LostWinds: Winter of the Melodias
- March 24, 2016
- Frontier Developments
- 7h median play time
Get on SteamWith amazing new abilities, re-visit a land full of wonder on a new adventure in LostWinds 2: Winter of the Melodias - sequel to the award-winning ‘LostWinds’.
PC
Windows
Wii
Reviews
- The game features beautiful graphics and charming art style, enhancing the overall experience.
- New mechanics, such as the season-switching feature, add depth to the gameplay and puzzles.
- If you enjoyed the first game, this sequel offers a similar yet expanded experience with more collectibles and slightly longer playtime.
- The game suffers from control issues, particularly with mouse mechanics, making some actions frustrating.
- It is relatively short, with many players completing it in around 3-4 hours, leading to concerns about its value at full price.
- Backtracking can be tedious, especially with the introduction of a slow NPC companion that complicates navigation.
- gameplay47 mentions
- 15 % positive mentions
- 79 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by unique mouse mechanics that allow players to control wind, facilitating traversal and puzzle-solving in a charming 2D platformer environment. While the introduction of new mechanics, such as seasonal changes, adds depth and variety, some players find the controls challenging and the overall experience somewhat short, with around 8 hours of gameplay. Despite these issues, the game successfully builds on its predecessor, offering a more expansive world and engaging puzzles that enhance the exploration experience.
“The gameplay mechanics use of the mouse to control the wind, which in turn allows you to traverse the environment or move objects, is really creative.”
“The addition of seasons also drastically changes the gameplay, as water that once could be swum through is no longer swimmable when it's a block of ice.”
“Lostwinds 2: Winter of the Melodias is an enjoyable platformer with unique controls that lead to some interesting gameplay mechanics.”
“The motion is more synchronous, but story and gameplay that don’t live up to their potential knock it down several pegs.”
“It's barely playable for the wind mechanic.”
“If you don't know the mechanics, it can be hard to progress until you figure it out, as the game doesn't always do the best job of explaining them.”
- story39 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 72 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The story in the LostWinds series is generally described as charming and imaginative, with a more developed narrative in the sequel that continues from the first game's cliffhanger. However, many reviewers note that the story often takes a backseat to gameplay mechanics, leading to a lack of depth and character development. While some players appreciate the relaxing atmosphere and visuals, others feel the narrative is simplistic and insufficient to fully engage them.
“On the plus side: lovely story (goes for both games), relaxing music, and all in all a great idea to move with the wind.”
“The most negative point of the previous game was that I thought it was too short; I wanted to explore more, get to know that lore, the characters, the world better, and the second game solves this problem. It is longer, involves the story, the mechanics, the characters, and, mainly: the world.”
“The story is entirely told by text, but everything about this game just feels fresh and unique. It's a game that really showcases traditional settings coupled with fantasy elements, making it feel spiritual and lively.”
“There is little to no story; I still don't understand who the bad guy was, but maybe I should have played the first game to understand?”
“The story isn't much to look at, being a children's game.”
“The story takes a backseat to the metroidvania-like gameplay as you seek out treasures, new skills, and answers to the curse you are trying to solve.”
- music22 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The music in "LostWinds 2" is generally praised for its atmospheric and relaxing qualities, effectively complementing the game's art and environments. However, many reviewers noted that the soundtrack is limited in variety, leading to some repetitiveness over time. Overall, while the music enhances the experience, there is a desire for a broader selection of tracks.
“Music - there isn't much music, but what music is there fits the game and adds solid atmosphere.”
“Cute, short, well-designed puzzle platformer that has great art and music.”
“The music in this was also really nice and suited to the environments as well.”
“Perhaps because the game is slightly longer, the soundtrack started to sound repetitive and clumsy after a while.”
“There are still far too few music tracks.”
“The OST could use some work, though.”
- graphics17 mentions
- 59 % positive mentions
- 24 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their beauty and charm, featuring adorable art styles and well-designed environments that appeal to a younger audience. Players appreciate the game's performance, noting that it runs smoothly across a range of hardware, although some feel that the visuals alone may not compensate for a lack of depth in gameplay. Overall, the graphics are a standout aspect, contributing to an enjoyable experience despite some criticisms regarding content.
“This game has gorgeous, adorable graphics.”
“The game has some really beautiful environments and the graphics are really well designed and laid out.”
“Pros: the visuals are beautiful, and the plot is imaginative.”
“However, it does seem to lack very many general options such as keybindings, graphical options, etc., but that is most likely due to the fact that it is a WiiWare port.”
“I enjoyed it, it's very kid-friendly as far as graphics, sound, and basic gameplay, but the wind function may leave them very frustrated as it's not always intuitive and simple.”
“Very simple controls, not too difficult puzzles, pretty visuals.”
- atmosphere5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in Lostwinds 2 is praised for its fitting music and a charming, kid-friendly vibe reminiscent of classic Nintendo titles like Zelda. Reviewers highlight the game's beautiful visuals and overall immersive experience, making it a worthwhile choice for those seeking a lighthearted adventure.
“The music - there isn't much music, but what music is there fits the game and adds solid atmosphere.”
“LostWinds 2 has an atmospheric feel reminiscent of Nintendo titles like Zelda.”
“I would have to say the price of 15 dollars for both games is fair enough; they are both beautiful and atmospheric experiences.”
“Overall, I highly recommend the series if you're able to deal with the kid-friendly atmosphere and the not too serious or difficult gameplay.”
- grinding4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious and frustrating, particularly when using mouse and keyboard controls. The back-and-forth nature of combat and the challenges of managing elemental interactions contribute to a sense of monotony, leading some to wish for a greater focus on puzzles instead.
“It doesn’t force it too much, but it did kind of get a little tedious going back and forth.”
“Trying to use winds or the elements to ward away your enemies can be frustrating when it's relatively long, tedious, and you're trying not to fling your character like some kind of ragdoll.”
“Combat is tedious and easy to avoid; I almost wish they would've taken it out entirely and focused on the puzzles.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game is generally well-received in terms of performance, with no stuttering and impressive visuals; however, it is noted as a poorly optimized Wii port. Despite this, the updated mechanics and controls enhance the overall experience.
“It works completely fine: no stuttering, visuals are still wonderful, and the mechanics/controls are slightly updated.”
“I enjoyed the game, but it was a poorly optimized Wii port.”
- character development2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate a lack of character development, with many players feeling that the game does not provide sufficient background or new ideas to engage them. The assumption that players are already familiar with the protagonists from the previous installment further detracts from the experience for newcomers.
“There is no character development or background descriptions, as the game assumes that you know all the protagonists from the first game.”
“The characters feel flat and uninteresting, lacking any meaningful growth or depth throughout the story.”
“I was disappointed by the lack of character arcs; it felt like the characters were just placeholders without any real evolution.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Users have reported stability issues, with some attempting to resolve them through compatibility settings and troubleshooting steps, such as installing DirectX version 9.
“I've tried running it through previous version compatibility, and I've also followed troubleshooting steps recommended by another player, such as installing DirectX version 9.”
“The game crashes frequently, making it nearly unplayable.”
“I experience constant lag and stability issues, which ruin the overall experience.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game has limited replayability due to its short length of 3-4 hours, which makes it difficult for reviewers to recommend at full price.
“Overall, the short length of around 3-4 hours, combined with little to no replay value, makes it hard to recommend at full price.”
“Once you've completed the game, there's really no incentive to go back and play it again.”
“The lack of meaningful choices and consequences means that replaying the game feels more like a chore than an enjoyable experience.”
