Swords & Bones 2 features the same visual style, retro gameplay, and level of quality as the original. Honestly, it is more like an expansion pack than a new game, but I am okay with that since I enjoyed the simplicity and straightforwardness of the original port on Switch and Xbox.
Instead of playing as a hulking brute like the original, the player controls a female swordswoman to stop invading monsters. Just like the original, the 2D pixel art generates a fantastic retro appeal and the bite sized stages provide a fast-paced sense of progression. Most stages can be completed in one minute or less so when you die, which you will do many times, restarts are much more tolerable.
Unfortunately, the same issues that held back the original release awkwardly return in this sequel. The control scheme is odd with no option to customize. When using a Pro Controller, jump is assigned to A (should be B), attack is assigned to X (should be Y), and magic is assigned to B (should be X). There are some unfair enemy and hazard placement. And grinding for gold towards the end gets repetitive. Oh yeah, and some sound effects are ear piecing and you always have to listen to bosses speak their entire dialog with each attempt.
Newly implemented is the ability to block and some new spells are available for purchase in the store. Also, players will need to buy the ability to push rocks and activate portals which leads to replaying levels, artificially increasing gameplay time. For example, there are a couple stages in the first world where the rock pushing ability and portal summoning skills are required to collect the optional trophy in each stage. However, players will not have enough money at that point to buy one of those abilities, let along both. This means players will need to return and replay those stages once those abilities have been purchased. Point being, backtracking is required for completionists. Having one secret in each stage is a nice little bonus to find though. This is an exact repeat of the first game’s loop.
There are some obvious flaws, Swords & Bones 2, just like the original, but it is still a simple, pleasant retro action platformer. Killing each common enemy, even if some take one too many hits, means something as you’ll need every piece of gold to buy those final unlockables. The brevity of each stage plays to its strengths as the sense of accomplishment is constant. The 16-bit pixel art invokes strong retro vibes. These strengths are enough to overlook the imperfections and offers a good bit of charming, simplistic gameplay.
Very Similar To: Swords & Bones 1
Also Try: other recent indie action platformers
Wait For It: Swords & Bones 3 to be ported to console
By: Zachary Gasiorowski, Editor in Chief myGamer.com
Twitter: @ZackGaz
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