Episodic gaming isn't a new or very interesting concept anymore. The idea of partitioning a game's release into episodes for the sake of providing better content at the sacrifice of instant gratification is good in theory, but that's just a theory. In practice, this only works when a developer stays true to its promise of worthwhile content. Episodic gaming does not work when it's used as a cover-up for quickly pumping out content that doesn't compliment the previous releases.
The Legend of Dark Witch - Episode 2: The Price of Desire – which, from here forward, will be referred to simply as "Dark Witch 2" – is a hastily produced sequel disguised as episodic content. Rather than picking up where the previous game left off and building on its story, Dark Witch 2 goes back to the beginning, taking almost the same plot and inserting new enemies and maps in place of those from the previous instalment. Gameplay remains the same, your goals haven't changed, and it hasn't been improved upon in any significant way. If you're able to suspend disbelief and ignore all of the surround factors, then the gameplay here can be enjoyable, but there is almost nothing that can be said about Dark Witch 2 that wasn't said in our review of the original.
Upon loading the game and breezing through the nonsensical and poorly translated plot about magic Syega crystals that have gone missing and have nothing to do with blue hedgehogs, it's immediately apparent that Dark Witch 2 draws most of its influence from the Mega Man series. Not only is this a side-scrolling run-and-gun, but you also have the freedom to select which of the eight stages you want to play in any random order. Upon completing a stage and finishing off its boss, you will be rewarded with a new special attack that can be assigned to your character and upgraded. Unlike Mega Man, however, learning and utilizing new attacks doesn't present any significant advantage, and we were just as easily able to run through the entire campaign while upgrading the most basic projectile weapon. To be fair, the difficulty curve is significantly steep when choosing to play on a higher setting, and the additional attacks can be more useful when used strategically, but it's still disappointing that a major mechanic is barely utilized and ends up sidelined for the majority of the adventure.
Gameplay is relatively straightforward, sticking to fairly standard run-and-gun conventions. As you follow the path through each stage and blast enemies along the way, you'll be rewarded with in-game currency known as tres. Tres can then be used to upgrade your attacks and other abilities, such as gliding or running. There are four Syega crystals hidden in each stage that can also be used to unlock and upgrade abilities, but there's no punishment for skipping over these and continuing forward in the plot. That's right, the Syega crystals, the magic stones that the game's plot is based around, can be completely ignored as you work your way through to the end of the campaign.
The campaign can be completed in just around an hour, and a separate shop and new player character unlock upon completion. There's encouragement to play again in order to unlock more concept art and character upgrades, but it mostly just feels like fodder to pad an otherwise very short experience. For what it is, Dark Witch 2 plays well and isn't the worst game in its genre, but it is lacking in originality and features that might call its players back for a second round. This might appeal to the completionists out there, but the more casual players might have a difficult time returning.
One thing that Dark Witch 2 manages to get right is the presentation. The character sprites are detailed, the environments are colourful and attractive, and the soundtrack pumps energy into the gameplay. The stages themselves aren't particularly interesting in their mostly flat and linear designs, but the lively environments and distinctive themes make them feel unique from one another. The handheld's console's 3D display isn't put to any use whatsoever, but everything still looks good and compliments the tone of what is an overall lighthearted game.
Conclusion
The Legend of Dark Witch - Episode 2: The Price of Desire borrows so many great ideas from classic games in its genre, then does absolutely nothing with them. On top of that, despite the titling decision, this feels much more like a half-baked sequel than it does a second chapter in an ongoing story. The straightforward run-and-gun gameplay works well and is enjoyable when taken at value, but the campaign's short length, nonsensical story and unused core mechanics make this one difficult to recommend. It will feel familiar to classic Mega Man fans, especially when played on the higher difficulty settings, but don't expect those nostalgia pangs to be entirely satiated.
Comments 49
Aww I was hoping they would pick up on the story. I'll probably wait for a sale then...
'More of the same' here was definitely a good thing, as far as I'm concerned. I love this little game every bit as much as I did the first one but I feel like a lot of 3DS owners will sadly skip right past it.
I got the first one and enjoyed it as the Megaman clone it is. I may end up getting this one later.
I liked the first one....but The Price of Desire is too much, for more of the same..I'll catch it on sale later..
@Drac_Mazoku You just dissected all of the problems with this review way better than I could have. I wholeheartedly agree with you, here.
@Drac_Mazoku Agreed so much. Opinions are one thing, but this is one of the worst reviews I've ever read this year. The Legend of Dark Witch Episode 2: The Price of Desire improved so much over the first game and has been my personal saving grace of 2015 on 3DS. If it wasn't for this game, I would've been all but disappointed and left alone.
I'm having a hard time believing you actually played the game to completion or for any significant amount of time, it improved the formula of the first in pretty much every way.
