Shaun Munro reviews LocoRoco 2 Remastered…
Cult classic PSP platformer LocoRoco was given a superbly shiny new 4K PS4 port back in May, and now its 2008 sequel has also gotten the glossy makeover treatment to similarly dazzling effect. LocoRoco 2 Remastered may not deviate much from the formula firmly established by its predecessor, largely succeeding and faltering in the same areas, but for fans of the series, this new high-fidelity version is a great excuse to blast through the breezy title once again.
After order is restored to the LocoRoco planet at the end of the first game, Bon Mucho, the leader of the evil Moja, launches a second strike against the LocoRoco, forcing them to once again defend their homeworld from the creatures. Even for the low standards of platforming games it’s the most basic, forgettable sequel premise, a gossamer-thin means to an end to justify more spritely platforming madness
If you’ve never played a LocoRoco game before, gameplay revolves around the player controlling the titular entity, a gelatinous blob which grows larger by absorbing other smaller LocoRoco it discovers around the map. Using the shoulder buttons, you can tilt the game world in order to move, while pressing both shoulder buttons at the same time allows you to leap into the air and reach higher platforms.
A quick tap of the circle button breaks the LocoRoco apart into its smaller, single units to navigate through tight areas, after which you can hold down circle to reconstitute back into a blob. There are also context-sensitive objects to help press ahead, such as pointy rocks the LocoRoco can cocoon inside, which can break through other impenetrable rocks blocking your way. It’s worth noting that this sequel remaster appears to have ditched the tilt motion controls of its predecessor, though it’s hard to imagine many caring too much about this.
Like the original, LocoRoco 2 is an incredibly creative and impressively intuitive game, no more so than with its marriage of innovative controls and divertingly daft gameplay. Maneuvering the LocoRoco somehow avoids feeling frustrating despite how imprecise it might seem on the surface. It undoubtedly helps that this is an incredibly easy game, offering up virtually no challenge, to the point that you’ll probably make it through most if not all of the game without dying once. It’s a game to relax with on a lazy Sunday afternoon or use to de-stress after a tough day at the office.
Though for the most part LocoRoco 2 is business as usual for the series, there are some nifty new features, namely the ability to swim underwater, a simple-but-fun rhythm game which intermittently pops up, and an assortment of other mini-games include stamp collecting and a bizarre whack-a-mole-type diversion.
That’s without mentioning the usual collectibles and the quaintly charming MuiMui House, where you can create a cosy home for your rescued MuiMui minions. The sheer abundance of content and how it’s doled out to players is something other platformers could learn a lot from; it doesn’t stonewall players wanting to cut through the critical path in around four hours, while still presenting worthwhile additional replay value which can easily double or even triple the core playtime.
One aspect of the game that remains incredibly bizarre, however, is the questionable enemy designs. It’s still hard not to look at the Moja and see the blackface stereotype brought agonisingly to life, and it’s rather difficult to believe that this wasn’t intentional. Few were likely calling for the enemy designs to be altered for this remaster, but even so, it’s an eyebrow-raising creative decision that’s aged horribly. This, alongside the fact you can pick up a suspiciously-named object referred to as a “yummy nut”, result in the game’s otherwise colourful, cheery, child-friendly tone being occasionally upended.
Visually, the game’s 4K graphics are meanwhile typically gorgeous, making the most of its fairly undemanding art style but nevertheless pushing it to the moon with contemporary tech. Unfortunately, just like the previous remaster, the FMV sequences are still just lazily upscaled from their original handheld format, resulting in them appearing horrendously blurry and jagged. It doesn’t help that many of these FMVs run several minutes in length, which might further prompt some players to skip them entirely.
The game’s suite of sounds will either send you into a charm coma or make you want to jam something sharp in your ears. It’s fair to say that the game’s cutesy music may start to feel saccharine and repetitive on lengthy playthroughs, but with the game’s brevity, it’s clearly best enjoyed in short bursts where this ennui won’t set in.
Naturally the more extensive sound options offered by the PS4 only further cement it as the superior way to enjoy a game so indebted to its weird and wonderful sounds and songs. Also, as with the remaster of the first game, whenever the LocoRoco are singing, their voices will be amusingly transmitted through the PS4 controller’s speaker. Considering that so few games use the built-in speaker, and it’s easy to forget it’s even there, it’s a nice touch.
You’re going to know if LocoRoco 2 Remastered is for you already. If you want to re-experience the 2008 game with a fresh lick of paint, or if you only played LocoRoco for the first time in this past summer’s remaster, the follow-up a must-play. It generally feels a little tighter and more diverse than the original, even if not all of the new accouterments will totally work for everyone.
Above all else, fans will no doubt want to support the game in the hope that Sony finally greenlights a grossly overdue third game. Fingers crossed, then.
Pros:
+ Addictive, relaxing gameplay.
+ Gorgeous remastered visuals.
+ Cute sound that makes great use of the PS4 controller speaker.
+ Plenty for completionists to collect.
Cons:
– Music may be grating for some.
– Low-res videos.
– Questionable, dated enemy designs may offend.
Rating: 7.5/10
Reviewed for PS4
Shaun Munro – Follow me on Twitter for more video game rambling.
