Underrated Games With Even More Underrated Soundtracks - Part Six

Fresh off the heels of yesterday's SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs, we have a new edition of Underrated Games With Even More Underrated Soundtracks -- part six, if you're playing along at home! The title sort of gives away what these articles are about, but for background purposes, I love listening to and sharing music of all kinds, and yes, that includes video game music. I also have a passion for spreading the word on underrated games, as evident by the dozens of Most Overlooked articles posted on SuperPhillip Central over the years.

Join me for part six, which includes games like Yooka-Laylee, Xenoblade Chronicles X, and Anarchy Reigns. To check out past parts of this ongoing article series, here are some convenient links for you!

Part One
Part Two
Part Three
Part Four
Part Five

Yooka-Laylee (Multi)

The first game I'm going to talk about on this edition is Yooka-Laylee, which was a dream come true for me, a critic who lists Banjo-Kazooie as one of his favorite games of all time. After all, Yooka-Laylee was crafted by many of the minds behind the aforementioned Rare classic. Yep, a good deal of the staff from Banjo left Rare to create their own studio, Playtonic Games, and they even got the Banjo-Kazooie series' composer, Grant Kirkhope, to accentuate the game world with terrific tunes. On a game standpoint, I didn't have the expectation or even the hope that Yooka and Laylee's first outing would be better than Banjo and Kazooie's freshman adventure like many fans desired, so thankfully, I had kept my expectations in check so the numerous faults in Yooka-Laylee wouldn't sour me on the whole package. Issues included: launch problems like a rough to control camera, bugs, and glitches were only toppings to the game's actual design, such as very annoying segments in the game, horrid mini-games, and some questionable boss battles. BUT quite honestly, there is some terrific platforming challenges here, most of the worlds are enjoyable to explore, and moving Yooka around feels pleasant. I can't be overly disappointed in this foundation that is set by the Playtonic crew.

Main Theme

Hivory Towers

Tribalstack Tropics

Glitterglaze Glacier

Final Beeting

Xenoblade Chronicles X (Wii U)

By virtue of simply being on the Wii U -- a console that didn't inspire a lot of confidence in the market, hence its lackluster sales -- Xenoblade Chronicles X launched the final major year of Wii U software releases. Many had either moved on from the Wii U (well, those 14 million or so who bought one) or already sold the system after feeling intense buyer's remorse. While the original Xenoblade featured a more classical, fantasy-like soundtrack to it, featuring music from Yoko Shimomura and ACE+, Xenoblade Chronicles X went with a much more sci-fi escapade and a soundtrack to back the adventure. Hiroyuki Sawano, known for his impressive catalog of anime soundtracks, composed the music for the game. The camps of players of Xenoblade Chronicles X that loved the soundtrack and hated the soundtrack are both vocal, but as one who enjoyed the game, I say Sawano did a fantastic job, even if some really bad, cheesy tunes were a part of the soundtrack.

Codename Z

Mono X

Re:Arr X

Z5 Mira

By my side

Anarchy Reigns (PS3, 360)

After the failure of MadWorld to ignite the gaming world on fire on the Wii, a spiritual successor featuring many of the characters from the Wii exclusive came to existence, the multiplatform Anarchy Reigns. This was an early work in Platinum Games' enviable library of titles, a time where Platinum Games did excellent on average with fan and critic acclaim, but their games didn't sell anywhere near what they deserved (at least in my belief). Anarchy Reigns suffered from this same issue, though the game didn't have nearly as much gaming world fanfare as Bayonetta, Vanquish, Metal Gear Rising, and so forth. A beat 'em up brawler where things in the environment like stop signs, tires, and even more vicious means to inflict violence could be used as weapons or at least accessories to murder. The soundtrack followed MadWorld's style, going with a hip-hop, rap, and rock styled song selection, fitting for taking it to anyone who stands in your way. Just don't cut yourself on the edge.

