Flashback 2
- November 16, 2023
- Microids Studio Lyon
- 2h median play time
Flashback 2 is a slapdash sequel that trades heavily on nostalgia, while misunderstanding everything that made its predecessor a classic.
Get on Steam
Get on PS StoreIn "Flashback 2," players step into the shoes of agent Conrad B. Hart once again as they face off against the Morph invasion in the 22nd century. With the help of AI-powered weapon A.I.S.H.A, Conrad embarks on a thrilling adventure filled with heart-pounding action, twists, and turns. This platform shooter boasts a gripping story, fluid gameplay, and intricate level design, promising an intense and immersive experience for players.
Nintendo Switch
PC
Playstation 4
Playstation 5
Windows
Xbox One
Xbox Series X|S
PlayStation
Xbox
Reviews
- The graphics and art style are visually appealing, capturing a nice cyberpunk aesthetic reminiscent of the original.
- The game includes nostalgic elements and references to the original Flashback, which fans may appreciate.
- Some players found the gameplay enjoyable, especially after recent patches that improved performance and aiming mechanics.
- The game suffers from numerous bugs and glitches, including issues with character movement, aiming, and save points.
- Voice acting and narrative quality are generally considered poor, detracting from the overall experience.
- Many players feel that the controls are clunky and unresponsive, making gameplay frustrating compared to the original.
- story36 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 78 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The story of Flashback 2 is criticized for being convoluted and clichéd, attempting to add unnecessary complexity to a straightforward premise of one man's fight against an alien invasion. While some players found moments of intrigue and nostalgia, many felt the narrative lacked coherence and depth, with fragmented storytelling and poor execution diminishing its impact. Overall, the game struggles to live up to the legacy of its predecessor, leaving players disappointed with its storytelling quality.
“The story is intriguing with some twists.”
“I found the locations and story to be interesting.”
“The story seems to feel so familiar like the very first one; for me, this is a good thing and I felt at home straight away.”
“The story is a bit complicated and confused; it's trying to link with the original game and fade to black.”
“For whatever reason, Flashback 2 spends all its time trying to make itself seem deeper by taking this simple story of one man against an alien invasion and adding unnecessary twists and turns to the plot just for the sake of making it seem like there's more to the story than there is.”
“A hollow, idiotic story conveyed with some of the worst voice acting in modern gaming memory.”
- graphics16 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 44 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are generally praised for their quality, art style, and immersive sci-fi cyberpunk aesthetic, aligning well with the nostalgic feel of the original. However, some users note issues with optimization, low frame rates, and a lack of customizable graphic settings, which detracts from the overall experience. While the visuals are a highlight, they are marred by technical shortcomings that impact gameplay.
“The graphics were really well done and the sound/music is great.”
“The graphical style is great and exactly what I wanted from a modern sequel.”
“I've played a few hours but the art style is right on with the dystopic-utopic, Total Recall-ish feel of the original.”
“The graphics are not noticeable.”
“Graphics need to be optimized to be smoother.”
“Even if put aside the simple graphic options that would be found in indie games under $5, it’s a problem that the frame rate is low.”
- gameplay16 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Flashback 2 has shifted from the original's cinematic platformer style to a twin-stick shooter format, which many players find basic and lacking in depth. Despite some appealing graphics and nostalgic elements, the game suffers from performance issues, clunky mechanics, and unoptimized design, leading to a frustrating experience, especially in multiplayer. Overall, while it attempts to evoke the original's charm, it falls short due to its simplistic gameplay and numerous bugs.
“The best way to explain Flashback 2's gameplay style is twin-stick shooter.”
“Yes, it's different from the first game with the 2.5D environment, but the gameplay takes me back to the original in some ways.”
“One of the best parts of the original Flashback was the linear side-scrolling and interactions across the gameplay.”
“Nothing really pops out about Flashback 2's rather basic gameplay, and honestly, it makes me feel as if the Flashback name was just slapped onto this to try and shift an extra few purchases.”
“The gameplay is already clunky in single-player; it becomes appalling when it goes to a more 3D section; aiming is absolutely horrible.”
“The auto-saving is sporadic, so I lost 45 minutes of gameplay because I couldn't even load my previous save when a mission got bugged.”
