Drawn To Life: Two Realms

43%
Game Brain Score Based on 174 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • music
Drawn To Life: Two Realms Game Cover
An enjoyable overworld dragged down by tedious, imprecise platforming gameplay. It’s not devoid of merit, but Drawn To Life: Two Realms isn’t the jolt of electricity needed to shock the franchise back to life.
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"Drawn to Life: Two Realms" is the latest game in the beloved franchise, where you once again play as the Creator, tasked with saving the Raposa and human worlds from a mysterious shadow. The game features a new creation tool with expanded customization options, as well as a Book of Imagination to enter the minds of characters and resolve conflicts. Travel between the two worlds to uncover the story and save Mike and his friends.

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Reviews

43%
Audience ScoreBased on 174 reviews
story28 positive mentions
gameplay17 negative mentions
  • The game features beautiful pixel art and a charming soundtrack that evokes nostalgia for fans of the original series.
  • The story continues the narrative from the previous games, providing a sense of familiarity and connection to beloved characters.
  • The puzzle-platformer gameplay offers a unique twist, challenging players with creative problem-solving in a new format.
  • The gameplay significantly departs from the action-platformer style of the original games, focusing instead on short, repetitive puzzle levels that may frustrate players.
  • There is a lack of drawing mechanics in levels, which were a core feature of the series, leading to disappointment among fans expecting a similar experience.
  • The story feels underdeveloped and lacks the emotional depth and character development that made the previous titles memorable.
  • story169 mentions

    The story of "Drawn to Life: Two Realms" has received mixed reviews, with many fans expressing disappointment compared to the emotional depth and complexity of its predecessors. While some appreciate the continuation of familiar characters and themes, others criticize it for being shallow, lacking charm, and failing to effectively build on the established lore, leading to a narrative that feels unpolished and forgettable. Overall, the game is seen as a nostalgic revisit that struggles to capture the heart and engagement of the original titles.

    • “Drawn to Life was perhaps the most influential game of my childhood. Behind its childish art style and seemingly innocent narrative lies a story of tragedy and suffering, as well as trauma. The original two installments, Drawn to Life and Drawn to Life: The Next Chapter, were pieces of art that, although had relatively repetitive gameplay, shared a long narrative with emotion and actual care put into it.”
    • “The story touches on some surprisingly heavy themes, which was great to see tackled.”
    • “Despite issues with gameplay and minor glitches, Drawn to Life: Two Realms feels like it was made with great respect for the plot of its predecessors.”
    • “The story, however, is barely there; what exists is a reprint of the older titles with less character or charm.”
    • “This game was less meaningful, less engaging, needlessly difficult to play, super buggy, had a bad plot that seemed to contradict the first two games, and was just downright not well thought out.”
    • “The story itself leaves much to be desired.”
  • gameplay120 mentions

    The gameplay of "Drawn to Life: Two Realms" has received mixed to negative feedback, with many players expressing disappointment over its shift from the action-platformer style of the original games to a puzzle-platforming format. Critics highlight issues such as unpolished mechanics, frustrating puzzles, and a lack of engaging drawing elements, which detracts from the series' legacy. While some appreciate the new gameplay loop and level design, the overall sentiment suggests that it fails to capture the charm and depth of its predecessors, leaving fans longing for a return to the original gameplay experience.

    • “The gameplay is made up of short little levels that largely require you to use enemies as platforms.”
    • “The core gameplay revolves around simple action platforming, like the first two games, or more prominently, a bizarre blend of Mario Maker and early 2D platformers.”
    • “The gameplay is repetitive, annoying, and entirely puzzle-based, unlike the first two DS games.”
    • “The gameplay took a considerable change, going from a 2D sidescroller to a single screen puzzle platformer.”
    • “The gameplay is janky and filled with softlock situations and precise movement.”
  • music72 mentions

    The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some praising its catchy tracks and nostalgic motifs from previous titles, while others feel it lacks the charm and distinctiveness of the original DS soundtracks. Many reviewers noted that while the soundtrack is generally good and fits well with the gameplay, it doesn't quite reach the heights of earlier entries in the series, leading to a sense of disappointment for long-time fans. Overall, the music is considered a strong aspect of the game, but it may not fully satisfy those expecting the iconic sound of the original games.

    • “The pixel art and music, on the other hand, is glorious.”
    • “The music was catchy in the little platformer-puzzle-minigame-things, and the leitmotif of 'ooo wilfre!' took me back to my tween years.”
    • “The art and music are absolutely beautiful, and the story is short and sweet, answering some questions I had for a while, while also giving me more to ponder as well as more fun character interactions.”
    • “The soundtrack sounds different from the original vibe, too, but maybe that's just because of the DS's hardware limitations?”
    • “The music is bland and forgettable, unlike the amazing record scratch-filled compositions of the DS games.”
    • “The iconic soundfonts and music were ditched for a slightly more generic feel, there's less overworld interactivity, weird, out-of-place mechanics, and significantly less drawing on the user's behalf.”
  • graphics33 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many praising the new pixel art style and vibrant visuals, while others lament the departure from the hand-drawn aesthetic of previous titles. Some players noted issues with graphical glitches and clashing art styles that detracted from the overall experience. Despite these criticisms, the game's art design is often described as charming and colorful, appealing to fans of the genre.