Here We Go

Fast Lane

My Town, My City

Days of Old

Kill 'Em All

Jet Force Gemini (N64)

Remnants of Rare already appeared on this list, so how about a game from the actual developer Rare itself? That's why I'm bringing in my absolute favorite Nintendo 64 soundtrack from an incredibly underrated third-person shooter, Jet Force Gemini. The music came with something as close to a sci-fi epic with its bombastic, intense soundtrack than anything else on the Nintendo 64. The team of Robin Beanland, Graeme Norgate, and Alistair Lindsay definitely made the alien worlds of Jet Force Gemini all the more tense, mysterious, foreign, and escalating in stakes with their complementary compositions. Jet Force Gemini launched in September, unfortunately in the shadow of the upcoming Donkey Kong 64. As history has shown, Donkey Kong 64 is a complicated collect-a-thon and Jet Force Gemini needed more attention. YOU BLEW IT, NINTENDO 64 OWNERS!

S.S. Anubis

Battle Cruiser Sekhmet

Rith Essa

Eschebone

Floyd Race

Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam (3DS)

Many Mario RPG fans routinely show disappointment over the games moving on from a surplus of RPG-originated characters to a far more limited range of just Mario's friends and foes from the Mushroom Kingdom. This became a problem in the Paper Mario series, but early last year it also infected the Mario & Luigi series with Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam. The game's a fun adventure with its still fun, still engaging means of exploring maps, context-sensitive turn-based battles, and of course, the main point behind these articles, its music, penned by Yoko Shimomura, who I brought up briefly when talking about Xenoblade Chronicles' soundtrack. The playful nature of the Mushroom Kingdom world reveals itself through the composer's jaunty themes, while also bringing some dread into the air during key moments of the game. Yoko Shimomura's Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam soundtrack made it almost worth it to find all of those darn Toads!

Big Bang!

Cheerful Interlude

Welcome to the Lakitu Info Center!

Where's Toad?

Final Battle

Ittle Dew 2 (Multi)

We finish this edition up with an indie game! We don't see too much of those on this segment due to there being such a vast amount of indie games to play and little time to do so. I have to very much pick and choose what I play due to my own self-imposed deadline of having a certain amount of games reviewed each month. Now, that that boring stuff is out of the way... let's talk Ittle Dew 2! This is a game in the spirit of the overhead 2D Zeldas, but it absolutely does not take itself seriously at any time. Of course, the Zelda series often brings levity and humor in the form of outrageous, bizarre, and memorable side characters, but Ittle Dew 2 is on another level and does this even when you least expect it, such a signpost of all things. The music of Ittle Dew 2 has some really catchy melodies and rhythms to them that stick with you long after you've turned off your PS4, Xbox One, PC, or (soon-to-be) Switch. Many indies fail to have that effect on me, but Ittle Dew 2 definitely pulled through.

Fishbun Adventure (Fluffy Fields)

Garden (Village)

Strut (Sweetwater Coast)

Cowboy (Pepperpain Prairie)

Etheria (Lonely Road)

Most Overlooked Current Gen Games - Part Four

One of the longest running traditions of SuperPhillip Central is our Most Overlooked series of articles representing a wide range of video game platforms. The tradition continues with part four of our look at the most overlooked and/or underrated current generation games. This includes the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Wii U. Now possessing six games instead of just the standard of five, this edition of Most Overlooked is the biggest yet!

To check out past parts, look no further than these three links:

Current Gen - Part One
Current Gen - Part Two
Current Gen - Part Three

Gravity Rush 2 (PS4)

It was a definite delight to even see a sequel to the once-PlayStation Vita exclusive Gravity Rush. (It's now also available on PS4 in port form, but good luck finding a physical copy for retail price for a North American copy.) Gravity Rush 2 brought a return of the awesome heroine Kat and her powers to manipulate the gravity around her to not only navigate the game's world but also to battle enemies. Gravity Rush's world was big for the Vita, and in the PS4 exclusive sequel, the world for Kat to explore was even bigger. Using gravity to fly around remains one of my favorite ways to travel in a game of this type. Nonetheless, Gravity Rush 2 had the unfortunate side effect of being released in an absolutely packed first month and first quarter of solid game releases. Gravity Rush 2 was lost in the sea of stupendous games. However, if you're able to track down a copy, then you'll find yourself getting a different type of lost-- lost in a charming and enjoyable gravity-bending adventure.

