Guacamelee 2

Genre: Metroidvania

Players: 1-4 Co-Op (Local)

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Review:

Guacamelee 2, like the first game, is a Metroidvania that combines that genre’s style of sprawling, connected map and ability-based game progression with a fighting engine that’s surprisingly deep and varied and actually makes it a part of the exploration.

Okay, so let’s start by saying that this game re-uses the formula from its predecessor, which is just as good now as it was then – a great combination of exploration and solid fighting game mechanics with funny writing and a sprinkling of pop culture in-jokes, with eye-catching visuals and a solid mariachi-flavored soundtrack. All of that? Still true here.

As for what’s changed, this game is a bit wackier, a bit more tongue-in-cheek, and a bit more uneven. Where the original game mixed the humor with an overarching story that was still somewhat serious, here you’re dropped into absurdity from the get-go. Some players might find this a bit jarring, but it’s probably a matter of personal taste.

This uneven nature extends to the gameplay. You get new power-ups at a surprisingly steady clip here, I would even say it feels a bit rushed. Which… I suppose that’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it may take some getting used to for those who played the first game.

The abilities are a mixed bag, too. You get new and old moves as you progress, and some of the new moves are super useful and well-integrated with the game’s fighting engine, and some… less so. I was delighted, for example, to see the chicken transformation from the first game receive its own exclusive moves to actually make it a viable choice for combat and exploration (where previously it was only something you’d do if you were forced to, or needed to squeeze through a tight corridor). On the other hand, the Eagle Boost is not only apparently purely specific to the environment, but seems cribbed straight from Ori and the Blind Forest‘s Bash ability, which did a much better job integrating the technique into the gameplay.

This game also adds some interesting level design that does some things the original game didn’t do, such as “dimensional wave” sections that have two different versions of the stage shifting back and forth.

All right, so in the end, Guacamelee 2 is a little more rough, a little more rushed, and a little more experimental than the first game. However, it’s still an absolutely top-notch Metroidvania that retains many of the first game’s strengths and even adds a few of its own, even if it doesn’t come together as quite so much a cohesive whole as the first game. My nitpicking aside, this is absolutely one of the best Metroidvanias on a platform loaded with Metroidvanias. It’s just not quite as good as its predecessor.

tl;dr – Guacamelee 2 is a Metroidvania with a superb fighting engine, and it retains many of the qualities that made the first game great. However, it’s a little less focused and a little rougher than the first game. It’s still one of the best Metroidvanias on the Switch, but not quite as good as its predecessor.

Grade: A-

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