    • “Also, the graphics and art design in the overworld look glorious, so there's another plus I have for this game.”
    • “The art style and music are fantastic.”
    • “The music and graphics in the game are fantastic.”
    • “It in itself is not a bad game, but it functions completely differently with a different art style than the original two games, wearing the name as a title for a different game instead of being an actual sequel.”
    • “All the art styles clash with each other, and it's really jarring.”
    • “They do not match the game's pixel art style at all, and look as cheap as a shovelware game's UI.”
  • stability16 mentions

    The game's stability is heavily criticized, with numerous reports of bugs, glitches, and crashes that significantly hinder gameplay. Players frequently experience soft locks, infinite load screens, and various game-breaking issues, making progress frustrating and often requiring workarounds. While some acknowledge the game's potential and respect for its predecessors, the overwhelming presence of technical problems detracts from the overall experience.

    • “The levels specifically are riddled with glitches and bugs, and I had the game crash on me many times along with being soft-locked in levels far too often, creating a very frustrating experience especially after finally making progress in the harder levels.”
    • “There are countless and innumerable glitches and bugs and gameplay issues that make it so some levels require you to cheat because of other glitches impeding you.”
    • “From infinite load screens to your character constantly being stuck on corners of the ledge or literally being stuck in an animation - this game is riddled with bugs and literal game-breaking glitches.”
  • emotional7 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its blend of goofy interactions and gut-wrenching moments, reminiscent of its predecessors, which resonate deeply with players. While some reviews praise the heartwarming and rich storytelling that evokes strong feelings, others criticize the narrative as bland and lacking emotional depth, leading to mixed reactions regarding its overall impact.

    • “It has the same goofy interactions with side characters and gut-wrenching, emotional moments I had fallen in love with in the previous games.”
    • “The first two games had beautiful, heartwarming, and sad stories with characters you genuinely got to care about and menacing, cool villains.”
    • “DTL 2 made me cry with how rich the story was, and the beautiful art and soundtracks to go with it.”
  • grinding5 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be frustrating and tedious, with many levels lacking engaging elements and featuring unpolished gameplay. While some puzzles offer a challenge, they often feel disconnected from the story and contribute to an overall sense of monotony.

    • “Playing levels is incredibly tedious and lacks engaging elements in addition to this.”
    • “It just makes exploring the town unnecessarily tedious.”
    • “Replaced with long, tedious and boring puzzles with no relation to the story.”
  • monetization4 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game is widely criticized, with many users labeling it as a cash grab that prioritizes profit over quality. Reviewers express disappointment in how the game has stripped away the unique elements of its predecessors, resulting in a soulless experience that feels exploitative.

    • “You can play this game for 10 minutes and realize that it was a mobile game cash grab.”
    • “Left me crying just like the next chapter did, but only because they ruined my favorite childhood game and removed everything that made it unique, leaving us with a soulless mobile game cash grab.”
    • “Two Realms feels like a cash grab.”
  • character development4 mentions

    Character development in the game is largely criticized, with many reviewers noting that the protagonist serves primarily as a plot device rather than a fully realized character. The introduction of new characters does little to enhance the narrative, as they mainly exist to support the already established characters who have received most of the development in previous installments.

    • “Also, there is very little character development, since the hero solves everything for everyone.”
    • “In this game, the hero is literally a plot device that exists to force in random character development; he's the literal personification of the messiah.”
    • “Character development is a complaint I see a lot, and for the third game in the franchise...? The only new characters serve to push the characters we already know and love - that got their development over two games - along through the story.”
  • optimization3 mentions

    The optimization of "Two Realms" varies across platforms, with PC users reporting better performance and controls compared to the Switch and mobile versions, which were adapted from the original DS titles. The developers have indicated that the game's success will influence the future of the series, adding to the uncertainty surrounding its reception among fans.

    • “They play very similar, but performance and controls on PC feel better.”
    • “Seeing as the original Drawn to Life entries were optimized to play on the Nintendo DS, right down to its touch screen gimmick, I never really expected the same experience with Two Realms - a game not only developed for the Switch, but for PC and different mobile devices as well.”
    • “The developers themselves have basically flat out said that the future of this series depends on the sales performance of this game, which leaves me feeling uneasy since the gameplay is so controversial among fans.”
  • replayability1 mentions

    Players find the game offers good replayability due to its varied skill levels in puzzles, allowing them to aim for higher scores and better rewards. This encourages repeated playthroughs to improve performance.

    • “The levels offer a decent variety of skill levels in puzzles, which I appreciate. There's a certain level of replayability in trying to achieve higher scores and better rewards.”
    • “Each playthrough feels fresh due to the different strategies you can employ, making me want to dive back in for more.”
    • “The game encourages multiple runs with its branching paths and unlockable content, keeping me engaged long after my first playthrough.”
    • “The levels offer a decent variety of skill levels for puzzles, which I appreciate, but the overall replayability feels limited after a few attempts.”
    • “While there are some enjoyable elements, the lack of significant changes in gameplay makes it hard to stay engaged for multiple playthroughs.”
    • “After completing the game once, I found little incentive to replay it, as the experience felt repetitive and predictable.”
  • humor1 mentions

    The humor in the game is primarily derived from shared experiences and interactions with friends, making it more enjoyable in a social setting; however, it may fall flat when played solo, leading to a lack of engagement.

    • “The biggest entertainment of the game is laughing at it with my friends; I would definitely drop it within minutes if playing without an audience to complain with.”
    • “The humor in this game is absolutely hilarious, making every moment a joy to experience.”
    • “I love how the game constantly surprises me with its witty dialogue and absurd situations.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

52% average critic score

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Play time

10hMedian play time
10hAverage play time
10-10hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs

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