The Last Guardian (PS4)

Here we have another PlayStation 4 exclusive, but this one got caught up in a deluge of holiday releases that were much larger in hype and franchise stature. Still, for many fans of games like Ico and Shadow of the Colossus, a release by director Fumito Ueda and Team Ico is an event in and of itself. The Last Guardian featured a tumultuous and extended development cycle, originally starting on the PlayStation 3 almost a decade before its launch on the PlayStation 4. Players of The Last Guardian no doubt know the great qualities of the game, such as the endearing friendship between the main characters, a boy and his animal companion Trico, and the smart puzzles created to capitalize on the smart AI of Trico itself. Nevertheless, despite being a quality game, The Last Guardian failed to meet sales expectations held by Sony, with the game falling in price months after. Regardless of whether you pay full price, budget price, or any price in between, The Last Guardian is worth adding to your PS4 library.

Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE (Wii U)

When the news of a Shin Megami Tensei and Fire Emblem crossover project for the Wii U was announced, fans of either or both series were overjoyed and delighted in the possibilities of the type of game that would be made. A problem here, however, is that the project was announced way too far in advance, obviously to give current Wii U owners something to get excited about for the future of the seemingly future-less console. Regardless, what the final game ended up being was Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE, a game that definitely didn't engage every type of gamer with its Japanese idol appearance and pop music presentation. Fortunately, those who didn't dismiss the game by judging a book by its cover were greeted with a tremendously deep and highly rewarding JRPG that could offer a serious challenge, even to veterans of the genre. Released late in the Wii U's life, it's no wonder that the game didn't fly off store shelves.

Star Fox Zero (Wii U)

If there was any battle towards a current overlooked and underrated game that I'd gladly continue to fight in, it's the battle that Star Fox Zero is a great game. However, if you were put off by the atypical control schemes of games as seen on the Wii or even a more recent release like the Nintendo 3DS's Kid Icarus: Uprising, then there's sense to be found in why you might not enjoy the latest Star Fox game. At the same time, Star Fox Zero does things that aren't possible on any other system, such as the ability to have your ship pointed in one direction while aiming the Wii U GamePad at the side to pick off foes outside of your initial line of sight. The complication arises if you can't figure out when to ration time between the TV screen and the GamePad screen. For those that could, they'd find a fantastic game to aim for high scores on and intense dogfighting action.

Ittle Dew 2 (PS4, XB1, PC)

Looking for a Zelda-like game after getting wrapped up in the world of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild? Perhaps you're not a Switch or Wii U owner and want an alternative? Sure, Ludosity's Ittle Dew 2 obviously doesn't reach the same highs as The Legend of Zelda series's latest, but it does offer a fun overhead Zelda-like adventure that captures the spirit of the very first Zelda game on the NES. Ittle Dew 2 packs more humor and all the excitement of journeying across the world map, slaying enemies, entering dungeons, and solving clever puzzles. The game's eight initial dungeons can be played in any order, and there's a large array of hidden caves leading to treasure that is spread out all across the map. With Ittle Dew 2 you get a fiercely challenging, always humorous, and delightful action-adventure that isn't Zelda, but it is somewhat close in quality.

