We see a lot of RPG-Maker fuelled, 8-bit styled JRPGs here at Games Freezer, and whilst some can be memorable titles; bringing something new to the table - or are just plain ol’ fun short, narrative-driven affairs - there are many, many more that end up feeling like tedious grind-fests that seem to be designed to suck the enjoyment out of your time with the game. It is a massive genre, and so finding the gold can be daunting. Luckily, there are games like 8-bit Adventures 2 out there, flying the shimmering flag of quality as they game their way across the high seas.
The game begins with the main protagonist - a teenager called Charlie, previously a street urchin turned a good ‘un, courtesy of the hero from the previous game – escaping the castle grounds in which he conducts his training in order to follow his hero as they set sail to find a missing comrade.
The initial hour or so acts as a tutorial and whilst the mechanics are familiar, it does a fantastic job of setting the tone, and easing the player into the style of play. This relaxed approach and involved sense of accessibility and clean design runs through the whole experience, and is backed up by various nice touches that can sometimes get overlooked, such as the characters actually having a different animation for running (as opposed to the avatar just ‘moving slightly quicker’), it may seem minimal, but in this genre – the 8-bit throwback JRPG – all of the little flourishes and nuances make it clear that this is a passion project as opposed to a lazy facsimile of what has come before.
The soundtrack, courtesy of Carfonu (Sebastian Cruz) is also glorious to behold, with chiptune magic weaving its own tapestry around you as you make your way through the world, and there are a lot of tracks here, again knocking another issue that can plague the genre – irritating, repetitive music – away, meaning that each new area isn’t just fun to explore from a narrative perspective, but also in terms of the aural treats that will come your way.
The story also has a way of being continually engaging throughout your time with 8-Bit Adventures 2, and the fact that you can choose whether to respawn enemies to grind if you so wish, also highlights the clever balancing and effort that has gone into ensuring that this isn’t a torturous grindfest, but a well-paced all-encompassing tale told with skill and investment.
SUMMARY
A party-based JRPG that stands above the crowd by simply being very, very good – 8-Bit Adventures 2 refines a well-worn formula and offers you a world to explore that has very clearly been crafted with passion; solid mechanics; great little touches; an engaging narrative, and awesome music – it’s a thumbs up from us at GF!
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