Legend of Grimrock II Reviews
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We have rounded up a first batch of reviews for Almost Human Games' sequel to Legend of Grimrock. There's simply not enough of them to draw any conclusions on the overall reception of the game yet, but for what it's worth, they are all positive (sometimes enthusiastic) towards the old-school first-person dungeon crawler.
Rock, Paper, Shotgun, scoreless.
Everything in this sequel is bigger, more elaborate, more detailed, and absolutely better. Which, after such a lovely first game, is quite the thing. You will be able to sink days and days into this, and still come away with secrets undiscovered, doors unopened. And I think a real respect for a game that is not only itself phenomenally smart, but one that thinks you are too. It's a joy, so splendidly crafted, so stuffed with original ideas and surprises. This isn't nostalgia any more it's a massive step forward.
RPGFan, 95%.
The original Grimrock had a child with Myst and it was kidnapped by Dark Souls II in its infancy and raised to adulthood in the graveyard of forgotten CRPGs. That's Grimrock II. And yet it has its own puzzling, riddling dungeon crawling magic. It's an intricate puzzle box hiding needles beneath its surface. It's a frightening force of nature, a storm of darkness and the things that crawl in it. It's a sphinx with starry eyes. The Legend of Grimrock II is a work of genius.
GameSkinny, 7/10.
With a numerical rating system in mind, I feel compelled to grade a game based on the experience it was attempting to deliver. If Almost Human wanted Legend of Grimrock 2 to serve as a ploddingly methodical, well-executed if not well thought out, partially fulfilling RPG experience, with a lackluster regard for any form of modern design? 10/10. As it stands next to others in the RPG genre, turn-based, action, pen 'n' paper, or otherwise? Well.
Saving Content, 5/5.
Legend of Grimrock 2 is not perfect, but the immersion and wonder that can be found on the Isle of Nex is incredible. From the moment you step foot on the beach, you are left to your devices. And this is where Legend of Grimrock 2 really excels, being a game about exploration and discovery at your own pace without being too punitive with the puzzles and combat that you have to endure. With elements of survival, makes this an absolute gem for 2014, and a surprise for anyone who doesn't have this game on their radar.
Gamer Headlines, 8/10.
At its best, Legend of Grimrock 2 feels a lot like Myst (except with the added bonus of getting to shoot magic missiles at armoured skeletons), you'll even have to whip out the old pen and paper from time to time. The game is tough, and you will have to be very careful with your equipment, items, and character abilities in order to survive the world, and when you're successful at it, it feels great. Where it suffers is that in exploring a three-dimensional world you are stuck in a two-dimensional paradigm which does not allow you to interact with the ceiling or floors of the game's beautifully crafted world, and that the learning curve for even the most seasoned dungeon explorer is quite high, as I was having difficulty in combat even while playing the game on the easy difficulty setting. That being said, if you're into old school dungeon crawlers or like the challenge of complex puzzles and riddles, this is the game for you.