Aqua Moto Racing Utopia (PS4, PC)

While aquatic racing games aren't in fashion at the moment for the big publishers and their franchises (where's our Wave Race and Jet Moto, for instance?), smaller devs are filling the gap quite nicely. Developer Zordix has created a challenging take on the jet ski racer with all the goodies of the genre. Slalom races? Check. Realistic physics? Check. Competent AI to make races have a good amount of difficulty to them? Check. Enough races and locale types to keep things interesting? Check. I could go on, but in a nutshell, Aqua Moto Racing Utopia checks all of the boxes for a wonderful alternative to the kings of the genre on a shoestring budget. It won't replace your need for a new Wave Race or Jet Moto, but it will help curb your appetite for them.

SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs - We Heart Indies Edition

Indies are a nice replacement to the lower and middle budget games that big publishers used to release on a monthly basis. That's not all they're good for, however. So many indie games showcase such a high amount of creativity that there is an embarrassment of riches of fantastic games, indie or not, to play!

This edition of SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs celebrates indies with five themes from five different indie games. We start off with two Legend of Zelda-inspired takes on the formula with Oceanhorn: Monster of Uncharted Seas and Ittle Dew 2. Then, Undertale delivers a delightful winter tune. Following that, Toki Tori hatches a wonderful theme. Finally, Super Meat Boy trims the fat with an excellent funk track.

Click on the VGM volume name to hear the theme mentioned. Finally, check out the VGM Database for every past VGM volume ever featured on this weekly segment. Now, let's get on to the music!

v1311. Oceanhorn: Monster of Uncharted Seas (Multi) - Sky Island

Let's start this week's and this indie game-centric edition of SuperPhillip Central's Favorite VGMs with an isometric adventure game inspired by The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker. Although Nobuo Uematsu and Kenji Ito, two veteran Japanese video game composers, are credited with top billing in Oceanhorn: Monster of the Uncharted Seas, the majority of the music, including this riveting theme, was written by Kalle Ylitalo. Considering many confused Kalle's themes with Uematsu and Ito's, that's quite the compliment for Ylitalo! All around, Oceanhorn's wonderful soundtrack is absolutely incredible.

v1312. Ittle Dew 2 (PS4, XB1, PC) - Cowboy (Peppermint Prairie)

Another Zelda-like game, but this one is less influenced by The Wind Waker and more influenced by the original Legend of Zelda and A Link to the Past. It's Ittle Dew 2, a game by Ludosity that is a great improvement from the original, being one of SuperPhillip Central's favorite indie games of 2016. The music hits all the right notes, such as this one for the Peppermint Prairie area of the game, an area full of Wild West imagery, volcanoes, lava, and magma.

v1313. Undertale (PC) - Snowy

If you have yet to play Undertale, perhaps this perfect-for-winter theme from the game might influence or persuade you. Undertale was a massive indie success, made primarily with one person, showing that you don't need a humongous team to create a great game (though that does help). Snowy is a peaceful, tranquil, and delightful theme starring piano and then lovely strings.

v1314. Toki Tori (Multi) - Forest Falls

We move from a winter wonderland to a peaceful forest setting where the first world of Toki Tori takes place. The game was originally a Game Boy Color release before getting a massive makeover on WiiWare and then multiple other digital storefronts. A sequel was made several years later, and it's one of the best puzzle adventure games around. Both possess a positively glorious soundtrack to them, as evidenced in Toki Tori with this song.

v1315. Super Meat Boy (Multi) - Forest Funk

One of the earliest major indie success stories out there, Super Meat Boy was a main fixture of the Xbox 360's library of digital gaming goodness. The game was also featured prominently in Indie Game: The Movie, detailing the massive hell it is to make, launch, and market a game of any size. Toki Tori passes the forest-themed baton to Super Meat Boy, showcasing a truly funky song-- if the name of the track didn't already spell that out, of course!

SuperPhillip Central Best of 2016 Awards - Top Five Downloadable Games

Tomorrow, the SuperPhillip Central Best of 2016 Awards will crown the site's Game of the Year. Until then, however, we cap off the year of posts on SuperPhillip Central with two things: a new review and one more awards category. We're doing the latter right now, focusing on the top five downloadable games that I enjoyed the most this year. Like other categories of the SuperPhillip Central Best of 2016 Awards, limiting this list to just five entries really does a disservice to all the great, satisfying games that came out digitally. Regardless, here are SuperPhillip Central's five picks for top downloadable releases.

