Recent reviews by kpllo

I regret not playing Toki Tori 2 sooner.

I remember when it first launched on the Wii U, during the system's first big drought in 2013. Back then, despite having a lot of time in my hands and not much to play on the console, I let it go. Then I got it in a bundle for Steam, and once again, didn't play it for years. I had played the first Toki Tori and mistakenly assumed the sequel would be more of the same.

When I heard Toki Tori 2 was actually a metroidvania, my interest grew. Regardless of that, I still had cold feet. There's something about the game's pre-rendered visuals that always made it look kinda cheap. I also thought it would be more of a chore than anything else, like many other metroidvanias that fail to play to the genre's strengths.

Then I finally played it and it really grabbed me. The presentation, which had always seemed so unappealing, came to life in a glorious way when I booted the game. It's GORGEOUS. It's a really weird art style, in that it doesn't sell well, but looks great when you're actually playing. Music and sound design also make a great job of immersing the player in Toki Tori's wonderful world, without ever getting repetitive.

There are so many elements populating the screen, everything looks so much alive. Actually, that's Toki Tori 2's main catch: YOU CAN SEQUENCE BREAK THE HELL OUT OF THIS GAME. All the tiny animals you initially think of as mere set dressing are meant to be interacted with, you might just not know it at the time.

Midway through the game, you happen to come back to the very first screen. Up to that point, Toki Tori 2 gently teaches you about its surprisingly deep mechanics through great level design. Now you're are able to truly see it with new eyes. That bird over there? You can call it by chirping, make it grab that little animal and feed it to that frog so that you can go up that ledge. Those fireflies? Make sure they follow you, you're gonna need them.

You don't ever get new items or power-ups. The only thing preventing you to venture out in any direction at any given time is your knowledge of how the game works, and it makes a great job at teaching you that. That alone makes Toki Tori 2 extremely replayable as well, since not only will you want to try new paths in a different order, but the game's puzzles are not only deep enough to lock collectibles away during the first time you play them, but also so much fun you're gonna want to give them another try just for the sake of it.

It all comes together so tightly that, like I said, I regret not playing it sooner. The game's inability to sell well when it should have actually bankrupted Two Tribes' developing arm, and the upcoming Rive is going to be their last game. Maybe it would have helped if the media had made more noise about this game back when it first launched. Maybe it would have helped if I hadn't been so skeptical as well.

Toki Tori 2 is a truly underrated gem and if like me you're a fan of great level design, do yourself a favor: PLAY IT ASAP!