La-Mulana 2

About

In La-Mulana 2, you will take on the role of Lumisa Kosugi on a mission to find the entrance to the ruins of Eg-Lana, which is rumored to be the source of recent monster appearances. The ruins themselves are compromised of a variety of areas as well as huge boss creatures known as Guardians. Who knows what lies in wait at the end of Eg-Lana?

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

+12

87%

Audience ScoreBased on 826 reviews

gameplay46 positive mentions

stability24 negative mentions

La-Mulana 2 improves on the original's controls, making movement more fluid and responsive.
The puzzles are engaging and less cryptic than in the first game, providing a satisfying challenge.
The game features beautiful pixel art, an incredible soundtrack, and a rich lore that enhances the exploration experience.

The game can be frustratingly difficult, with many instant-death traps and enemies that can lead to cheap deaths.
Some puzzles are still overly obscure, requiring extensive note-taking and sometimes outside help to solve.
Boss design is inconsistent, with some bosses being too easy while others feel unfairly difficult.

gameplay
208 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
73%
5%
The gameplay of La-Mulana 2 has been described as a mix of improved mechanics and frustrating design choices, maintaining the challenging puzzle-solving and exploration elements of its predecessor while introducing new features like enhanced movement and a more fluid experience. However, some players feel that the game has become more controlled and less rewarding, with a reliance on familiar mechanics and a tendency to frustrate through poorly explained puzzles and traps. Overall, it offers a rich metroidvania experience for those who enjoy deep exploration and complex riddles, but may not appeal to players seeking a more straightforward or forgiving gameplay style.
- “The gameplay is easy to learn but hard to master; the story is gripping and the puzzles are very puzzling.”
- “A fantastic metroidvania experience that involves deep puzzle solving and fun exploration, as well as mechanical challenge.”
- “The gameplay is much smoother than the original, which is what I've been comparing it to.”
- “But unfortunately, La-Mulana 2 also attempts to change its gameplay formula, turning the end result into a game that maintains a good quality, but diehard fans of its predecessor will have a very hard time enjoying.”
- “Then I played La-Mulana 2 and after 8 hours of gameplay resulting in the discovery of 8 fast travel locations and slaying two bosses, I still feel like I have done nothing of value as my inventory is nearly empty.”
- “But unlike the first game, the gameplay took a bunch of steps backwards here.”
music
186 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
51%
46%
3%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising the soundtrack as enjoyable and engaging, while some tracks have been criticized for being less memorable or even irritating. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a significant improvement over the first game, featuring a variety of styles that enhance the gameplay experience, though a few tracks, particularly in certain levels, have drawn negative feedback. Despite some inconsistencies, the music remains a highlight for many players, contributing to the game's atmosphere and enjoyment.
- “The soundtrack is full of bangers, the boss fights are incredibly engaging and the whole lore is carefully built, basing itself on real-life archaeological places and facts.”
- “The music deserves its own special mention because it is once again possibly one of the best OSTs ever created, further cementing this series' status as one of the best, deepest puzzle platformers ever.”
- “It's a fun exploration action adventure with a banging soundtrack, beautiful pixel art and game content for days.”
- “The music in the Gate of the Dead is absolutely nauseating, a cat screeching in a tin can.”
- “Another big disappointment was the music.”
- “The boss music tracks felt really flat.”
story
105 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
82%
4%
La-Mulana 2 features a more pronounced emphasis on storytelling compared to its predecessor, with a new narrative that involves the daughter of the original protagonist and a variety of engaging non-playable characters. While the game offers rich worldbuilding and lore, some players feel that the story lacks focus and character interactions diminish as the game progresses, leading to a less impactful climax. Overall, the sequel expands on the original's themes and puzzles, providing a captivating experience for those willing to explore its depths.
- “La-Mulana 2 has more emphasis on story and talking with non-playable characters compared to its predecessor.”
- “The game's fantastic worldbuilding and story acts as the icing on the cake.”
- “The story told through the hints given by the tablets is still as well crafted and mysterious as in the original.”
- “Even during the most climactic story moments, character dialogue stagnates, even in main characters.”
- “Oh, and you may hope to influence the plot, but the only scene meaningful in this way prevents a logical solution from applying, which frustrates and cheapens the plot surrounding that character.”
- “You already know what the threat is in 'La-Mulana 2', which makes the final battle have less power as a climax. It’s clear that the events in this game were planned since the first, but it doesn’t stop the game from feeling like excuses were made to keep the story going.”
graphics
80 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
48%
49%
4%
The graphics in the game have received mixed reviews, with many praising the detailed character designs, smooth animations, and beautiful pixel art reminiscent of classic PlayStation titles. However, some players have criticized the optimization issues, such as washed-out visuals and performance problems even at lower settings. Overall, while the aesthetic improvements and artistic direction are celebrated, technical shortcomings have detracted from the experience for some users.
- “The totality of this experience convinced me to call the graphics a 'masterpiece'.”
- “Graphics: the levels feature beautiful ascended PlayStation-era pixel art, but the best part of the game are the painted and animated NPCs.”