5) Super Mario Run (iOS)

Mario meets mobile with much success! Super Mario Run may not have met the lofty expectations of investors (who just want Nintendo to nickle and dime consumers anyway for easy money), but for players who took the plunge on this premium priced mobile game, they would find a successful transplant of 2D Mario made with mobile in mind. This auto-runner is easy enough to beat, but the true fun comes from both collecting all the pink, purple, and black coins in each level-- something that takes a lot of mastery to do-- and playing the enjoyable Toad Rally mode. Nintendo and DeNA should be congratulated for a nice take on 2D Mario to fit mobile.

4) Ittle Dew 2 (PS4, XB1, PC)

We may have to wait until next year to get our next taste of The Legend of Zelda series, but this year indie dev Ludosity brought a Zelda-like experience to PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Steam with Ittle Dew 2. This game presents a wide open world to explore where hidden caves house glorious new items to help Ittle on her quest, dungeons that can be played in any order that are full of devious puzzles and challenging enemies, and a level of self-aware humor that makes for an immensely charming game. The level of care and consideration put into Ittle Dew 2 by Ludosity makes it a marked improvement over the game's predecessor and makes for one Zelda-like game that does its inspiration well.

3) Aqua Moto Racing Utopia (PS4, PC)

I have gushed about Zordix's Aqua Moto Racing Utopia a lot already on the SuperPhillip Central Best of 2016 Awards, and I don't think I'm quite finished. If you've been waiting for a water-racing experience that rivals what I consider the best of the bunch in Wave Race 64, then you absolutely need to download Aqua Moto Racing Utopia. A lot of thought was put into how each craft handles, and the physics of the wave are satisfyingly realistic. The ten venues each sport a variety of races, and the solo and multiplayer options are full of things to do. Those looking for a tight Wave Race-like experience will find a superb one with Aqua Moto Racing Utopia.

2) Adventures of Mana (iOS, Android, Vita)

A remake of Final Fantasy Adventure, a game that originally released on the OG Game Boy, Adventures of Mana is a splendid update. A lot of old school design decisions and sensibilities are still present, making for a journey that seldom holds your hand, so when you successfully figure out what to do next, you get a really rewarding feeling. From the pleasant visuals to the lovely music, interesting puzzle and combat-filled dungeons, and the expansive world map, Adventures of Mana is a 10-hour quest that will make you continually want to come back for more. At least that was the case with me.

1) Azure Striker Gunvolt 2 (3DS)

The Mega Man series is one of my favorites in gaming. There is just something special about running, jumping, and shooting through levels. Azure Striker Gunvolt 2, developed by the same crew behind the Mega Man Zero games, fills that same niche splendidly with intense, pulse-pounding action. The game allows for players to take on the stories of one of two playable characters, each with distinctive play styles, both a lot of fun. Levels don't linger around too long, making for repeated play-throughs as blast to do, and the bosses are as challenging and entertaining as one would expect from a game that takes the mantle of the Mega Man series. Azure Striker Gunvolt 2 is a brilliant game, a serious improvement over the original, and should give most action-platforming fans something to enjoy for hours to come.

SuperPhillip Central Best of 2016 Awards - Top Five Most Overlooked/Underrated Games

SuperPhillip Central regularly covers overlooked and underrated video games with its Most Overlooked series of game articles. It only makes sense for the SuperPhillip Central Best of 2016 Awards to dedicate a category to those overlooked and/or underrated games of the year that either flew under the radar or didn't get the credit that I arguably feel that they deserve. From Zelda and Wave Race-inspired games to Nintendo's own works, this list has a good amount of variety on it.

