Zipping To Consoles Later This Year
One of my most pleasant surprises in recent years was the original Freedom Planet. Though I’m a fan of a certain blue hedgehog, I’m also really bad at the series. And since Freedom Planet was very much inspired by Sonic, I worried the gameplay would be too fast for this gamer. Instead, it was an absolutely enjoyable platforming experience, which is why I was eager to demo Freedom Planet 2 at PAX West.
In the sequel, the sudden appearance of a new water dragon threatens Avalice, and it’s up to Lilac and company to put a stop to the madness. That group now includes someone that was an adversary in the first game, Neera Li! The stern Panda warrior is pretty fierce, and an absolute joy to play. She’s armed with ice powers, including a versatile shield move and a helpful double jump.
Like in the first game, the platforming is a good mixture of zipping around, fighting foes and powerful boss battles. In the demo, I fought a mechanical crab boss that almost destroyed me, but I was able to prevail with my icy powers. Besides the great gameplay, Freedom Planet 2 also boasts great voice acting, gorgeous art and stellar music design.
As for what to expect when the game launches later this year, here’s a helpful blurb:
With a carefully tuned balance of speed and exploration, and gorgeous 2D visuals featuring refined character sprites, Freedom Planet 2 expands on everything that made the original a modern classic for a bigger, better, and more enriching retro experience.
I’m certainly eager to check it out further once Freedom Planet 2 races to Nintendo Switch. Be sure and check out the trailer below, and stay tuned to HPP for our ongoing PAX West coverage!
