Review for Curious Expedition 2. Game for PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch, the video game was released on 28/01/2021 The version for Nintendo Switch is scheduled in the 2021. The version for PlayStation 4 is scheduled in the 2021. The version for Xbox One is scheduled in the 2021.
Raise your hand if you, as a child, were not fascinated by the great and adventurous explorations of the late nineteenth century! And how many are still fascinated by it now, ending up believing that Henry Morton Stanley's famous question, "Dr Livingstone, I presume?" on the shores of Lake Tanganyika, would they have placed it with greater emphasis and aplomb? If you recognize yourself, at least a little bit, in this description, then Curious Expedition 2 is the title for you!
Curious Expedition 2, developed by the German studio Machine man, is the obvious sequel to the game of the same name released in 2016, of which it almost completely incorporates the game mechanics, obviously improving them and also making a substantial graphic and stylistic upgrade, while keeping intact all the general atmosphere that characterizes the title.
Available for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and for PC su Steam, Curious Expedition 2 is presented as an adventure game in which, in the role of a more or less classic explorer for the period in which the game is set, we will have to organize, finance and of course lead a series of explorations on remote and mysterious islands , from time to time in search of an ancient ruin, a legendary artifact or engaged in actions of "simple" cartography.
Our character, at least in principle, can be selected between two specific classes: the anthropologist, with characteristics several times to knowledge and communication with the indigenous peoples we will meet, and the Big Game Hunter, much more "physical" and suitable for survival and fighting, armed or not. These two classes will be available immediately, but it is possible to unlock many others as the game progresses, each obviously accompanied by its characteristic features, which greatly increases the replayability of the title.
Once our hero has been chosen, we will be catapulted into the Paris of 1886, in full Universal Exposition. Here we will be able to hire other components for our expedition, buy and sell materials and access the headquarters of one of three different trading companies willing to finance and support us from time to time.
Let's finally start the adventure, choosing one of the expeditions proposed at the moment. The final objectives of each mission will be scripted, but the map of each island we are going to explore will be procedurally created, as well as the random events and the populations / creatures we will encounter.
This feature of Curious Expedition 2 proves to be a double-edged sword: if on the one hand the procedurally created islands allow you to never find yourself in front of two identical maps, thus increasing longevity, on the other hand this could create problems with the difficulty curve, especially in the early stages of the game.
Although each mission has its own level of difficulty, the random generation of the game environment sometimes creates, especially at the beginning, islands that are simply impossible to face at best. In some cases just impossible and that's it. The creation system should therefore be fine-tuned.
Our explorations will be linked to the travel time and to the "health" bar, a parameter that tends to decrease with every forced march in the jungle, every encounter, clash with more or less monstrous local populations and fauna and every piece of the common thread of the whole story of Curious Expedition 2, a plot that gradually takes on more and more weird and vaguely Lovecrafitian connotations.
Health, as well as the physical health and various parameters of the members of the expedition, can obviously be replenished in various ways, such as using supplies of consumables or resting in vaguely safe places.
With careful planning and the right mix of prudence and unscrupulousness, our group will make its way into uncharted territories, until the objective is fulfilled. Successfully completing an expedition means returning to base with a good amount of loot and a good dose of fame and reputation, all things that can be spent in organizing the next journey into the unknown!
The technical sector of Curious Expedition 2 is as simple as it is inspired, with essential but very clean and evocative graphics and a sound that matches the atmosphere. Unfortunately the same cannot be said of the gameplay. The system of throwing the dice with which situations and fights will be resolved, in pure boardgame style, is really too much entrusted to chance, easily causing frustration and discouragement for actions that have gone bad only and exclusively for mere bad luck. A real shame, because this defect strongly penalizes a title that would otherwise be fascinating and engaging, despite its simplicity.
Curious Expedition 2 therefore wins a good pass, but unfortunately nothing more, precisely because of its balance problems. The classic "good, but not very good". Too bad because the setting is tremendously fascinating!
► Curious Expedition 2 is an RPG-Simulation-Strategy-Adventure-indie game developed by Thunderful and published by Maschinen-Mensch for PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch, the video game was released on 28/01/2021 The version for Nintendo Switch is scheduled in the 2021. The version for PlayStation 4 is scheduled in the 2021. The version for Xbox One is scheduled in the 2021.
