Draw a Stickman: Epic 2

Genre: Action-RPG

Players: 1

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Review:

The Draw a Stickman series started out on mobile devices in 2011, but then spread to numerous other platforms, with Draw a Stickman: Epic 2 releasing on PC and mobile devices in 2015 and gradually spreading to other platforms, with the Nintendo Switch getting a version of the game in 2018. This family-friendly game has players taking the role of a character they draw themselves going on a quest to defeat an enemy they drew, repairing a broken world using tools they… also draw.

While the game does make a good attempt at getting all of this to seem like the player’s own self-customized experience, most of the world, characters, and enemies are already designed, fairly simple and messy in appearance, and rendered using flat 2D images in a 3D space that are moved and stretched to indicate simple animation. It’s a far cry from anything impressive, but it fits with the game’s overall presentation. Less successful is the soundtrack, which is dull and subdued, far from the sort of thing you’d want in a lighthearted adventure like this.

The gameplay here is fairly simple, to the point where I suspect that this game was created with younger children in mind. Players gradually gain the ability to draw using different colors, or get a new tool, and must put this new color or tool to use to solve puzzles around the environment. There are enemies and health, but this isn’t a game about fighting, it’s really just about making use of the skills you have available to solve simple environmental puzzles. I suppose this works, but anyone who’s played a few videogames before isn’t likely to find too much of a challenge here.

One other thing I should note here – given the premise of this game, it would seem that one of the things the Nintendo Switch version absolutely needed to get right was the touchscreen controls, and I’m happy to report that they work magnificently well in this game, and are absolutely the best way to play this game. Having gamepad controls to supplement this is nice, but nothing beats the direct interaction the touchscreen provides.

Draw a Stickman: Epic 2 is ultimately a cute game with some fun customization, but it’s a game that isn’t very deep or challenging. I can definitely see the appeal of this game, especially for a younger kid, enjoying an adventure with elements they themselves drew into existence. I wish this game’s presentation got a little more attention to make it more appealing, and I wish the gameplay offered more depth or challenge for older players. However, for an inexpensive game for youngsters, I suppose this is okay, even if it’s far from anything noteworthy or spectacular.

tl;dr – Draw a Stickman: Epic 2 is a family-friendly Action-RPG where players solve puzzles by drawing onto the screen with colors they collect. It’s a cute game and I can certainly see the customization elements appealing to youngsters, but it’s not especially deep or challenging.

Grade: C

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