The first SteamWorld Dig was a mix of dig-dug and the Metroidvania genre. You start at the surface and dig your way deeper and deeper in search of all sort of loot. The game had elements of a rogue-like where you would lose all your loot if you die, but you would get one chance to reclaim it. And after gathering enough loot, you had the ability upgrade to dig faster, deeper, and for longer durations. The game ended with a bang, but that bang left me asking why wasn't that bang didn't repeat all throughout the game?
From the get-go, SWD2 captures what made the ending so great as it starts the game with a similar boss fight. If you're not familiar with SWD, it's set in a robot cowboy themed world. The game starts with you playing as the merchant from the previous game. Your goal is to look Rusty, the protagonist from the first game.
When it comes to gameplay, SWD2 didn't evolve much from the first game, but it rather explore what made the first game awesome even further. The movement in SWD2 is more fluid and the upgrades and new abilities make it easier and more fun.upgrades like the hookshot which allow you to shoot a rope that grabs into surfaces and pull yourself towards them, or the limited jetpack, is just two amongst many.
What I love about indie Developers like Image & Form is how their limitation drove them into smarter creativity. So the abilities and upgrades you get can be used in different ways.
When it comes to level design, the main part of the game is very much opened for you from the get-go. But you're limited by your abilities, just like the first game. The difference here is in the caves you encounter as you dig deeper. These caves act like mini dungeons with puzzles for you to solve. The level design here much more thought out. Some caves you need to find a key rock to break that would break almost all the rocks in the room. Another is exactly the same way, but when you break the key rock you have to race your way to the goal before all the rocks break and you fall to your death. That is just two examples of many others that I just don't want to spoil.
One the issues I had with both previous games from the Developers is the dialogue. There's just too much rambling that could have been explained in way shorter text. The rambling is lessened here, but still I would have dropped it a notch or two.
What I love about art design in gaming is when it's consistent, and that was the down from the first game. What I&F did in SWD2 is put more variety. Parts of the world is themed after ancient Egypt, fungus infected world, and many others that I won't spoil. And all that is brought to life with awesome colors, lighting, and awesome music.
SteamWorld Dig 2, continues in the footsteps of its predecessor with most of the elements it had. But, the game is grander in every element. The world is larger with much more to explore, the upgrades are way more robust, and the enemies and bosses are designed more efficiently, creatively and all in all more fun.
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