Momodora II (PC)

Momodora II

Developer(s) – rdein

Publisher(s) – rdein

PEGI – Not yet rated (Non-graphic violence and some strong language)

Released one year after the original game, Momodora II took a different approach to gameplay, playing out as a Metroidvania as opposed to a linear 2D platformer. And carried on the story almost directly after the events of the original Momodora. Although this game pales in comparison to other classic Metroidvanias, the second game is decisively the best out of the original trilogy that was developed before the release of Momodora: Reverie Under The Moonlight.

Graphics – 7/10

The graphical quality of the game is just as good as the first. And it seems a lot more cohesive somehow. Gone are the science fiction elements of the first game. Such as guns and aliens in favor of a much more fantastical look. With the second game perpetuating a lot of the common elements found in later Momodora games. Such as the save points and the variety of enemies found throughout. Gone also is the 8-BIT soundtrack in favor of a more orchestral brand of music. Which in all honesty, fits the tableau of the series far better.

Gameplay – 7.5/10

Playing out like a traditional Metroidvania game, there is a variety of new abilities to collect in place of different kinds of weapons. And additional items can be found to give the player additional health. There are also a couple more boss fights thrown in as opposed to the one found in the first game. And although again, it falls way below par of what many other games in the genre have to offer. Such as Blasphemous, the Ori games, and even Xeodrifter, it is still a pretty fun game to play a good few challenges and secrets to uncover along the way. 

Controls – 10/10

Again, like the first game, there are also no issues with the controls. Since they practically play out identical to each other. The second game is almost like an extension to the first in respect to controls. But there are a couple of new mechanics introduced in the form of new types of abilities to wield compared to the previous game to at least keep things relatively fresh.

Lifespan – 1.5/10

Clocking in at around 50 minutes in total, the second game only lasts fractionally longer than the first. And especially as the second game is a lot more open-ended, it seems all the more underwhelming because of that. I can’t help but think that with a little more thought and time put into it that this game could’ve ended up being far more than what it ruined out to be. After all, Blasphemous had a particularly lengthy development cycle before finally seeing the light of day. And turns out to be one of the most critically acclaimed games of the eighth generation. But the developer seemed to prioritize getting the game out as fast as possible as opposed to putting in that little more effort than was needed, unfortunately.

Storyline – 6.5/10

The story of Momodora II, however, is a drastic improvement compared to that of the first game. It follows a young girl who has made a journey into a mysterious lair outside of Koho in order to find and defeat an entity known as the Underworld Queen. Who has been terrorizing the land. There’s a lot more dialogue, and therefore, a lot more story and emotion conveyed throughout. And it has a particularly interesting outcome that again, makes it a much more interesting narrative to experience than that of the first Momodora.

Originality – 4/10

Momodora II does far better to stand out from other Metroidvanias in comparison to the first game. But still, there are a lot of familiar elements that make it seem quite typical of any game in the genre. Eventually, the series would go on to become something much more distinct than what it started out as. But it was a lengthy process that happened over the course of several years. And it was something that could’ve happened a lot sooner if the developers had tried a few new things like new gameplay mechanics or something newer in terms of conceptual design. Some small contribution to that was made here, but not enough in my opinion.

Niiutral

Overall, Momodora II goes leaps and bounds ahead of its predecessor, but it is still a fairly generic Metroidvania title compared to others. It may be the best of the original Momodora trilogy, but unfortunately, it is the best of a bunch of below-par games in the lead-up to Reverie Under the Moonlight, which would blow them all out of the water. 

Score

36.5/60

6/10 (Average)

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