@Drac_Mazoku
Thanks for editing your comment, as it gives more insight on the changes. Indeed I hated how sometimes you could not fire your special weapon if you lacked Tres, specially after receiving a hit. I also understand here you have healing items, something truly lacking in the first game.
Just seeing the header for this review shows around 15 characters, way more than the original game had.
@hngdmn I think the issue the reviewer is talking about is how the game just reiterated the first episode by improving mechanics bit not actually making it a sequel as the number 2 would suggest. But I haven't played the games, I was curious about them so I checked the review. I have mixed feelings now.
@tsukipon It has new bosses, new stages, new gameplay mechanics and a "new" playable character. How is it not a full fledged sequel?
@hngdmn As I mentioned before, I didn't play the games. I was only responding with what I read in the review. They claim the game starts at the same beginning as the first part. The additions you mentioned seem more like DLC to.enhance the first game, not a sequel. A sequel should continue the story. It just sounds like an enhanced version of the first one to me, which isnt a bad thing since there are some game devs who do this and aren't indie. I'm just criticizing the term "sequel" here based on the review.
Wow, this is an unfair review. What difficulty did you play on? Playing on 2xEasy or Casual gives a very different play experience than playing on hard or higher. The game is trivial on the two lowest settings, allowing, as you said, for completion using only the basic shot.
The game also allows you to customize your actions with a bunch of additional things you can unlock using the crystals from the stage. Far from expansive, but they allow you to change the way you jump, shoot, and power up.
Never played either, nor heard of them and the comments imply to me that as a kid growing up on Mega Man I'd like this game. Should I play the first then this one or just take this one as the game the first should have been?
I'm biased towards 2 because of familiarity
@tsukipon It has a new story with returning characters from the first game and references to its events, it's just (apparently) not part of an overarching plot or anything like that.
@hngdmn so you are saying it is like a new story on the level...idk...final fantasy is like, but with the same characters? Like an alternate story sort of thing?
@tsukipon Most of the bosses of the first game appear again in some way or another, but it's a new story that happens some time after the first game and isn't directly connected.
Well, a game that can be completed in 1 hour for 7 bucks is not a 9/10 ever.
I dig the first one (easily a 7/10) but I think I'll skip this one unless the price comes down a bit (like 2.49 or so).
@StephenYap3 That is not saying much, right?
I mean, among the worst reviews you have read THIS year doesn't account for much, IMHO.
Thanks for the prompt reply. I usually like paying full price for the eShop good games that pop up once in a while. Still, i played the first and was not that engaging (the enemies are a bit too generic for me, some design inconsistencies, and so on), so I felt a bit burned paying 4 bucks for it.
@Drac_Mazoku What about the translation? Was that repaired?
Another con: I just watched the trailer and can attest that the translation is painfully bad. Sometimes it doesn't bother me much -as it adds some kawai or cuteness factor to the game-, but in this case is too evident not to fault.
Still, it seems like is as long as it should be: even 6-7 hours for 7 bucks is a steal nowadays. Thanks, Drac_Mazoku!!
"All artworks and portraits are freshly newer!"
The engrish in that trailer is the gift that keeps on giving.
The big issue for me with this one is the stage selection is so much weaker in this game than the first one; maybe having to come up with 13 stages rather than 8 was more of a drain on the team than they thought, but the stages to the last all seemed less interesting and way shorter than in the first game. I recommend avoiding the "express" slot entirely until you're going for speedruns. The translation is noticeably improved but still... sometimes... yeesh. Gathering tres in your first playthrough is just a grind (I went back and forth between Klinsy and Herbert's stages for like four hours) The special weapons have almost no uses apart from the bosses even on the higher difficulties, with the exception of BEAM DE DOOOOOOOOON! which is just comically enjoyable to use at any time. The music is also not as good as the first game, but the first game's soundtrack was awesome so I'm not sure how much of a con that is, the music is still fine.
Pros: This game is still ridiculously fun. The characters are neat and the boss battles are worth a challenge on the higher two difficulties. It certainly sounds like they're interested in making more games in-universe, which I would love. You can put twenty hours into the minigames alone (and by can I mean I totally already have). While we don't get Papa Snowman we do get a really weird cactus guy and a hopping girl in a taiyaki suit complete with zipper (really), so if you have a thing for strange enemies you're still in luck.
I'd give the actual game itself a 6 1/2 out of 10, with my biggest complaint again being the stages themselves (all clearable apart from the boss rush in under 1:10 and probably 1:00) but the minigame content is enough to bump it up to a 7/10 - you should play this game and I'm definitely going to purchase any more games in the series on day 1. It's $7.06 for 10 hours at minimum. Stop wasting your time and go get it.
