Overview
I was actually looking forward to an Epic Mickey adventure on the Vita, unfortunately though, Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two fell a bit short of being epic.
Epic Mickey 2 is the sequel to the hugely popular Wii original. First released on the Playstation 3 and now offering the same version with the touchscreen abilities of the Vita. Playing as Mickey, you are sent on a whimsical adventure alongside Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, to help restore a dilapidated Wasteland. Armed with the series’ trademark magical paintbrush, Mickey and Oswald need to follow a series of main and sideline quests with the aim of bringing everything back to the way it was.
Developer: Junction Point Publisher: Disney ? Distributor: Ster-Kinekor? Reviewed on: PS Vita? Also available on: Playstation 3? If we had to give it a numerical score: 5.5/10
Gameplay and Features
The gameplay offers platforming and puzzles which is offered through the main quest as well as plenty of side-quests. The biggest issue I had with the game, besides the clumsy platforming, was the fact that very few quests actually excited – they were tedious and uninspiring. This coupled with the fact that the levels aren’t that interesting, and the fact that the quests are not well mapped out, made the game feel like work, and i wasted so much time figuring out where i needed to go. The sub-menus are not the most helpful. Within hours I was just going through the motions, hoping the next quest would be a little more exciting, and hoping for a little more direction.
Mickey is armed with a paintbrush which he can use to either paint, uncovering Toons that were previously erased, or erase bits and pieces of the game world, to help you get to areas for example, that you otherwise could not. The paint or thinners can also be used to shoot foes, or you can swipe them with the brush itself. The shooting mechanics use both the touchscreen and or the shoulder buttons for quick-fire. Oswald mainly helps you with the platforming as he is able to fly for short periods. He is also armed with the ability to shock and can therefore help you jump-start machinery for example. Unfortunately I think the game would have been a better fit for co-operating with someone, as more often than not, Oswald was nothing more than a spare wheel.
Sound and Visuals
I absolutely love the Disney theme, with the authentic characters, aspects of the game’s world and the dialogue – all very Disney, all very pleasing. The fact that I love the theme so much, made it all the more disappointing that the gameplay itself didn’t deliver. The design is definitely promising, but the execution left me a little cold.
On the negative side of the visuals was the fact that the levels are a little too two-dimensional, the camera work is terrible, there’s plenty choppy fixes and the frame-rate was not always constant. The cut-scenes are wonderful, and compliment the narrative beautifully.
Closing comments
I really was hoping I would love Epic Mickey 2 on the Vita, I love the theme and I embrace games that don’t offer the regular ‘blood n’ guts’ romps that we normally look for. Unfortunately while the design is promising, the execution left me a little cold – the quests were just too tedious, and the clumsy platforming is compounded by the dreary level design.
Zombiegamer rating
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