It's a ballsy developer that starts a game with a boss fight, but that's precisely what developer Drinkbox Games has done in Guacamelee! 2. The opening scrap is used as a clever device for recapping the climax of the original game, as well as serving as a catch-up for those of us who either didn't play or finish 2013's Guacamelee (or the comprehensive Switch remix, Guacamelee! Super Turbo Championship Edition). It also sets the tone for a colourful Metroidvania platformer that's deeply beholden to, yet also a steady progression from, its predecessor.
Seven years on from the events of the original, Guacamelee! 2 finds our hero Juan in a state of retired bliss, living with his family in peaceful Pueblucho. On an errand to purchase more avocados (which he seems to have been overindulging in), Juan discovers the need to re-don his mystical luchador mask and face a fresh inter-dimensional threat.
It's that dimensional element that proves to be Guacamelee! 2's key twist on the formula. You'll soon be exposed to the concept of the Mexiverse, a daft spin on the multiverse theory of parallel realities. Here each and every one of those universes just happens to conform to Guacamelee's cartoony Mexican folklore aesthetic, which means that even the key 'Dark' timeline is full of colour and humour.
Drinkbox mines this unapologetically silly premise for ample gameplay ideas, which occasionally call to mind the dual light/dark world mechanics of A Link to the Past and Metroid Prime 2, but with a major emphasis on laser-sharp platforming skills. It's also the driver for a constant barrage of puns and intertextual references. Together with snappy dialogue that's always played for laughs, Guacamelee! 2 proves to be a relentlessly joyous and inventive experience, despite its 'more of the same' nature.
For those who skipped the original, Guacamelee! 2 feels rather like a mash-up of Super Metroid and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, with the deceptively lithe and technical combat of the latter folded into the branching exploration and tool-gathering structure of the former. It's predominantly a single-player adventure, though up to three friends can jump in at any time to help with the game's plentiful scraps. It's arguably a little too cluttered and chaotic to play the entire game in this way, but the option is welcome.
Guacamelee! 2's beat-'em-up combat really is a key distinguishing factor. Alongside the game's gorgeous aesthetic – which has really ramped up in detail this time around – it's what sets it apart from other Metroidvania games. There are a dizzying number of punches, throws and special moves to steadily learn and perfect, and the game is brilliant at giving you incentives to apply them.
This relentlessly expansive combat system rewards chaining multiple attack types together, and you'll often be locked into compact arena brawls with combinations of enemies that are particularly vulnerable to certain colour-coded openers. You'll also encounter a hot-headed combat coach, who pops up periodically to give you a practical lesson in specific disciplines.
It's a brawler as much as a platformer, then, though the latter component certainly isn't neglected. Indeed, some of the jumping challenges you'll encounter in Guacamelee! 2 require every bit as much dexterity and fine-tuned muscle memory as pulling off a flawless extended combo. Smartly, many of the most demanding of these challenges have been positioned as optional challenges, either branching off from the main hub world or within the game's handful of dense dungeons.
Some of these challenges cater to Juan's alternate chicken form, the moves of which can occasionally outshine our hero's for pure mechanical fun. We're thinking predominantly about the diagonal dash move, which can be ricocheted of certain surfaces to deliciously tactile effect.
The developer's thoughtful structuring can't fully shield you from various instances of frustration, however. Some of the platforming challenges will have you failing repeatedly, to the point where we suspect many casual players drawn in by the colourful visuals and cheeky humour will bounce off the game quite hard. Thankfully, Drinkbox has been very generous with the checkpointing and the speed of the restart process, to the point where a little perseverance will typically see you through.
Indeed, perseverance is key if you're to see the game through. Guacamelee! 2's eye-blitzing aesthetic, phenomenal pace, relentless quipping and sheer bombardment of fresh moves and mechanics can make it quite exhausting to play for extended periods. It's like a heavily-seasoned, highly-spiced dish that tastes phenomenal for the first dozen or so bites, but leaves you a little queasy by the end. The very best Metroidvanias, like Hollow Knight and Super Metroid, revel in their long-form nature, expertly interspersing moments of intensity with periods of quiet reflection and exploration. Guacamelee! 2 can feel tiresomely one-note by comparison.
Played in bite-sized chunks, however, Guacamelee is like a burst of fiery flavour that rarely fails to brighten up your day. Its combination of kinetic combat and platforming gymnastics feel fresh and inventive, even second time around.
Conclusion
A dazzling, thrilling action-platformer with a potent cocktail of combat and platforming components, all set in one of the most appealing game worlds around. It's not a massive progression from the original, and its sheer relentlessness can prove tiresome, but Guacamelee! 2 is a real celebration of a sequel.
Comments 42
The first one was a pearl on the Wii U. This one is on my wish list as many people here who already have so much games to play.
I played both titles to absolute completion and adored them, but on PC, not Switch.
I would love to pick these games up as a potential physical release however, I'd be all over it.
Already got it downloaded. Just waiting for it to unlock on Monday.
Can I get the gear club unlimited 2 review please.
