More characteristic Guacamelee insanity! This one is, perhaps inevitably, different from the original STCE: not just a sequel but a development. The story is even more bonkers than in the original: perhaps it loses some of the original's inimitable charm. But it's certainly funny, especially if you've played through STCE. I definitely recommend playing STCE first, as there are a lot of in-jokes which you wouldn't get if you hadn't. Graphics. Much richer than the original, with far more detail in the backgrounds. But I do sometimes miss the relative simplicity of the original's look. This is, of course, still a beautiful game to look at, with some inspired artwork. Perhaps not as sinister as the original: that gave the original an edge. Which brings me to the music, which is well up to the standard of the original, with some really good tracks. As with the graphics, I'm not sure they convey the same dark feel as in the original: but that's maybe not the intention. The atmosphere of Guac2 is far sillier, lighter than the original. Gameplay. As an STCE veteran, I haven't found the enemies that hard to beat, even 5 hours in. There are plenty of new enemies, with interesting new moves: but they're just... well, not that hard to kill. I've yet to meet one who gave me serious difficulty. On the other hand, enormous effort has been put in to devising insanely ingenious platform problems: these I found much harder than the enemies. Outside special (bonus or well-advertised "this is near-impossible" areas), these are always solveable in a few tries: not as frustrating as some of the main-plot problems in the original. There are some really clever side-levels, including one which is an entirely blank, white screen. To find your way around it, you have to "decorate" it: but to avoid spoilers, I won't say how. The chicken has been _seriously_ buffed, and has an entire sideplot of its own. I'll leave it for you to find out more...
I was prepared to really love this game: it's extremely well reviewed, it's odd, the artwork looks (and is) superb. But I always finish a game session by thinking "Oh, I just give up, I can't be bothered". There's none of the feeling of achievement + frustration + excitement + "I'd better stop now, it's 3am" that I've had from other games. This is not because this is wholly a bad game. It's not. It's beautifully designed. The artwork and sound are unique. Reviews tell me that the world is huge and full of a variety of incredible designs. Unfortunately, these virtues make it even more disappointing that - in the early stages I'm in - the designers haven't paid enough attention to the balance between frustration and enjoyment. The first thing that's wholly wrong is the save mechanic. No-one plays a game of this kind and expects that they won't die - often. But when a boss crushes me for the nth time, why do I then have to go back miles away and find my way back to the boss - for the nth time? The path back becomes extremely boring. This repetition gives the atmosphere of the game - visuals and sound - which should (and could, in a game of this quality) be absorbing and inspiring - a bad flavour, because you're doing the same thing again and again. Small enemies on the way regenerate as soon as you leave the room, which adds to the feeling of no progress. If I happen to lose a life on the way, I'm tempted to just suicide and start again with full lives. That urge is not a good sign when playing a game. What stops me is another game mechanic: if you can find your ghost where you died, you can "kill" it with two hits and regain all the "money" you previously gathered. But it's too easy to die while trying to do this, meaning all that money is gone. I just managed to kill the False Knight. I'm rich, and I want to cash in on my triumph. But no, I'm straight in to another - forced, no side turnings - boss battle with a long leadup from the savepoint.
