The sequel to GalaxyTrail establishes its own character by providing equally important action and platforming.
Freedom Planet 2
Platform:Â Switch, also on PlayStation and Xbox, previous on PC.
Developer:Â GalaxyTrail
Publisher:Â GalaxyTrail
Release date:Â April 4th, 2024
Price:Â $24.99
Digital availability: Nintendo eShop
One of the 34-year-old franchise’s greatest works was Sonic Mania, which brought back the graphics and gameplay of the original Genesis series. Furthermore, despite the positive reviews the 2017 game garnered from both reviewers and players, there was a sneaking suspicion that creator Christian Whitehead was holding back. It was true that sending the Blue Blur spinning, leaping, and running produced a sense of nostalgia. However, Mania followed a pattern, thus changes were predictably few.
Whitehead gains some much-needed independence with Freedom Planet 2. In collaboration with returning director Sabrina DiDuro, the second installment makes a few necessary changes to enable the franchise find its own voice. With the exception of a few obvious blunders, Freedom Planet seems to be surpassing its inspiration in every aspect but star power.
A Cute Ensemble of Ani-Gals
The extra movesets invented by characters like Miles Prower, Knuckles the Echidna, and even the gun-wielding Shadow the Hedgehog are most prominently expanded upon in Freedom Planet. When a game first launches, players can choose from three returning characters. As the head of the team, Lilac is a dragon-girl with the ability to whip her mane like Shantae. Carol is a jade-colored wildcat that enjoys slashing at opponents and has Kamen Rider-like motorcycling skills. And then there’s Milla, a Basset Hound who can fly and carries a gun and shield in one.
In the sequel, Neera, a small boss from the previous game, teams up with Team Liliac. She carries a cryo staff, a weapon that may be used as a melee or projectile weapon, in her role as a frost knight. You’ll have more attacking and defensive options than most platformers, regardless of who you choose. Therefore, as you take up defensive stances that deflect bullets and barrage opponents with missiles, Freedom Planet 2 offers a pleasant substitute for simply diving on top of opponents.
Phases That Continue
The enlarged movesets of the game facilitate versatility as well. While there are many fast-paced passages where your character will loop and soar through the air after hitting a booster, other regions with higher enemy density will call for a slower, more careful play style. It’s true that some of the stages in Freedom Planet 2 drag on too long and occasionally feel like they were copied and pasted. However, the game’s stages do require players to become proficient with every skill set their selected character has. The drawback is that you will have to restart the game if you are unhappy with a character’s abilities. Unfortunately, there is no way to switch playables, which can cause regrets after a few hours of the game’s extensive campaign.
Although most levels are easy to get past the first section of, character vulnerabilities become more noticeable in the boss bouts that end each stage. Undoubtedly, these battles include visually striking opponents that can either fill the screen or spawn hordes of lesser obstacles for the player to overcome. However, a lot of your energy-draining special strikes and mid-range missiles feel useless versus stronger opponents in this situation.
The creator, GalaxyTrail, was probably aware that gamers would become frustrated with these portions’ increased difficulty. Thankfully, there are many types of assistance that let you disable or forbid knockbacks. If you stumble during a level, you can choose to resume from where you left off with a partial refill or return to a checkpoint with all of your health restored. There should be more games that let you make this choice.
A Focus on Exposition
In terms of aesthetics, Freedom Planet 2 boasts elaborate character designs, and layers of parallax scrolling bring the beautiful background graphics to life. Similar to this, the game’s catchy soundtrack offers a variety of upbeat songs that provide a fast pace for the action. Sadly, the voice acting in the game falls short of expectations. Compared to its rivals, Freedom Planet 2 has a more extensive plot, but the performances fall flat in their overzealous attempt at positivity. Fortunately, it’s less of a deal-breaker and more of a wasted opportunity.
Freedom Planet 2 delivers more fun in addition to the 24-stage campaign. There is a new boss rush mode and a classic option that lets you relive stages after you finish the game. All in all, the action-packed fun lasts for roughly 15-20 hours and is well worth the asking price.
The review code for Freedom Planet 2 was obtained from the publisher and used on the Switch.
Review Overview
Gameplay – 80%
Controls – 65%
Aesthetics – 75%
Content – 75%
Accessibility – 75%
Value – 70%
73%
GOOD!
Summary :Â Freedom Planet 2 shows how GalaxyTrail’s franchise is stepping out from under the shadow of the Hedgehog, with a cast of selectable characters each with a variety of weapons. The game’s action and platforming mix should please any fan of retro gaming, even though there are a few issues that can make the experience less enjoyable.