I've wanted to get this and the first game, but I find more and more that I don't finish games I do get so I haven't gotten these. I'm sure they're fantastic, but I can be especially bad about not finishing games when they're Metroidvanias.
Preloaded this and Everspace for next week. Sneak start to holiday gamling
I'll pass on the 2nd serving of Guacamelee. Last time I was at a Mexican restaurant, Guacamelee gave me violent diarrhea and destroyed their toilet. Was even bedridden for weeks and ruined all my clothes.
@Tsurii That's good to know, thanks. Maybe I will get it soon.
The first was an absolute joy on Wii U. Super excited for this sequel. Good thing it came during a super busy time on PS4, because it wasn't as hard for me to wait for the Switch version instead.
Am I the only one that thought Guacamelee! was a bit tiresome? I’m not trying to hate, I just feel that the bosses were way too difficut and navigating the levels was very tedious. For me, there were too many flaws in the game that it hindered my enjoyment, but I’m sure others had a great time with this game.
@PolarExperience i'm sure others feel like you but this is one of my top indie games. shame it releases so close to smash everything will get overshadowed next few days!
Oh, yeah, I need to go ahead and purchase this so I can get the discount.
I have the first Guacamelee! on PC, but if the Switch version goes on sale then I'll probably double-dip.
@Fuz
Not only is it what Symphony of the Night does, but Guacamelee 2 outright references dialogue from that, among many, many other things it references.
The achievement for this opening fight is also "I remember that being harder".
The first game was great and I'm not surprised they were only able to maintain that quality. That being said, I will definitely get this once I clear out my backlog. Playing through Hollow Knight has proven to take a lot more time than anticipated, Smash Ultimate has become a new time sink, and Splatoon 2 has kept its hooks sunken into me.
This one is already pre-loaded, but I don't know when I'll get to it because of Smash and Genesis Classics. If it shows just part of the quality the first one has, it will be a great game indeed!
A Fun-Packed And Often Relentlessness Metroidvania.
This is why I hate mornings.
@Qwertyninty
I’ll save them some time
3 out of 10
Pros:The scenery looks slightly better and that’s the end of the pros.
Cons:More of the same,poor handling cars where a flawed upgrade system makes them handle worse,no real sense of speed,crappy engine noises and just plain not fun to play.At $60 this is a definite skip when for 1/3 the price you could pick about Horizon Chase Turbo an actual fun racing game.
"A Fun-Packed And Often Relentlessness Metroidvania"
You mean "relentless"?
How did I not know this game was coming out?
you get a discount on the 1st game if you get this one right? how much was it?
@ancientlii 30% off.
Review is invalid until you fix the extremely obvious typo.
Brilliant review. Seriously, compliments on the writing and explanation given here.
This one is on the watchlist.
Edit: I'm serious. No typo can hide great writing.
@MeatSauce Thanks, saves me reading the review. Was going to get Horizon Chase Turbo anyway.
@wazlon Yeah I mean I am not a fan of the 16-bit style of Horizon Chase Turbo, but there is no denying how that is a better purchase in comparison. Gear.club Unlimited 2 is just an overpriced game that didn't do enough to improve upon the original.
If the first one goes on sale after 2 drops, I'll probably pick it up. Heard alot of great things about it. I always like playing the first before enduldging in the sequels.
@Giygas_95 Yeah I got a few of these metroidvania games and I haven't played through any of them. I seem to have a bad habit of playing them for a bit only to get distracted by something else so I have hardly played them. Definitely not my favorite games if I am going to be honest, so I have been avoiding them for now on even if they get good reviews.
The typo is still there on the front page
Love this series to bits and I sincerely hope we get a third installment.
@NybroCymerej Wat
By the title I'd never have thought this as a Metvania (not Metroidvania because a proper portmanteau uses parts of words, not entire words). It looks interesting and will probably go onto my "wait until it's cheap" list.
I've been looking forward to this I cannot say enough good things about the first game and this one seems just as great I even held out just to get this on my Nintendo Switch it's a perfect fit for the Switch, I would love a physical copy of both titles in the series ., The first title was such a blast to play in co-op mode I can't wait to give the co-op mode a go in the sequel.
@Giygas_95 I am so bad as well! I still need to finish Samus Returns! Too many games!!! Haha 😂
@King_Johobo Not to mention Smash is out now. That's gonna swallow lottsa time when I start playing it.
@Fuz There are other games that also start with a boss fight like "Sonic Adventure." Among Metroidvania games, it could also just as easily be an homage to "Super Metroid" or the first "Metroid Prime."
Really an excellent review!
Was super happy when this got announced for Switch. I pre-ordered it the moment it became available. Looking forward to finally playing it!
I really enjoyed the first one (though I didn't beat it); been meaning to pick up the second for some time now. Now that it's on Switch, that's even better incentive.
@Giygas_95 I know smash is definitely not gonna help us finish these Metroidvanias 😂
@King_Johobo No it's not...
Nice review and nice score. I will download it someday. But I have yet to beat the first one...
@Jon_Mundy
If you could only get 1, would you get this or Super Turbo Champ?
Thank you
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