Game Review: Mangavania 2

By Al

Players: 1
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, XBox, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5

While I wouldn't say that I'm the biggest fan of platformers, I do have a soft spot for the precision platforming sub-genre. I'm not sure what it is about them, but I find joy in finally completing something following countless failed attempts. Enter Mangavania 2, a game that seems to fall into said precision platformer territory. As the name implies, it's the sequel to Mangavania, a game which released early last year. It's coming soon to all current consoles by way of publisher Sometimes You, and we're going to be taking a look at the Nintendo Switch version today. There's no need for a long intro here, so let's dive right in!

Players will be forgiven if they think that Mangavania 2 doesn't have a plot to go along with its gameplay, but that's not actually the case here at all. Even though it can only truly be found in the game's eShop description, or pieced together via conversations with random NPCs, you apparently are playing as a young ninja named Yuhiko. Yuhiko has travelled to the underworld in order to find a cure for his brother's illness. I'm not sure what all the dungeons and enemies have to do with said cure, but I can only assume they're stopping Yuhiko from getting it. What I found interesting about this barebones plot is that it's almost an exact copy of the story for the first Mangavania game. That leads me to wonder if that one had a proper ending, or if this can be seen as something of a remake or reboot. None of that is important though, and you can play through the entire game never having heard a bit of it. I still have to give a nod to the developer for putting in any story at all, since there isn't a whole lot else here as far as presentation goes.

At its core, Mangavania 2 is a standard platformer. You run, jump, and attack. That all sounds simple enough, but Yuhiko does pick up new skills that add to the gameplay. Besides the abilities I mentioned earlier, you can also slide on walls and wall jump. While that's pretty standard too, you eventually gain the ability to also use a hookshot that can bring you closer to enemies and platforms, and it can also be used to flip switches. Besides the standard attack, which can be used to reflect certain enemy attacks, you eventually get the ability to throw bombs. These bombs must always be thrown in an arc determined by how long you hold the button down, and their trajectory matters. There are several areas where you'll have to cleverly throw bombs in order to open up the path to the next area, and some where you'll even have to use springs to throw your bombs into the air. All of these abilities open up the game considerably, and the best challenges come when all of Yuhiko's abilities are put to use. Your goal in each stage is to reach the red candle, and there sometimes can be more than one way to reach it. Death isn't instantaneous either, and you can even take several hits before having to restart a level. The amount of damage taken depends on the attack, but Yuhiko has five hit points as a default. There aren't any optional pickups that I noticed in my playthrough, but there are some hints and story bits that can be missed if you're not thorough in your exploration. The entire package comes together to make a game that doesn't bring much new to the table, but features tight, fun gameplay.

When I first booted up Mangavania 2, I assumed that it was going to be a tough-as-nails precision platformer. Hell, I opened up this review saying as much. Even though I had my heart set on a game that was going to make me frustrated several times over the course of a few dozen levels, I was pleased to find that I was wrong. Mangavania 2 does feature several precision platforming sections, but the overall game is far easier than I was expecting. It's still very challenging, and there are several skills you'll have to master if you expect to beat the game, but it honestly feels very beginner-friendly. Using mid-air candles to jump to new heights, or using your hookshot to catch onto ledges just out of reach, may seem quite difficult the first time, but most players will get the hang of things rather quickly. Nothing in the game ever feels overwhelming, and that's not a bad place to be at. The game moves very quickly, and it was just as fun rushing through it as it would've been dying countless times. The controls are tight and responsive, and even the parts meant to be hair-pullingly difficult can be tackled if you have the patience. Simply put, Mangavania 2 manages to perfectly mix challenging gameplay and fun, something that isn't always easy to pull off.

I don't want to make it sound like all of Mangavania 2 is a cakewalk though, because there are some parts where it really isn't. Death does mean you have to restart the entire level, so that can get to be a problem later on in the game when the levels themselves get longer. It probably isn't surprising that this is a game that gets more difficult as it goes on, though I think most player's will adapt to most of the challenges thrown at them. While the game is more than fair, I don't think that extends all the way to the game's boss fights. Each and every boss fight felt like battles of luck and attrition, and I was never able to tell what made a certain attempt successful amidst countless failures. Every time I defeated a boss, it was through sheer force of will, and had very little to do with my gameplaying skills. I think part of the problem is that Mangavania 2 isn't exactly the best when it comes to direct combat. It gets the platforming right, but it doesn't feel like it's meant to be an action game. Thankfully there are long stretches of other stages between these boss battles, but they do bring down the fun just a little bit.

If I had come across Mangavania 2 years ago, I'd have thought that it had one of the most impressive art styles ever. Its monochrome look is neat, its pixel-based graphics truly stand out, and the animations are all smooth. There are even splashes of color that break up the monotony. There really is no negative to speak of, except for the fact that there are tons of other games that look exactly like this. One of the reasons I actually thought that this was going to be a precision platformer was due to the fact that I've played several that looked exactly like this. (Here's a REVIEW of one I did recently!) Monochrome platformers of this type are very common, and I guess knowing that takes away from this one's aesthetic a bit. While we're talking presentation, let's cover the game's music. Though there isn't a bad track to be had in Mangavania 2, I think the best word to describe the soundtrack would be "serviceable". It exists, it isn't annoying, but I can't recall a single song I heard while playing the game. I'm not even sure the music was made specifically for this game, or if it all came from a stock library. Though it's not exactly a compliment, I guess I can say that it's not bad by any means.

Depending on skill level, one can beat Mangavania 2 in a few hours. You can then go back and try to best some of your times, but seeing as this game has no grading system on performance, there really isn't much reason to. Normally I'd knock the game down a few pegs on account of it having replayability and longevity this low, but this is a budget title that currently only costs $4.99 at the time of this review. I think that you get more than enough game for that price, and it doesn't feel fair bashing it any more than I already have elsewhere in the review. This isn't a AAA release, and it more than hits the mark for something released on this scale.

Even though I don't think there's anything about Mangavania 2 that particularly makes it particularly unique, I can say that it's a decently fun platformer. It's challenging, but not overly so, and it has some really fun moments that kept me invested. I still think the boss encounters are a bit on the cheap side of things, but nothing in this game ever made me regret playing it. If you're a fan of platformers, especially ones that have a touch of difficulty to them, then pick this one up on whatever console you can. Chances are you won't regret it. See you in the next one!

Check Out Mangavania 2 on Nintendo Switch:
https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/mangavania-2-switch/

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Story: B
Gameplay: A
Graphics: A
Music/Sound: B
Value: A

Overall: A-

Pros:
+ A fun platformer that isn't as challenging as it might first appear.
+ While I now know that this style of game isn't exactly unique, the graphics and aesthetics do look cool.
+ There are a lot of platforming skills at your disposal, and there are several levels that see you use them all.
+ Very fun and charming, and moves at a very brisk pace.
+ At just $4.99, picking this one up is a no-brainer for fans of the genre.

+/- I came in expecting this to be a precision platformer, but it's just a well-balanced one instead!

Cons:
- Doesn't offer much in the way of story. It actually features the same one from the first game.
- The boss fights all feel very random, and I was never sure how I was able to clear any of them.
- Having to restart the entire stage upon death can be rather annoying late in the game.
- The game's soundtrack, as well as overall presentation, is a bit lacking.

A copy of this game was provided to us free-of-charge by the publisher for the purpose of this review. This did not affect our review in any way.

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