- optimization15 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 40 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received largely negative feedback, with players reporting significant performance issues such as constant stuttering, FPS drops, and long loading times across various platforms, including high-end PCs and consoles like the PS5. Many users describe the game as "unplayable" due to these issues, indicating a pressing need for improvements in graphics and overall performance. Despite some acknowledging that the stuttering is comparable to other recent titles, the consensus is that the game is poorly optimized and requires urgent attention from developers.
“Performance is okay on 3080 Ti.”
“I feel that it's still possible to salvage that feeling with optimization and fine-tuning controls a bit.”
“Devs, please take note of comments on optimization for the game and controls, and you may win back some nostalgic love from users.”
“Game is sometimes broken, unoptimized, with a bunch of lagging bugs and nearly no interesting level design or game mechanics.”
“With 3080 Ti, Ryzen 5900X, and 32GB DDR4, there is a lot of stuttering and FPS drops.”
“This game is extremely poorly optimized.”
- music11 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The music in the game has been largely criticized for being forgettable and lacking the memorable quality of the original title, with many players expressing disappointment that it did not include remastered tracks or more engaging musical moments. While some reviews mention that the sound design and ambiance are decent, the overall consensus is that the music fails to leave a lasting impression.
“The graphics were really well done and the sound/music is great.”
“Cool environments, ambiance, and music.”
“+ Nice graphics and music.”
“The music and sound aren't memorable at all, unlike the original Flashback for console.”
“I just finished two hours of gameplay and I can't even remember any of the music; I still hum the original music to this day... they definitely missed a great opportunity here.”
“I would have preferred they remastered the original music or at least added some remastered music at certain parts, maybe during travel or non-combat, like in the original, where it would play a quick 3 to 4 second music clip when you reached certain areas.”
- stability9 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 78 % negative mentions
The game's stability is generally inconsistent, with users reporting various bugs and glitches that can hinder gameplay, such as mission progression issues and visual anomalies. While some players experience minimal stuttering and no crashes, others encounter significant performance problems, including long loading times and frequent coding errors. Overall, the game is described as "buggy" but not entirely game-breaking for all users.
“For the most part, this runs great for me.”
“With a 4090, Ryzen 7800X3D, and 32GB DDR5, it runs great with only a couple of stutters.”
“It's buggy as hell even after the patch, and one 'bug,' if you can call it that, was the only reason I was able to complete it without ripping my hair out in the later levels.”
“This one had so many coding glitches where I can walk through walls and fall through the ground.”
“There are many stutters and glitches.”
- humor4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by its quirky and unexpected moments, such as the lack of character reactions to dramatic events and amusing dialogue between characters, particularly regarding relationships and AI interactions. While some humor is found in the absurdity of situations, it also carries a bittersweet undertone due to the involvement of the original developer.
“I found it funny that I'm not hating this game.”
“A few times I laughed at the characters' lack of reaction to the dramatic events they witnessed, lol.”
“The exchanges between Conrad and his girlfriend were cute and funny, especially their discussions about pheromones and heart rate analysis, along with Conrad's AI-powered gun and assistant.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy is criticized as a blatant cash grab, exploiting the established brand without offering substantial value to players.
“Nothing more than a cash grab, exploiting the nostalgia of the franchise.”
“The monetization strategy feels overly aggressive and detracts from the overall experience.”
“It's frustrating to see so many features locked behind paywalls, making it hard to enjoy the game fully without spending extra money.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is criticized for its lack of depth, particularly in the character of Conrad, who is described as a sociopath with minimal emotional responsiveness, likened to a "wet paper towel." This suggests a failure to create relatable or engaging emotional experiences for players.
- replayability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Many users note a lack of replay value in the game, which some find refreshing, suggesting that the experience is satisfying enough to not require multiple playthroughs.
“There isn't really any replay value, which is fine, and I find it very refreshing.”
“Once you've completed the game, there's little incentive to go back and play it again.”
“The lack of different endings or choices makes replaying the game feel pointless.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviewers express disappointment in the game's atmosphere, noting that it fails to evoke the same sense of story and adventure as its nostalgic predecessors.
