Ufouria: The Saga 2 Review

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Fast Facts

Introduction

One thing that the gaming world can never get enough of is action platformers.  It is ideal then that Ufouria: The Saga 2 has come along to satisfy that craving. For those unfamiliar with the series, Ufouria: The Saga 2 is a vastly evolved sequel of Ufouria: The Saga. It has been 33 years since the original Ufouria (or Hebereke, as it is known in Japan) was released for NES. A variety of games were released soon after the the original Ufouria, inspired by its success, and these managed to gain a dedicated fan base.

Ufouria: The Saga 2, however, is a genuine sequel, featuring many nods to its predecessor. With any luck, this is a title that should also find success. Read on to learn more about a game packed full of charm and wit in abundance.

What is Ufouria: The Saga 2 about?

In Ufouria: The Saga 2, you begin your journey at Hebe’s treetop home. This is a beautifully designed area that bursts with colour, featuring an art style reminiscent of a children’s book. In contrast to the area’s beauty, you learn that it has been invaded by goo-like enemies. It is up to Hebe to defeat them and bring peace back to his home.

Along the way you will meet various types of enemies, but also many friends. These friends will join your adventure and provide support to help you succeed. Each friend provides a unique ability which helps you to get to previously unreachable areas and progress in your journey.

These abilities included being able to grip onto walls as O-Chan, a cat character, as well as also being able to float higher and for longer as a ghost friend called Sukezaemon. The game really opens up to you about halfway through its story once you become friends with the latter; not only can you reach more areas, but you can also utilise the ability in combat, which proves extremely useful.

Additionally, you will also run into other characters who provide support by either giving you currency or offering fast travel services. This again helps you to make progress in your journey, and ensures that you can freely explore areas you’ve visited previously.

What Stands Out?

Ufouria: The Saga 2 offers more than just a story. There are also collectibles to discover that can help you in your mission, or even ramp up the difficulty if you decide that you want a harder challenge. Overall, the game is a 3-4 hour experience, and although short, it gives players plenty to explore.

With so much packed in, there is a lot to enjoy in Ufouria: The Saga 2. The style of the game is not so distant from classic side scrollers from over the years, such as the Super Mario franchise. What stood out for me from this game was how each character felt unique and had not only their own gameplay element but the dialogue as well.

Each character you interacted with had a distinct personality, and interacting with them moved the story along nicely. The witty and charming retorts often made me think of Animal Crossing and how you are inclined to interact with your residents when walking by them.

Throughout the story you travel to different areas, each presenting its own challenges. You need to go through some areas often to reach further story elements. What kept this part of the game fresh was how, each time you visited, the layout of the area would change. This meant that you could not memorise them and had to give each visit respect and focus.

Another fun element was the different ways in which you could collect the in-game currency that you need to buy new skills and story items. Each time you visited an area there would be a side challenge, such as a no-death run or a requirement to defeat a certain number of enemies to unlock bonus coins. This again kept the game fresh.

Performed Well, Looked Good

It also helped that the game performed smoothly throughout. Experiences with other platformers in the past have felt sluggish or required too much precision, meaning that progression could be challenging. This was not the case in this game. The difficulty was often kind, though you always needed solid focus. You have plenty of lives to work with, meaning that death is not as heartbreaking as it feels in similar games.

Finally, the soundtrack and the art style for Ufouria: The Saga 2 were both collectively vibrant and easy on the senses. In particular, the art style was impressive. In every section of the game – whether an icy landscape, or a lava-filled cave – the environments looked carefully crafted. As I said earlier – at times, it felt like you could have been playing through a children’s story book due to the magical and endearing nature of the graphics.

What Could Have Been Better?

As mentioned, Ufouria 2 can be completed in around 3-4 hours, with the main story being done even faster. A sign of a good game perhaps leaves you wanting more, which this did. However, I had expected a little more to be included. More bonus levels or extra challenging modes would give players more reason to keep going back in.

Additionally, although the game does everything it can to not be repetitive, the amount of currency that you need to collect meaning you must go back into levels does feel like a chore towards the end.

It seems likely that Ufouria: The Saga 2 is aimed at players who want a more laid-back experience. Despite this, I would still have expected slightly challenging boss fights throughout. The inclusion of extra stages, or the need to use specific abilities, would have added an extra layer of depth to the game and made it more memorable. For those wanting a more challenging game overall, Ufouria: The Saga 2 will likely not scratch that itch.

Final Thoughts

Overall, I enjoyed my time with Ufouria: The Saga 2. Everything about the game made me feel relaxed and felt perfect to play on a lazy Sunday afternoon (or whenever you have your lazy gaming times). Ufouria: The Saga 2 brought me back to my early experiences of gaming.

I could easily see this being the perfect palate cleanser game for those who are between bigger games. There is enough uniqueness here for Ufouria: The Saga 2 to stand out and hopefully not leave another 33-year gap until the next entry.

3.5

You can purchase Ufouria: The Saga 2 from the PlayStation Store here.