new traversal abilities, far more compelling.
The level design complements this too, with much more open spaces and opportunities to experiment with new abilities instead of being thrown into the deep end. It's thanks to the more evenly paced difficulty that this is possible. The challenge ramps up the more you explore and unlock, with each boss fight feeling more like a decent test of your newly acquired skills than an excessively punishing gauntlet of luck and chance.
Teslagrad 2 also introduces some light combat into the mix. I found the results of this to be a mixed bag at the best of times. The mechanics work well enough in a combat arena; however, the enemy hitboxes feel way too big, and you'll find yourself getting hit even though you should be out of harm's way. While it's not a particularly bad addition, it's definitely less welcome than it should be by the game's end.
The narrative is also a mixed bag, unfortunately leaning towards being a detriment to the overall experience. The lead character, Lumina, is well designed and fun to root for, but outside of her personal journey, the lore that accompanies the otherwise gorgeous setting of Teslagrad 2 feels needlessly convoluted. The entire time I kept wondering if the game was meant to be a prequel or a sequel to the original, and while I got my answer in the end, by that point the reveal felt underwhelming.
Despite these qualms, Teslagrad 2 is definitely an improvement over the first, and it's clear Rain Games paid close attention to player feedback and brought forth a new yet familiar spin with enough room to improve on it for a third entry.
8/10
The platforming this time around takes a much different approach, drawing from the more loose, physics-based style of games like The Fancy Pants Adventures compared to the original's much tighter, more reliable feel. Again, I can completely understand why some wouldn't take to this as much; it's more floaty and more reliant on speed and momentum to make your jumps rather than timing. However, I found this approach, in combination with Teslagrad 2's new traversal abilities, far more compelling.
The level design complements this too, with much more open spaces and opportunities to experiment with new abilities instead of being thrown into the deep end. It's thanks to the more evenly paced difficulty that this is possible. The challenge ramps up the more you explore and unlock, with each boss fight feeling more like a decent test of your newly acquired skills than an excessively punishing gauntlet of luck and chance.
Teslagrad 2 also introduces some light combat into the mix. I found the results of this to be a mixed bag at the best of times. The mechanics work well enough in a combat arena; however, the enemy hitboxes feel way too big, and you'll find yourself getting hit even though you should be out of harm's way. While it's not a particularly bad addition, it's definitely less welcome than it should be by the game's end.
The narrative is also a mixed bag, unfortunately leaning towards being a detriment to the overall experience. The lead character, Lumina, is well designed and fun to root for, but outside of her personal journey, the lore that accompanies the otherwise gorgeous setting of Teslagrad 2 feels needlessly convoluted. The entire time I kept wondering if the game was meant to be a prequel or a sequel to the original, and while I got my answer in the end, by that point the reveal felt underwhelming.
Despite these qualms, Teslagrad 2 is definitely an improvement over the first, and it's clear Rain Games paid close attention to player feedback and brought forth a new yet familiar spin with enough room to improve on it for a third entry.
8/10