- “Finally, the graphics of this game are just fantastic.”
- “The blur is dumb, the visuals look too washed out, and Unity crashed once or twice (disastrous if you haven't made a hard save in a bit. Good luck retracing your steps).”
- “How is it possible for it to be so badly optimized that it runs slowly even at minimum graphics settings?”
- “Still, for a game with La-Mulana's graphics, I feel this should have been avoided.”
humor
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in La Mulana 2 is characterized by a more mischievous tone compared to its predecessor, with developers seemingly reveling in the player's misfortunes through unexpected traps and punishing gameplay mechanics. While the original game offered a more friendly, shared laughter experience, the sequel leans into a darker, more chaotic humor that often leaves players feeling like the butt of the joke. Overall, the game combines charming visuals, a retro soundtrack, and witty dialogue, creating a uniquely entertaining yet challenging experience.
- “There are also tons of absolutely hilarious traps that you will not see coming.”
- “The invincibility that comes after getting hit doesn't protect you from falling on spikes, which leads to hilarious cascades of misfortune.”
- “I was expecting a more serious game, like the original, but this one wears its humor on its sleeve.”
stability
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game has been criticized for its stability, with numerous glitches and bugs reported, some persisting for years. While many issues have been addressed, players still encounter occasional softlocks and other minor bugs that detract from the overall experience. Overall, the game is considered solid but is recommended for those willing to wait for further patches to improve stability.
- “There are glitches reported years ago that still happen.”
- “Second, it's quite buggy to the point where you can softlock your progress, making it impossible to complete.”
- “The game is extremely buggy and should be marked as beta or early access.”
grinding
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious and repetitive, with combat described as dry and uninteresting. The lack of efficient note management exacerbates the frustration, making the experience feel more like a chore than enjoyable gameplay. Additionally, the design of puzzles and enemy encounters contributes to a sense of monotony, further diminishing the overall enjoyment.
- “Combat is pretty dry, tedious, uninteresting, repetitive, and awful.”
- “It's not enjoyable, it's just repetitive and tedious.”
- “You are instead fighting several minibosses, mostly tedious and boring, and often walking from point A to point B.”
optimization
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
33%
50%
The game's optimization has been widely criticized, with players reporting severe performance issues such as stuttering and frame drops, regardless of their hardware or graphical settings. Many users express frustration that a game with such basic graphics should not suffer from these problems, suggesting a lack of effort from the developers in addressing optimization concerns. Overall, the game's performance is described as a significant drawback, detracting from the overall experience.
- “This game performance is a nightmare.”
- “If developers are too lazy to move from the platform they learned to develop in the name of developer convenience, you should not bother receiving harsh reviews on your performance.”
- “A game that looks like this shouldn't be having the amount of performance issues as it did, regardless of your PC's tech.”
- “This game's performance is a nightmare.”
- “How is it possible for it to be so badly optimized that it runs slowly even at minimum graphics settings?”
emotional
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express a strong emotional connection to the game, particularly through its art and music, which evoke feelings of epic achievement despite the lack of innovation. The challenging nature of bosses and minibosses adds to the emotional experience, as players often feel a sense of accomplishment after multiple attempts to overcome them. However, some frustration arises from unclear mechanics regarding damage, which can detract from the overall emotional engagement.
- “They made me feel like I was doing something epic (which I totally was) and were hard and often needed several tries to figure out how to approach them.”
- “We all hate E3 showcases for merely demonstrating their cinematic and marketing prowess while lacking any real gameplay ideas, but we all fall in love with pseudo-32-bit platformers with pretty art and emotional music that have very little going for them in the innovation department themselves.”
atmosphere
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The atmosphere in La-Mulana 2 is praised for its expansion on the original game's unique blend of fantastical archaeology and exploration, enhancing the overall experience with improved controls and boss designs. Reviewers highlight the game's ability to create an immersive and captivating environment that builds on its cult classic predecessor.
- “La-Mulana 1 is a cult classic, a game that was (until the sequel) without equal when it came to the atmosphere of fantastical archaeology.”
- “This one really expands on the first game's setups, exploration, controls, boss designs, and just the atmosphere.”
replayability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
Users consistently highlight the game's "infinitely replayable" nature, indicating that it offers a compelling experience that encourages multiple playthroughs without losing its appeal.
- “Infinitely replayable.”
- “Infinitely replayable.”
- “The game offers endless replayability.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The reviews highlight exceptional character designs and artwork, emphasizing their impressive quality and creativity. However, there is no specific mention of character development in terms of narrative or growth.
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's monetization strategy reflects the small company's limited budget for advertising, yet their passion is evident in the high quality and detail of the game, which many reviewers feel surpasses that of larger AAA titles.