Evoland 2 is many things. It is an adventure game that encourages exploration. It is a puzzler that has intricate challenges for players to work through. It is a well-developed plot that players can really get engrossed in. And, most notably of all, it is a testament to the evolution that the video game industry has undergone over the past 20 years.
Publisher Shiro Games originally came out with Evoland 2 on PC all the way back in 2015. The game was met by initial acclaim, but gamers on Android didn’t have the chance to play it. That’s been changed now, as Evoland 2 was just ported over onto the Play Store by Playdigious. Finally, Android users now have the opportunity to experience a game that immediately becomes one of the top RPGs on the Play Store.
Evoland 2 builds on many of the elements that made the original Evoland such a hit. The innovative and defining characteristic of Evoland was that progressing through its story advanced the in-game graphics. The graphics matured in a manner similar to that of video games over the past few decades. Evoland 2 makes the graphics switches seem even more natural and purposeful than its predecessor ever did, as the changes in graphics all tie neatly into the game’s plotline.
Evoland 2’s plotline is also very immersive. The story itself begins with a quick tutorial level that orients players to the game’s basic controls. The game then segues into giving details about a horrific war between humans and demons had been waged 50 years in the past.
After providing players with the necessary background information, Evoland 2 dumps players into in a small village in which a protagonist awakes to find that he has lost his memory. The protagonist, whom players get to name, quickly befriends a girl with green hair and sets out on an adventure to the forest, where the girl’s father had found him unconscious.
The protagonist and his friend leave the village and traverse the forest only to find a demon cornered by humans. After the demon flees, the protagonist and his friend awake to find themselves 50 years in the past, make unlikely allies, and become embroiled in the war that the game described at its commencement. The plot ultimately takes over 20 hours to wind its way to its conclusion, so it does not disappoint RPG fans in terms of length.
Playdigious augments the plotline in Evoland 2 by imbuing the game with humor. The RPG pokes fun at various video games like the Super Mario and Metal Gear Solid franchises. One instance in particular that stood out was when the protagonist decided to hide under a box to get past guards in a scene that clearly made fun of Metal Gear Solid’s protagonist Snake.
In addition to incorporating allusions to make Evoland 2 humorous, the developer adds humor to the game by having the main characters engage in witty banter. Evoland 2 also likes to make fun of gaming traditions that, when viewed in a vacuum, can be perceived as nonsensical. For example, the game urges players to find a sword in the opening village and says that they should do so because that’s what protagonists in games usually do.
The gameplay mechanics in Evoland 2 constitute the RPG’s only real downside. The controls for exploring, engaging in puzzles, and playing mini-games are all serviceable. But a lot of the game revolves around combat, and the controls don’t handle that as well. Players cannot swing their sword while moving or changing direction, which makes the fighting system clunky.
Evoland 2 was a great game when it came out in 2015, and its Google Play port does not disappoint. The Android version of the game hits on almost every facet and provides players great bang for their buck.
Rating: 9.5/10
Take a Look at the Evoland 2 Android Trailer:
Evoland 2 is available for download at the limited-time launch price of USD$7.99/7.99€ via Google Play. The game is also available on the App Store for iPhone, iPad and Apple TV as well as for PC and Mac via Steam.
Related: Evoland 2 Now Available on Google Play
Android Review
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Overall Score - 9.5/109.5/10
I'm a recent graduate of Columbia University. Gaming has been a passion of mine my entire life; I enjoy everything from RPGs and FPSs to stealth and narrative-driven games. I love the deeply immersive quality that good video games inherently possess, and am looking forward to highlighting games worthy of acclaim. When I'm not studying or reading, you can catch me playing games like Uncharted, Dishonored, The Witcher 3, and Far Cry.
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