Ufouria: The Saga 2 is a sport that has historic baggage that’s price rummaging via. Its predecessor, Ufouria: The Saga, was a Sunsoft sport for the NES, means again in 1991. Its primary character, Hebe, was Sunsoft’s try to create an animal mascot, however was deemed too bizarre for western audiences. It obtained a restricted launch and promptly died a dying, main it to turn into a collector’s merchandise. It wasn’t a lot of a essential darling both, however has since gained a following due to the Digital Console and inclusion on a Sunsoft anthology title.
That following is sufficiently big for Ufouria: The Saga 2 to be greenlit by Sunsoft in collaboration with Purple Artwork Video games. A form of half-remake, half-sequel, Ufouria: The Saga 2 is kind of clearly a considerable glow-up on the NES authentic which, if you happen to’re of a thoughts to verify a video, wasn’t enticing even for 8-bit requirements.
Sunsoft have wheeled out their crafting field and accomplished one thing of a Little Large Planet with this remake-quel. This can be a gorgeously tactile sport that feels prefer it’s been knitted collectively by our nan. We had been of a thoughts to succeed in in and seize an opulent Hebe for a hug. Ufouria: The Saga 2 feels lovingly handmade, and in a means it was: most of the characters within the sport had been bodily created after which scanned in to be used as an artwork asset.
The standard was sufficient for our youngsters to wander in and instantly state “ooh, that appears good”. Which is as a lot of a advice as we may give Ufouria: The Saga 2’s artwork model. Having performed each final inch of it, we’d say that’s an excellent factor, as a result of children are most likely the perfect viewers.
It must be clear up entrance that Ufouria: The Saga 2 shouldn’t be a tough sport. It took us some time to come back to phrases with that, in all honesty, as just about something from the NES period is diamond-hard and pleased with it. We had all of the mistaken expectations: as we unlocked bosses and ranges, we anticipated the subsequent one to ramp up or spike in problem. However whereas there’s a fragile gradient, nothing ever comes near breaking a sweat. Ufouria: The Saga 2 is an accessible-to-all-ages platformer, and has no intention of being exhausting in any respect (even a New Recreation+, purchased from the sport’s merchandising machine – extra on that later – was pretty pleasant). It needs to be cute and endearing, and it’ll welcome you to discover its innards.
With that PSA out of the best way, Ufouria: The Saga 2 is there to be loved. The construction is pretty anticipated for anybody that’s performed a Metroidvania. Hebe lives in a forest that additionally occurs to be smack-bang in the course of the sport world, which is handy because it quickly turns into a hub. Numerous worlds will be accessed (or not accessed: this can be a Metroidvania in spite of everything) by shifting in numerous instructions from this tree.
Hebe is a fan of popoons: little tribble-like creatures that he retains below his mattress and luzzes at enemies with one press to wield, one press to throw. He can bottom-bounce too, making him a surprisingly versatile warrior for a pigeon-penguin. However his day is interrupted by an alien who wields bumyons, slimy inverses of the popoons. He throws them at your folks, and the bumyons soak up them, mind-controlling them into attacking you. As First Contact goes, it’s not notably welcoming.
That provides Ufouria: The Saga 2 its goals: to rid your folks of bumyons, and to take down the alien. There’s a neat unlock system happening right here – hinted at within the pun of the title, which we realised means too late – which is that, if you defeat a boss, you unlock a good friend. That good friend is then accessible to modify and play as (with a press of LB or RB), and you’ve got 4 of them to gather (Ufouria). One can swim, one other can float, and the ultimate one – effectively, we are going to depart a minimum of one shock for you. Suffice to say that the characters act because the upgrades that unlock farther reaches of the map.
Ufouria 1 gamers will observe some small variations. The routes on the best way to bosses are procedurally generated, providing very slight remixes every time. That’s not a foul shout within the opening of the sport, as there’s a good quantity of backtracking in reaching new areas, and much more so if you happen to’re exhausting the sport’s tin-can collectibles.
However what received us over most was the addition of a merchandising machine. This has a twin forex, because the tin-cans inventory the merchandising machine with wares, whereas cash – gained from the world or from challenges – can purchase the stuff. We simply didn’t count on the depth. There are dozens of unlocks right here, and – in some way – Ufouria: The Saga 2 makes each final one transformative. There are unlocks that enhance your fight prowess or hearts, whereas there are others that reveal secrets and techniques. Better of all are the unlocks that add total layers to the sport, introducing problem rooms or teleport techniques to essentially rearrange the way you play. It’s one of the rewarding development techniques that we’ve seen this yr, and we had been befuddled that it was hooked up to a simple-as-you-like platformer. It stored us enjoying for for much longer than we would have accomplished in any other case.
Not that Ufouria: The Saga 2 is unenjoyable to play: it will get all of the fundamentals of leaping, bottom-bouncing and collectible-gathering proper, all hooked up to a Metroidvania construction that feels utterly acquainted. However that didn’t cease us from getting some cravings. As a result of we needed it to kick on, but it stayed resolutely within the decrease gears.
Take the bosses, for instance. They’re largely blobs which might be harking back to one another – bouncing, swimming or flying to check out your newly acquired abilities. However we couldn’t assist feeling that they had been tutorials, greater than the rest. Positive, they exercised our new characters and their skills for a bit, however they had been nothing greater than an idle jog.
The identical goes for nearly each facet of Ufouria: The Saga 2. A minecart sequence appears to be like prefer it may add one thing, however there are not any loop-the-loops or extra intricate moments than the odd increased or decrease platform to leap onto. A Doodle Bounce vertical stage is ok, however nonetheless toothless: you’ll largely get irritated that you simply’ve fallen down and have to start out once more. There are concepts right here, however sketches of them. They’re tremendous to tinker with, however by no means rise above tremendous.
It’s damning Ufouria: The Saga 2 with faint reward, however this can be a sturdy, fulfilling and accessible platformer. It’s nearly unattainable to dislike due to its beautiful feltworks world, and it’s equally unattainable to fall foul of its problem ranges.
However the accessibility hides an absence of edge: we might have liked for Ufouria: The Saga 2 to take extra dangers. A difficult boss right here, an ingenious Mario-like stage there. We now have little question that you simply, and notably your children in case you have them, will like Ufouria: The Saga 2. However we will’t think about you loving it.
