Ufouria 2: The Saga Evaluation – Evaluation

Again within the ‘80s and ‘90s, the sport developer Sunsoft put out quite a lot of memorable video games on NES, starting from novel licensed video games like Batman and Fester’s Quest to distinctive originals like Blaster Grasp. Not all of their video games made it to America again within the day although, such because the latest Change re-release Journey World. A kind of video games lastly made it to America on Digital Console greater than a decade in the past: the fascinating proto-Metroidvania Ufouria: The Saga. Initially launching on Famicom in 1991, Ufouria was forward of its time with its non-linear model however was usually too obtuse for its personal good. That’s what makes the quasi-remake sequel Ufouria: The Saga 2 so welcome: it takes the intriguing framework of the unique, modernizes it, and packages all of it along with a stunning craft-like presentation.

You begin off enjoying as Hebe, a weird-looking creature who awakens from his mattress (positioned proper subsequent to his bathroom) and units off on an journey as aliens have disrupted his world and brain-washed his mates. The final move of this 2D platformer jogged my memory of the Monster Boy video games, as you journey to totally different areas, slowly amassing a gaggle of different playable characters that may then carry you to different areas. Quickly after adventuring to the Ufouria Fields, Hebe groups up with O-Chan (who can swim on prime of water), Sukezaemon (who has a floaty bounce), and Jennifer (who can swim underwater). Extra talents and unlocks along with the characters open up the total world, made up of quite a lot of totally different areas with nice visuals normally ending in a simplistic boss struggle that duties you with tossing projectiles and timing butt stomps.

The hook is that each stage you enter adjustments barely if you enter it. So far as I can inform, it’s just some totally different layouts or items which might be stitched collectively, however this characteristic makes it so replaying the levels isn’t a chore, since you deal with totally different challenges and may discover totally different collectibles. You’ll need to discover a sizable quantity of battery collectables to progress the story, as talents and progress are gated by amassing particular quantities. What you have to do and the place you could possibly go to do it’s way more clear than it was within the unique, exhibiting that Sunsoft has discovered be much less obtuse over the previous 30 years. It additionally helps that the platforming and lightweight fight simply feels good on your complete journey. It’s a pleasure to toy round on this world, particularly alongside a delightfully quirky story with cute writing.

Uforia: The Saga 2 stays a mild, fulfilling romp by means of and thru, full with wonderful music and beautiful visuals. The artwork model is consistent with Nintendo and Good-Really feel’s yarn, wool, and crafted outputs starring Kirby and Yoshi, although not fairly to the excessive normal of Nintendo’s look. Very similar to the unique, the animation for every of the 4 playable characters is endearing. O-Chan nonetheless crawls by laying down on his again and shimmying round. The character and elegance is off the charts.

It’s superb that Sunsoft revisited Ufouria after a number of a long time, particularly as a result of Ufouria: The Saga 2 appears like a full realization of the endearing recreation. It gained’t take you various hours to avoid wasting the day, nevertheless it stays contemporary all through that play time whether or not you’re a newcomer to video games or a well-worn Metroidvania veteran. I hope this isn’t the final time we see Hebe and his mates.