HIKIBYOU2
- October 16, 2016
- Blaze Epic
- 5h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"HIKIBYOU2" is a single-player Anime Platformer game with open-ended levels and story-focused progression. It features various platforming challenges, puzzles, and stealth elements, with pixel-art graphics and an electronic soundtrack. Developed and composed by a solo developer, the game offers unlimited continues and frequent checkpoints, taking around 4 hours to beat.
Windows
Xbox
Reviews
- The game features responsive controls and fast-paced gameplay, making it enjoyable for players who appreciate platforming challenges.
- Hikibyou2 offers a surprising twist in its story, which adds an unexpected layer of depth to the gameplay experience.
- The music and sound effects contribute to a relaxing atmosphere, helping to alleviate the frustrations that can arise from challenging platforming sections.
- The game suffers from excessive backtracking and repetitive objectives, which can disrupt the flow of gameplay and lead to frustration.
- Boss fights are poorly designed and feel unnecessary, lacking variety and depth, which detracts from the overall experience.
- The visual quality is low, relying on outdated pixel art and lacking customization options, which may disappoint players expecting modern graphics.
- story19 mentions
- 16 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 16 % negative mentions
The game's story has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it generic and lacking depth, while others appreciate its unexpected twists and immersive atmosphere. Although the narrative is described as simplistic and at times annoying, it does feature moments that resonate, particularly for those willing to engage with its high school drama elements. Overall, while the story may not be a strong point, it offers some redeeming qualities that can enhance the experience for certain players.
“The story, atmosphere, and weirdness are where this game shines over the first one.”
“If you're just some average gamer who takes everything at face value or if you're impatient with, admittedly, difficult yet samey games then you might not get it... but if you have a knack for immersing yourself in games, and a patience for a story that is shown and told, this is the game for you.”
“The plot twist was really enjoyable and it improved my overall impression of the story.”
“The story is kind of generic as the baddies are literally called 'the organisation', which is dumb.”
“The plot is boring like the last but at least it makes sense, which is a plus (?);”
“The story has a high school drama feel to it which sounds awful.”
- gameplay8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The gameplay has been criticized for being janky and unsatisfying, with a lack of polish in the control scheme that detracts from the overall experience. While it offers a few hours of entertainment at a low price, it feels more like an incremental update rather than a true sequel, with simplified mechanics and less engaging platforming compared to its predecessor. Despite some fast-paced moments, the overall gameplay does not meet the expectations set by the first game.
“As a 'sequel', this game is strange because gameplay-wise it's mostly just version 1.5 of the previous game, with the platforming parkour section being a mostly streamlined version with some changes/additions and the brawling being ultra-simplified, all while the plot is completely different.”
“+ 3 to 5 hours of gameplay for a cheap price.”
“- Responsive controls and fast-paced gameplay.”
“It's janky and unsatisfying to play... and any experienced gamer will tell you, the handling, responsiveness, and general gameplay feel of the control scheme must be well polished for this kind of game to succeed.”
“Unfortunately, this is something the developer seems to have phoned in, with little to no apparent gameplay testing.”
“As a 'sequel', this game is strange, because gameplay-wise it's mostly just version 1.5 of the previous game, with the platforming parkour section being a mostly streamlined version with some changes/additions and the brawling being ultra-simplified... all while the plot is completely different.”
- music6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The music in the game is described as chill and enjoyable, effectively alleviating the frustrations of challenging platforming sections. While some users noted a lack of significant improvement from the previous installment, the overall sound design, including music and sound effects, remains satisfactory.
“Enjoy the nice music!”
“+ enjoyable sound effects, music, and pixel art.”
“The music in the game is very chill, and honestly, I think it helps deal with the annoyances of some challenging platformers, since the music helps vent the steam of redoing a section.”
“While I didn't hear much improvement since the first game, the music is still okay.”
- graphics4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game feature retro pixel art that some players appreciate for its nostalgic charm, reminiscent of titles like Cave Story. However, the lack of resolution options and graphics customization, combined with a perceived lack of depth in the visual presentation, has led to mixed feelings among users. Overall, while the art style appeals to some, it is criticized for being simplistic and not enhancing the overall gaming experience.
“I really enjoyed the art style in this, as it slightly reminded me of Cave Story's pixel art style, which is honestly what made me purchase it in the first place.”
“A choice was made to use obsolete, decades-old retro pixel art as a substitute for contemporary PC graphics.”
“There's no option to change the resolution and no useful graphics tweaks.”
“The graphics are just pixel art with nothing additional to enhance the game's look; the story is thin, and the game keeps referencing how little effort was put into this part.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is praised for its engaging story and unique weirdness, creating a laid-back experience that enhances enjoyment, even for those typically averse to platformers with frequent instadeaths.
“The story, atmosphere, and weirdness are where this game shines over the first one.”
“I am usually not a fan of platformers with lots of instadeaths, but I liked the laid-back atmosphere in this one.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that Gamemaker Studio is often associated with the creation of low-effort, retro-style games that are perceived as cash grabs, suggesting a negative view of its monetization practices.
“Gamemaker Studio is most commonly used to make retro pixel shovelware and cash grabs.”