This isn't the first time NL's written a lousy review of a Circle Ent. published game... (has PTSD-style flashbacks of the Witch & Hero review)
@Drac_Mazoku The first game's "Or Not To Break" is one of my favorite video game songs of all time, in all genres - it's just so evocative of what a final boss theme should be that any attempt to remix it or improve on it was bound to fall flat. As good as a couple of tracks (spoiler tracks) are in this game none of them are up to par with that one, or even "What's Safeguard" (from Verri's stage) or Freesia. I think my personal favorite from this one is the Toscana Cathedral stage theme, with GFB in second.
I've put 10+ hours into [that minigame] and I only found out yesterday you could get 4 stars in it, I am that bad at it.
@Drac_Mazoku
Spoiler about the minigame you say? I would actually consider it a selling point, specially with the other 3DS game Project Mirai DX I cannot stop playing recently.
I am downloading this one today. Thanks.
I enjoyed the first so I'll likely still get it at some point.
@Drac_Mazoku One more thing does it actually continue the story or is it just a retelling?
The art style looks to moe for me anyway, pass
@Drac_Mazoku !!!! that's a heck of a trick and it works! 4 stars on [Klinsy's theme] first try, thanks a bunch!
Loved the first one, so I'll definitely get this one!
I loved the demo of the first one, so am I missing something if I skip the first one and get this one instead?
An unintended benefit of the not great translation is how everybody just knows Klinsy is "that guy", you know the one everyone knows but nobody wants to hang out with, but we never get anything remotely explaining why. Everyone's just like "ugh it's Klinsy" - I find it hilarious but really, it makes no sense to have it in-game.
@maceng ...okay, maybe "one of the worst reviews I've ever read" is pushing it a bit, but still, this review needs work, if not bad.
That Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam review from IGN still gives me hives
@Drac_Mazoku
Wow! As a die hard mega man fan, I loved the first one. The reviewer's "more of the same" attitude actually had me interested, but after reading your rant, I'm definitely picking it up.
Does it still have the same minigame for earning more syega points or whatever it was called?
@Ron_DelVillano Did you even play this game or did you write your review based off of the first game?
@Drac_Mazoku I see you're a fellow fan of The Slayers anime! ^_^
Ron, you are one seriously sexy hunk of man-meat, but this review is a mess.
When did they ever state that this game was meant to be episodic content? Plenty of fictional franchises use the "episode" moniker without using an overarching plot. There was no need to be disappointed at just receiving a self-contained sequel.
Speaking of which, even if it is just a lazy sequel (and the comments here suggest that it's much more than that), then it should still be considered just as good as the first game. Add to Wishlist...
so this gets a 5? the same score as Avoider!
@Drac_Mazoku Wow. I haven't played this one yet (it's not out in Europe), but I just downloaded the first one a month ago, and really liked it. Sure, it has its problems, but it's almost the perfect blend of Mega Man and Gradius, two franchises I really like, with some added extras and a distinct atmosphere.
After watching trailers and reviews of this one, and seeing all the improvements and new stuff in it, I completely agree with you about everything, and even though I've yet to play it, I just can't believe the 5/10 score.
Also, since this game is similar to Mega Man, the whole situation is pretty similar to when the old Mega Man games came out, and Famitsu gave them pretty... mediocre ratings. Mega Man 3 got a 23/40, for example. That's pretty much a 5.75/10.
Why do review sites put non weebs to play weeb games, I´ll never know. As a weeb myself this game already has my money...next month (Damn U paycheck, Y U NO FAST ENOUGH?)
Are you kidding? You take over a month to review it, and THIS is what you come up with?
I don't even know what to say. It's almost pathetic how misrepresented the game is.
(Also @ap0001, "What's Safeguard" is also my favorite track from the first game. I listened to it every time I played poker.)
I agree with what others have said in the comments. I would give the game an 8/10 or 9/10 and will give it 5 stars on the eShop. It's a really good game and improves on the first in many ways. I also think it is very polished and stands alone perfectly; it doesn't feel episodic. Furthermore, seeing the NL review on Metacritic is a bummer. It deserves better in my opinion. It's such a fun game and I can see myself playing it for a while!
This reviews really stirred some debate!... Just remember though, it is one person's opinion and whilst the reviewer may have a strong base of experience, its not reflective of how YOU will find the game.
Personally I found this-> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b35-WW9axeo review abit more comprehensive. Happy gaming!
@Drac_Mazoku thank.you. it seems that they definitely got it wrong because everyone says the same as you. I have changed my.mind..I'll pick it up.this payday
@hngdmn the problen the reviewer had with the title is that single word "episode". So he was expecting something like Tell Tale Games does, but was disapointed because it is actually a sequel.
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