De Blob 2 Xbox One X Review

Back in November I reviewed de Blob on the Xbox One and found it mediocre with outdated platforming mechanics and tedious gameplay. However, playing through de Blob 2 was less of that. It features a lot of coloration gameplay featured in the previous game and similar mission structure. But the use of diverse environments and a comical story provide periods of alleviation from the act of coloring everything. De Blob 2 is an old-school platformer that will please many fans of retro games.

Taking place after the events of the first game Prisma City is having a general election for their new leader. A mysterious candidate called Papa Blac is running for office and using insidious methods to get ahead. It's up to Blob to find out who Papa Blanc is and stop his rise to power.

De Blob 2 maintains its charming atmosphere and comical themes through colorful cutscenes. The animation of the characters had some genuinely funny moments thanks to strong choreography.

De Blob 2's gameplay remains largely similar to the previous game. Players will use colors to paint objects and return life to the cityscape to open up new areas. All levels are timed but the amount of bonus time provided by freeing captured Graydians and completing objectives means you'll never run out. De Blob 2 does a better job of navigating the player by providing a compass that shows the direction of missions, challenges, and optional objectives such as coloring trees and Graydians for Gold medals.

Each stage lasts between 10 minutes to 1 hour if you plan to collect everything. Littered throughout are collectables and "inspiration points" that help Blob upgrade his abilities such as health, armor, and more. If you miss something and want to return you'll have to repeat the entire level, this means starting from square 1. This can be vexing since you'll have to play through the entire stage and collect everything all over again if you miss even one item.

De Blob 2 does provide some new mechanics that prevents the game from becoming stale like in the first game. Blob can now perform a dash attack to destroy obstacles and enemies. Powerups are also provided that include a Wrecking Ball that makes Blob magnetic, sink underwater, and become indestructible; the Hazmat Suit protects Blob from hazards such as hotplates and ink; Re-Gen constantly replenishes health; Rainbow gives Blob infinite paint; and Graviton Bomb turns Blob into a black hole that destroys everything sucked into it.

Another new addition is a 2-player mode. A second player can take control of the Color Underground's new member Pinky who can assist Blob by shooting color paint orbs. The option is only available in local cooperative play and doesn't have an online option. 

Unlike the previous game that focused on coloring, platforming is the central focus in de Blob 2. Taking over landmarks require Blob to enter them, switching the gameplay from a 3D perspective to a 2D perspective. These mini-areas contain a series of puzzle platforming challenges, with over 100 stages throughout the game. After running through Prisma City and performing the same missions these dungeon-like areas helped break up the monotony by shifting the focus.

De Blob 2 is a refreshing game from the tedium I experience from the first game. You'll still end up doing the same thing for most of the game but the focus on platforming instead of solely coloring everything provides a much more streamlined experience. There's fun to have here but de Blob 2 mostly adheres to those who are fans of old-school platformers. Those uninterested in the genre won't find anything to draw them in.

Adam Siddiqui, NoobFeed
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