Posted on: October 1, 2014
GhostOfKarelia
Games: 353 Reviews: 1
Best in the series, with one caveat.
First, let's get the caveat out of the way: if you haven't played Journey to Rooted Hold and The City Beneath, you'll be lost both in terms of story and mechanics. The Second Sky is strictly intended for experienced players. So, with that out of the way, what does TSS offer to someone who's played JtRH and TCB? Quite a bit. The most prominent addition is the new weapons. Five of them, to be exact. Each one has different abilities and mechanics, for example, the staff cannot kill monsters directly, and instead must push them onto environmental hazards to kill them. The dagger eschews the usual moving and turning dynamic for a more agile approach, killing enemies on the space Beethro steps on and the space in front of that. Each one completely redefines the tactics you need to use, and interacts with the other elements in a unique way. The story is also far more prominent than in previous installments. I won't go into detail about it to avoid spoilers, but suffice to say it's excellent. However, again, if you're unfamiliar with the past games, nothing will make sense. It assumes knowledge of the events of JtRH and TCB. The level design is also a step up from previous games. These more tightly-crafted rooms require significantly more precision to solve, but as a result are even more satisfying to complete. Some of the later levels may border on too difficult, but never unfair. Another thing I should point out is the sheer amount of content on offer. While most puzzle games are content with a 6-hour length, TSS rivals many RPGs in sheer scale. Reaching the proper ending took me roughly 70 hours (for reference, JtRH took me about 30 hours and TCB took me close to 40), and I still have quite a bit left to do, mostly the traditional assortment of secret rooms. Overall, this is an excellent conclusion to the DROD series, but not a starting point. If you're new, pick up the 1+2+3 bundle and start with Journey to Rooted Hold.
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