Guacamelee! 2 - Complete

...If we consider the first one perfect. And yes, the first is one of the most fun and most refined Metroidvania games ever created. The sequel have everything that the first one had and it has a little more in every aspect. Buuuuut that not equal to being better, because sometimes too much of the same gimmick can hurt the overall experience. Platforming: I like the new mechanics, the grappling hook is a little broken though, the extra, optional challenges are super-brutal-hard, but the core experience is pretty solid. Most of the platforming puzzles are pretty creative and fun. The other half are super-mega-turbo-hardcore stuff, so if you already have some gray bits in your hair, don't even try those... Action: The original has more brutal battles therefore more clueless, chaotic fun. The sequel feels way more platforming oriented and that's hurt the action department quite a bit. I didn't like the new skill system at first, but it's pretty neat and way more customizable than it was in the first game. But in the end - you will be a Lucha-god, just like in the original, no matter what. ;) Story: The story is a little "we need a sequel which is more frantic, bold, weird and funny!" - and it is, but it never touches the brilliant simplicity of the original. But that's not a big issue, I liked the writing, the jokes, the chicken bits are brilliant and the character development of some of our old "friends" (especially X'tabay's) are very satisfied and fine touches for a coherent universe. Level design: I felt it build the way it built just to be bigger because it is a sequel so it has to be bigger... Overall, if you liked the original, you will love the sequel despite the balancing issues it has. It has a soul, just like the first one had, and in the end - despite every frustrating rage-quit moment - you will end up wanting more and more. Yep, it's a must-buy and almost perfect game and we need to go back to Mexiverse the third time ASAP!

Picking up where the previous game let off, the original wait for this sequel was worth it, when I finally got my hands on it. The short and sweet: Story - 5 stars: Keeps you engaged and continues where the previous one left off. They expand on the world-verse ;), the characters, and introduce a larger plot element here without losing the heart of the original's simplistic plot. Gameplay - 5 stars: The previous game's mechanics and abilities were great, and you get more of that formula here. The upgrades and new abilities here feel just as intuitive as the first game, and the way the developers design the world to make use of your abilities is brilliantly done, which is necessary for any Metroid-like Action-Adventure-Platformer. Platforming - 5 stars: The base-game is beatable for the "general mass" audience, and the aditional bonus platforming areas provide enough of a challenge for more skilled players, while not being impossible to accomplish. There's definitely muscle-memory required and quick reflexes needed, but doable to 100% for both advanced and expert players alike. Sound/Music - 5 stars: Music and sound play such a crucial part to a story, gameplay, and action of a game, and the OST they built here does not disappoint! The sound design helped keep me empathetic to the experience, and engaged throughout my experience. Graphics/Art - 5 stars: Beautiful as ever, and even more colorful than the previous game, keeping true to the style of the universe and world. Extras - 5 stars: The Easter Eggs within the game were fun to experience and find. You won't be disappointed as you can find more than 50 easter eggs ranging from gaming references, to internet references, and much from this culture and age-group (Millenial/Gen Z). There are easter eggs for many people to identify and connect with :)

Love the sequel just as much as the first Guacamelee! In the first game, I immediately started playing on hard immediately after finishing my playthrough on normal; the same thing happened for Guac 2. Usually I'm glad when I beat a game and it's finally over, but this is one of the few series where the gameplay is that good you just want to keep going. The closest other series it reminds me of would be Rayman Origins, both in terms of gameplay and its fun, colourful atmosphere. In comparison to the first game, Guac 2 has upped the ante of its gameplay: it feels more refined and extensive, and its platforming challenges are more creative and inventive in finding new ways to exploit the game's mechanics. Likewise, its graphics have an extra level of polish (really like the lighting effect that was added) and exude the same kind of personality and charm as the first game. Same thing for the music; really amazing! My one gripe is the story. It feels like there are lots of good ingredients to work with, in terms of the characters that were introduced in the game, but they're haphazadly cobbled together to form a story. The story involves convoluted nonsense around "jumping between timelines", but it ultimately doesn't affect the game much and is mainly used for inserting fairly cheap timetravel jokes. I would've liked it better if the timelines stuff was removed, to focus on a simpler and more cohesive story. All in all, you don't really play Guacamelee for the story though, so it's just a minor gripe. In short, if you're in for platformer with loads of action and personality, you'll love both Guacamelee 1 and 2! Some of the platforming challenges can be frustrating, but it's the good kind of frustration where it feels immensely satisfying once you get into the rythm of the game's mechanics.

I love it even more than the first one! New enemies and powers, many combinations, sometimes quite hard fights, but they give lots of fun. And the great humor is still there!