It’s hard to believe that GalaxyTrail’s Freedom Planet is almost a decade old. The devs at GalaxyTrail released the initial game for Windows way back in 2014, before porting it to other platforms like the Wii U (!), PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch. It definitely gained a following, especially amongst the Sonic the Hedgehog fans that were looking for a new wrinkle in their genre at the time. (Full respect to the blue hero!)
Now, Freedom Planet 2 brings the franchise full circle. It’s a bigger, better sequel that initially got its start on Steam a while back, but arrives on consoles this month in absolute glorious fashion. The gameplay is excellent, with a variety of characters to choose from; and the presentation sets a new standard for indie games that others would be wise to follow.
In short, it’s just about as perfect as sequels get. And an absolute must-not-miss when it comes to the platforming fans out there.
The Planet Needs Your Help
The game closely follows the events of the original, with a fleet of new robots arising to create havoc. Lilac, Carol and Milla all make their return, and joining them is Neera, a magical character that knows a little more about what’s going on. The quartet will need to work together in over to overcome this threat and liberate their world.
GalaxyTrail did a great job with the story, not only providing it with depth and heart (something good for all ages of players), but also full voice acting, which is superb. But, of course, it’s a mere structure for the levels, in which you run through, defeat enemies, collect gems and more.
Sure, the formula follows the Sonic pattern, but GalaxyTrail makes it its own with some gameplay nuances. There are extra moves for each character to take advantage of, and some nice touches keep things moving along. The gameplay is concentrated and balanced – not too easy, but definitely not difficult either. There are also memorable boss battles that will keep you on your toes as well, as these guys aren’t pushovers.
Best of all, the structure is well put together, letting you choose through levels however you see fit. Each one is packed with exploration opportunity, and allowing you to connect with hub levels, where you can buy power-ups that are convenient for you. The hub levels are a little too big for their own good, but still worth checking out if you want to get the most out of your character.
This game plays remarkably, even better than the original – and that’s saying something since the first Planetwas such a gem. GalaxyTrail definitely put in effort here, and it leaves mighty anticipation for a third chapter. (Which we’re sure to get, right, gang?)
A Remarkable 2D Presentation
Backing up the exciting gameplay is a solid presentation, perhaps the best we’ve seen in an indie game in some time.
The visuals are nothing short of fantastic. With great animations, fine level structure, interesting enemy designs and hidden secrets, each area of Freedom Planet 2 shines with detail. It doesn’t let up on frame rate either, as the game moves zippily along through each stage. The hub levels, obviously, aren’t as fast, but no matter – they look good, too.
And you can include an awesome soundtrack as well. The music offers a variety of tunes, including some catchy pop tunes and even a little EDM for those of you that embrace it. You can thank Leilani “Woofie” Wilson and the gang for doing some incredibly work here.
Throw in some meaningful and fun voicework and sound effects, and you have a package that’s an absolute can’t miss – even on a smaller Nintendo Switch screen.
Make This Planet Part of Your Universe
I can’t think of one thing that’s really wrong with Freedom Planet 2. Sure, the hub levels aren’t overly exciting, but they are necessary when it comes to character building. And the rest of the game moves along in such an upbeat blur that it’s simply hard to ignore.
The game eclipses everything that the first game did so well, making it even better in the process. And there’s always room to explore once more, just to see what you missed.
Freedom Planet 2 is a quintessential sequel and one of the best console games you’ll find this year. Add it to your library without hesitation.
GAMERHUB RATING: FIVE (out of FIVE) JOYSTICKS
(Thanks to GalaxyTrail for the game code!)