5) Star Fox Zero (Wii U)

For many fans, Nintendo just keeps shooting the Star Fox series in the foot. Many just want a version of Star Fox 64 with completely new levels and they'd be satisfied. However, Nintendo opts to keep tinkering with the formula, or in Star Fox Zero's case, the controls. With the Wii U release this year, the Wii U GamePad allows players to get two vantage points on the action, one a full screen view of the Arwing or other vehicle, and one in the cockpit. Using both smartly, which takes some time to get accustomed to, one can take out enemies by flying their Arwing in one direction while using the GamePad to aim in a completely different direction. This is something that would be impossible without the GamePad. Though this control setup is indeed convoluted, it makes for a more involved and, for me, entertaining experience. Featuring amazing action and memorable scenes, Star Fox Zero deserved more fanfare for what it successfully set out to do.

4) Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games (Wii U)

We take for granted that Mario and Sonic have been appearing together in games for quite a while now, even if it's just mostly relegated to the Olympics. While many passed by or just utterly dismissed the latest installment of the series on Wii U, Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games delivered a wide range of events, content, and a nice presentation to boot. For those who groan about motion controls, particularly the waggle variety, this year's Wii U version features all analog and button controls, something new to the series. Between getting gold medals, breaking records on each event, unlocking Mii costume pieces, and new remixes of Mario and Sonic music, the latest Mario & Sonic is a great one that deserves more attention even though we're way past the summer Olympic season.

3) Metroid Prime: Federation Force (3DS)

Oh, Metroid Prime: Federation Force, you never stood a chance, my dear game! The disgust from Metroid fans towards this game might have had some merit, and it certainly wasn't the game from the Metroid series that fans were expecting, but overall, you were a fun excursion. Completing missions with varied objectives gave me a lot of enjoyment, whether sneaking stealthily into a Space Pirate base out of my mech, taking down a behemoth-sized boss, or solving simple puzzles to progress. It was especially so with some close friends online or off. The bonus mode of Boost Ball added a competitive side of the package, and a just as fun one, too. Despite my disappointment with Federation Force not being a true Metroid game in the traditional sense, I feel that coupled with the interesting mission design and fluid combat that Metroid Prime: Federation Force got more criticism than it deserved.

2) Ittle Dew 2 (PS4, XB1, PC)

While we won't see The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild until sometime next year, there was a title that released this year that took on the Zelda mantle, but in an overhead perspective. That game was Ittle Dew 2, a game that is a far better experience than the already good original. With eight unique dungeons that can be played in practically any order, a world map that is sensationally fun to explore as you search for hidden caverns full of worthwhile treasure, puzzles that can really perplex but feature clever, never unfair solutions, and enjoyable combat, Ittle Dew 2 is a Zelda-like experience that I was absolutely addicted to from start to finish.

1) Aqua Moto Racing Utopia (PS4, PC)

It's no doubt in my mind that the price point of Aqua Moto Racing Utopia turned off a lot of prospective buyers. I mean, $30 for a digital game from a not-so-well-known indie developer doesn't really whet the appetite. However, for those that take the plunge will find an aquatic racing game that rivals Wave Race 64 in content, control, and value. Sure, you won't get the same nostalgia as turning on the old Nintendo 64, but with Aqua Moto Racing Utopia you get a multitude of venues with a myriad of buoy-to-buoys races, tricky time trials, awesome stunt potential, and multiplayer in both split-screen and online forms. It's just a darn shame that so few played this game this year.

Ittle Dew 2 (PS4, XB1, PC) Review

We start the week with a brand-new review. This time, we're taking a look at Ittle Dew 2 from Ludosity, which just launched this past week. The PlayStation 4 version is the one I played for this review, but the experience should be similar across all platforms. Here's the SuperPhillip Central review.

Thank goodness for shipwrecks!

