Oceanhorn 2 looks very impressive for what was originally a mobile game. Another glimpse of promise that never really fully materialises. In the open world, it leads to puzzles, but just not enough and without sufficient reward. This along with the other special equipment items are another example of a glimpse of how good the game be, in combat it actually improves the messy experience, but would massively benefit from locking on or gyro controls. This is key in the boss encounters but also back out in the world, revisiting previous areas to now reach the items hidden away there. One of the highlights of these equipment items is an elemental gun that can shoot different types of elements. Again, in classic Zelda inspiration, there are some big boss battles that often require the specialist item of the dungeon to be utilised to overcome them. Where the enemy fights do feel enjoyable is at the conclusion to each dungeon. No real lock on facility makes for a messy fight filled with blows that feel weightless. When enemies are encountered, the camera angles do everything they can to interfere with the combat. There is the odd little sidequest and occasionally a few enemies but the size combined with the lack of activities leaves the exploration feeling really dull. Sadly, Oceanhorn 2 achieves none of these. This is usually a highlight with these types of games, a world to find all those little collectables and power-ups, but that needs a fine level of design balancing the investment of the time with the reward of the items for the everything found, keeping the puzzles interesting, and ensuring the world is not overpacked but not too sparse.
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There's a main quest to progress through, which takes the party to a series of these dungeons, but in reaching these dungeons, there is a decent sized open world to explore.
These types of puzzles are common in the dungeons scattered through the world and these stand out as the best parts of the game. These party members can be sent off on tasks, regularly needed for accomplishing simple puzzles, such as instructing them to stand upon pressure switches. It adds an extra feature to the proceedings, by adding a party. In fact, no jumping other than by running towards the edge of a drop to perform a little hop or scrambling up to waist height. This time, Oceanhorn has aimed for a 3D action title, but it's keeping its hero's feet firmly on the ground. But, that doesn't mean that it doesn't try anything new. Yes, Oceanhorn 2 wears its Zelda inspirations more than plainly on its sleeve, as did the original game in the series. He finds a hook-shot style grappling claw, a helmet to breath and swim underwater, etc.
As he does so, he finds items in each, granting him new methods of getting around and solving puzzles.
He travels around the world, taking special artefacts to a series of elemental dungeons. He slashes grass and pots to collect health and cash. At the heart of these knights is a young boy.Ī young boy, armed with just a sword and a shield, is off on a quest, set in a mixed-up fantasy land where high technology stands side-by-side with classic fantasy settings. It's a simple enough hero's journey story, with a few heavily telegraphed twists throughout. The story in this instalment sees a group of knights undertaking a quest for their king, returning artifacts to their original homes, but a dark warlock known as Mesmeroth is leading his army of mechanical warriors across the land for some unknown reason.