This is the perfect sequel, expanding and refining what made the first game great and polishing the result to a mirror shine. I give it my highest possible rating: a thumbs up.
Steamworld Dig 2 elevates the NPC Dorothy from the original game to playable status, as she searches for that game’s protagonist Rusty, who has gone missing. Her search takes her to a new town full of bots to meet and a new mine, but also a large connected world to explore with different kinds of environments with plenty of wrinkles to dig through. You have a buddy now, the electric sprite Fen, and there’s a faction of human mutants who seem friendly. And SPOILERS but like all great stories (such as the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy saga) it ends with the destruction of Earth, which sets up the setting of Steamworld Heist.
The game’s structure has become more ambitious. The simple, linear progression of Dig 1 has been opened up to a Metroid-style world of distinct environments. Dorothy’s abilities are even more revelatory to the ongoing experience, with awesome movement techniques like the grappling hook and jetpack being unlocked, while some of Rusty’s weaker moves and need for consumables have been trimmed. Exploration and investigation (as well as the challenge/puzzle caves) are now rewarded with gears and other collectibles to customise yourself with game-changing perks.
A lot of mechanics have been carried over from the first game, but in this much more ambitious context they’re given more of a chance to shine. There’s much more going on in the story too, and I noticed a large proportion of female characters which is pleasing, particularly in a heroine-led game. All in all it’s just a delight!
I should note that on 3DS, the more detailed visual style of this game perhaps suffered a tad compared to the first. But it still looks great, and having your inventory and a map on the bottom screen is very nice. Thank you Image & Form!
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