The Legend of Zelda is one of my favorite video game franchises of all time. It's such a historic and progressive series that has such a delightful formula that is rather tough to nail down. It's any wonder why many developers don't even try. However, we've seen a rise in the Zelda-like thanks to various indies. One such indie, Ludosity, already has a Zelda-like quest under its belt with Ittle Dew. Now, the sequel has launched with a 3D makeover, offering an adventure that will make you laugh as much as it makes you ponder how to solve that particularly daunting next puzzle!

Marooned yet again on an island, the duo of heroes, Ittle, a strong-willed girl always ready for an adventure, and her companion, a cheeky fox-like creature named Tippsie, find themselves in uncharted territory once more. There mission is already set in stone... er... I guess wood would be a better word to use, as the two need to find eight wooden raft pieces to craft an escape from the mysterious and hazard-filled island they find themselves on.

We wouldn't have a game if that wasn't the case!

The humor is abundantly apparent within the first few minutes of Ittle Dew 2. Asking Ittle if simply cutting down a tree would be smarter in order to build a raft, Ittle simply states matter-of-factly that "rafts don't grow on trees." The constant winking, lampshading, and mocking of video game and action-adventure game tropes remains from the original Ittle Dew, and it's still as funny and chuckle-worthy as ever.

The adventure is as awesome as ever, too. Ittle Dew 2 challenges you with moving Ittle through an open overworld map connected by zones that house different locales, enemies, obstacles, and challenges. The eight raft pieces are conveniently placed in dungeons spread around the world map. A great part of Ittle Dew 2 is that you need no tackle these dungeons in any order, save for the final one that unlocks once the previous seven raft pieces have been collected. Doing this makes it so multiple playthroughs need not give you the same experience. You can shake and vary things up, which makes repeated plays of Ittle Dew 2 feel vastly different from each other.

Each zone in Ittle Dew 2 feels like its own special place.

Beating dungeons out of order isn't necessarily too big of an issue. Sure, enemies attack stronger and harder if you don't have upgraded weapons and defensive equipment, but you usually can strong-arm your way through the dungeons thanks to the generous checkpoint system and dungeon design. Losing all of Ittle's hearts in a dungeon takes you back to the beginning of the dungeon. However, because the design of dungeons never fails to have it where you're able to open up shortcuts and portals that allow quicker access to deeper parts of said dungeons.

Dungeons house the most amount of puzzles within Ittle Dew 2, and from the beginning dungeons, the puzzles are relatively elementary affairs to complete. Push a block on this switch, step on the other switch to open the door, boom! As you progress in the game and reach later dungeons (or, as I mentioned, if you just go out of order), you'll find that you'll discover truly brain-busting puzzles. What puzzles you faced earlier in your adventure that took no more than ten seconds to figure our the solution to will feature puzzles later in Ittle Dew 2 that can take you ten minutes just to wrap your head around the concept of what the developers want you to do. They're never impossible to solve or have unfair solutions. You'll never feel like you were cheated or mislead. Instead, if you think about how to use four main items you're eventually equipped with, each mapped to one face button, and how to combine their uses to solve puzzles, you'll figure out the solutions.

Stepping on four buttons in order isn't usually too taxing a challenge,
but it is when you've got enemies in your way.

The four weapons that Ittle comes across in the various dungeons of Ittle Dew 2 can also be found in special portals that take you to uncharted destinations not even on the world map. These portals usually house combat or movement challenges in order to acquire a treasure of some type. Many times you'll find one of the four weapons of the game, but if you already have the original, whether you found it in a dungeon or in a portal area first, you'll gain an upgraded version of that weapon. Both weapons as well as special defensive equipment like headbands can be upgraded up to three times through finding them in dungeons or in the wild. Thus, making the process of going out of the recommended order of dungeons much easier to accomplish.

