The first Evoland is one of the most charming RPGs I've ever played. In this first game you literally had to find and unlock every feature of the game; from sound, to color, and a story. No doubt it was kind of quirky but it was also a lot of fun. Having milked that concept for all it was worth it was then a little hard to imagine just what the sequel would have to offer. Surprising Evoland 2 actually offers a much deeper and more engaging story-line while still splashing in gameplay from several classic genres. The length of a play-through combined with the variety of different mechanics makes this one incredible experience.
People are getting ready to celebrate the anniversary of the humans' victory in the war against demons. You soon find a small group demons are concocting a plot of revenge and it is up to you to stop them. However, a wrench is thrown in your plan when you accidentally get teleported through time. In each era you'll get to recruit new party members and explore familiar areas with a new perspective. Traveling between different eras you can see first hand the effects your actions in the past have on the present. The real question is can you make things better by altering the past or will all these actions have dire consequences.
Evoland 2 is primarily played as a Zelda inspired adventure game. This is only the base of the gameplay for Evoland 2 frequently hearkens back to many classic genres. It is difficult to say much without spoiling the joy and surprise each twist offers. Without being to direct expect there are references relating to shooters, fighting, beat-em up, rhythm, and mobile styles of gameplay. Unsurprising of the time period there is also a fair number of side-scrolling sections. The references don't stop at the gameplay; there is probably close to a hundred references to specific characters and assets from popular games and movies.
Evoland 2 starts out fairly linear but opens up about a third of the way through. From that point on you are free to pursue any numbers of objectives while traveling through the different eras at your leisure. There is plenty of reasons you my be motivated to explore. Similar to its predecessor, Evoland 2 also features an excellent collectible card game. This game within a game is very simple to learn but quite fun to master. You can find some cards in chests but most will have to be won in battles. You can also find stars, ore, and goop in chests. Stars are just for the sake of a challenge but the other items can be used for potions and upgrades.
Evoland 2 expands on the first game in about every way imaginable; from the concept of evolution of videogames to the sheer amount of content. With a 100% play-through clocking in at about 24 hours this game is about eight times as long as the first Evoland! Although I was a bit overwhelmed when the game first opened up I really enjoyed almost every minute. The changes in the gameplay from one place to another provides much appreciated shots of variety. No game mode is too complicated that it can't be picked up quickly and never stays around long enough to get tiring. The game does slow down a bit because to the focus on narrative but I did really enjoy the main cast. Evoland 2 is the second game in this clever series that any fan of retro games needs to check out.