Oceanhorn 2: Knights of the Lost Realm, like the original Oceanhorn, fails to have its own identity. This game truly gets me excited for what the studio does next, which, if it follows the Zelda trend, will be tackling a BOTW-like experience next. This sequel is a huge step up from the original Oceanhorn. It’s one of the few non-AAA titles that, at times, feels like a AAA experience. Oceanhorn 2: Knights of the Lost Realm does a great job at keeping you wanting to play - whether it’s throwing a fast-paced motorcycle section into the mix, a large-scale boss battle, or just offering a gorgeous world that begs to be explored. One of my favorite combat techniques was throwing a bomb at enemies and then firing a bullet at it, sending them all flying. It’s a pretty nifty addition that’s one of the few differentiating elements of the game.
Electric bullets, ice bullets, fire bullets, and more are at your disposal to combat enemies. It has different functions like burning down walls to reveal hidden areas, solving puzzles, and, of course, firing in combat. And sadly, the combat doesn’t translate very well to a controller. This drawback is likely due to Oceanhorn 2 being a mobile game first, so the developer couldn’t implement fast-paced, intricate combat for a touchscreen game. The movement doesn’t feel as mechanically strong as in most modern third-person action games. It’s useful for traversal and combat alike! I must admit that I felt overwhelmed with joy when I found a hookshot, as I’m a bit obsessed with hookshots in games, and it’s awesome in Oceanhorn 2. Not only are the puzzles fun, but the game also has you utilize new tools in each dungeon, one thing that I sorely missed in Breath of the Wild. At times, I forgot I wasn’t playing a Zelda game, which is probably the biggest compliment I could give Oceanhorn 2. Well, the puzzles in particular really impressed me. Given this is a Zelda-inspired game, you’re probably most curious about the puzzles and combat.
With that said, sometimes I couldn’t help but roll my eyes at how blatantly similar some of the game is. I’m starved for more Zelda! And Oceanhorn 2 definitely scratches that itch. It’s not like Nintendo is cranking out a full-fledged Zelda game every year. (You’ll need those pieces of heart!)Ī lot of the story elements, puzzle designs, and characters in Oceanhorn 2 are pretty blatant copycats of Zelda, which can be pretty jarring. You’ll get the most out of your experience with Oceanhorn 2 if you explore every inch of the environment. There are surprisingly massive locales you’ll encounter, too. However, there’s still plenty to explore and discover. Just like in those more linear entries, you’ll always know where your next objective is. Luckily, nothing game-breaking occurred, and the game auto-saves frequently.īut to reiterate, what I love about Oceanhorn 2: Knights of the Lost Realm is that it’s a love letter to pre- BOTW Zelda games, taking a lot of inspiration from Ocarina of Time, Wind Waker, Twilight Princess, and Skyward Sword. I also experienced a few crashes during my playthrough. The open environments specifically suffer from some pretty bad frame rate drops. In the first few hours things were just fine, but the further I got in, performance issues arose. Oceanhorn 2: Knights of the Lost Realm does have a few minor hiccups. Of course, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. It’s extremely impressive just how much the developer is able to pump out of mobile hardware. From dense, vibrant wooded areas to sprawling open grasslands and snowy alps - you’ll be hard-pressed to find an ugly section in Oceanhorn 2. The variety in both the environments and color palette kept me eager to see the next location. I was amazed at the attention to detail throughout the world Cornfox & Bros. Oceanhorn 2 is easily one of the most beautiful Switch games this year. It does shine in the presentation department though. The story doesn’t stand out as anything exceptional or memorable, but there are some intriguing tidbits throughout. It’s a pretty standard and mildly entertaining story. The story follows a young knight who is unexpectedly thrust into a journey across the various regions in the land of Gaia, all to defend this land and people from a Dark Army on the horizon.