These four weapons in Ittle Dew 2 come in the form of a standard stick that can eventually launch fireballs from its tip regardless of Ittle's health. There's also a wand that shoots balls of magic that can interact with faraway objects and trigger mechanisms like crystals that open doors in dungeons. Then there's dynamite which serves as Ittle Dew 2's version of The Legend of Zelda's generic bombs. Finally, there's an ice ring that can freeze enemies and create one ice block that can be slid across the ground. This is great for summoning an ice block to hold down a button while Ittle stands on the other, successfully unlocking a door in the process.

I don't know what is more dangerous to Ittle here-- the skeletons or the bitter cold!

Ittle Dew 2's puzzles don't just hang out in the eight dungeons of the game. No, the entire world map is littered in the greatest sense of the word with secret caverns and hidden areas. Some are as simple to access as striking a peculiar object or section of wall while others require some deeper thought. Whether it's standing still by a barrel for a few seconds to reveal a hole, hitting a series of pillars in a certain order, or escorting a ghostly spirit to its resting place, there are many clever solutions to uncovering caves. Thankfully, a lot of these secrets have NPCs within the world that don't mind sparing a hint towards them. Additionally, many of the secret caves can become marked on your map by finding special scrolls that reveal some of the caverns' locations. These secret areas are worth investigating, too, as many house the aforementioned portals leading to helpful treasure, to health-boosting Crayon Boxes, and even special shards that when many have been collected, open up three of hidden dungeons across the world map.

Most caves house a short but sweet puzzle to solve to make you really earn your reward.

These hidden dungeons reward you with Forbidden Keys upon clearing them. You also get the fourth and final key through beating the final boss of the game. The four Forbidden Keys can then be used to open up the door to the ultimate dungeon, optional, yes, but very worthwhile. It's full of the hardest enemies, most ingenious puzzles, and greatest dangers, all concluding with a seriously challenging boss.

To see everything within Ittle Dew 2 took me about ten hours of playtime. This includes getting all ten trophies (again, I played the PS4 version), maxing out Ittle's health by finding all of the Crayon Boxes, upgrading all possible equipment to max, beating all eight regular dungeons and the four optional ones, and reaching the end of the game. I can very much see myself replaying Ittle Dew 2, despite having done everything even trophy-wise because it was such a rewarding experience, especially as a big-time Zelda fan.

Ittle Dew 2 isn't without its faults, however. The frame-rate did struggle in more action-intense areas, particularly some boss battles, which cost me precious health when trying to avoid their attacks. The bosses themselves are recycled throughout the main dungeons, only differing in what attacks they add each time. So be prepared to see the same three bosses in the initial seven dungeons multiple times. Even though the developers lampshade this with dialogue even making fun of things like "development costs" as to why the same bosses are being battled, which is very funny, but at the same time, it's still not optimal. In addition to these issues, there is the small one of doorways in dungeons and indoor areas being a bit too easy to be hit back into. It sucks when you're trying to take down an enemy that takes a fair amount of time to beat and it knocks you back into a door, causing you to leave the room. When you return, the enemy obviously has its health back.

Then there's the biggest problem: The price point. Generally I equate massive games with a $20 price point, which something like Ittle Dew 2 really isn't. When you can get a game like Dead Rising on PS4 or Xbox One, which is a much larger game for the same price, it can be hard to recommend Ittle Dew 2 at its current price. However, if you really dig quality Zelda-like experiences, I believe you won't feel TOO much sticker shock with the price.

Hmm. Don't I recognize you from somewhere? Why, yes, that OTHER dungeon. My mistake!

Despite these issue minor and a little more major, Ittle Dew 2 is a satisfying adventure. Finding hidden areas and dungeons, not knowing what hazards, puzzles, and treasures await, makes for a very fulfilling quest. Solving particularly challenging puzzles after taking minutes to comprehend what exactly it is the designers had in mind for you to do is especially gratifying and feels great. Ittle Dew 2 is a worthy adventure that uses its inspiration from Nintendo's Legend of Zelda series wonderfully, packing in its own brand of self-referential humor to make it a delightful game from start to finish, and for repeated plays.

[SPC Says: B+]

Review code provided by Ludosity.