SIMULACRA 2

About

SIMULACRA 2 is a single player simulation game. It was developed by Kaigan Games OÜ and was released on December 11, 2019. It received positive reviews from players.

"Simulacra 2" is a mystery game where you investigate a deceased influencer's phone with the help of a police AI software, WARDEN. By exploring various apps and piecing together clues, you aim to uncover the truth behind Maya's unnatural death and the potential dangers lurking in social media. Offering a non-linear narrative, the game has dozens of possible outcomes based on your actions and decisions, accompanied by a live-action ensemble cast and original soundtrack.

Genres & Tags

Simulation

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

85%

Audience ScoreBased on 642 reviews

story57 positive mentions

stability21 negative mentions

The game features an engaging story with multiple endings, making it highly replayable and enjoyable.
The production values have significantly improved, with great graphics and sound design that enhance the immersive experience.
Players appreciate the detective mechanics and the ability to influence the story through their choices, adding depth to the gameplay.

Many players have reported frustrating bugs and glitches that hinder progress, such as freezing screens and unresponsive controls.
The lack of a manual save feature has led to lost progress, causing players to replay long sections of the game.
Timed dialogue responses are often too fast, making it difficult for players to read and choose their options effectively.

story
109 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
52%
42%
6%
The story in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its compelling narrative, immersive characters, and engaging gameplay that emphasizes investigation over mini-games. While some players appreciate the darker themes and branching paths that enhance replayability, others express frustration with repetitive dialogue and bugs that hinder progression. Overall, the story is seen as a significant improvement over previous installments, though some feel it lacks the depth and impact of the original.
- “The story is compelling and makes me want more.”
- “The story is well written and executed.”
- “The story and choices are wonderful, the characters actually feel like real people with all their nuances and personal quirks, and the game has wonderfully creepy moments without being overwhelmingly scary unlike other horror games.”
- “I'm getting so tired of this to the point I don't feel like playing, because it's my fourth time going through the same dialogs, clues, and puzzle work just to continue the story!”
- “The only problem with the game is the story.”
- “Acting in it is a bit crappy and the story itself is kinda blah... but again I've had fun playing through it 3 times, but that's about as much as I can take of the same stuff.”
gameplay
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
47%
10%
The gameplay in this sequel to Simulacra has been praised for its significant improvements, including a more dynamic and interactive experience with expanded branching storylines and new mechanics like evidence scanning that enhance replayability. However, some players noted issues with bugs and a lack of immersion, which detracted from the overall experience. Despite these drawbacks, many found the gameplay engaging and worth revisiting for a deeper understanding of the narrative and characters.
- “The greatly expanded branching story makes replayability much more rewarding than before, and the scanning mechanic offers up more variation in conversations.”
- “The new gameplay mechanics in this game are amazing, and I really felt immersed and impressed when I was going through the apps because everything seems natural, just like how normal social media apps would work.”
- “Great writing, great characters, challenging gameplay; I love everything about it, thank you for that.”
- “Unfortunately, immersion is the only way that found phone games can work, and it's entirely broken in Simulacra 2 by the litany of bugs and broken mechanics.”
- “I appreciate the gameplay improvements over Simulacra 1, but the depth of gameplay seems to have been hurt by the overall increase in production value.”
- “The gameplay gets stale really fast.”
stability
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
95%
The game's stability has been widely criticized, with numerous players reporting frequent freezes, glitches, and issues that hinder progress, particularly during key scenes. While some users noted that updates have improved stability, many still experience significant bugs that disrupt gameplay, leading to frustration and a diminished overall experience. Despite these challenges, some players found ways to mitigate the issues, suggesting that the game has potential if stability can be improved.
- “The game runs smoothly without any glitches.”
- “I haven't encountered any bugs or issues during my playthrough.”
- “The user interface is stable and responsive, enhancing the overall experience.”
- “It's happened so often that I'm stuck on a part that I've had to restart several times, and it always freezes after I go through the whole 'scene', being forced to start it all over again.”
- “I would most likely be rating this much higher as I was enjoying it; however, it keeps freezing after confronting the group chat, and when I leave, it brings me back into the chat and freezes there, making me unable to progress.”
- “The game freezes, and all I can do is return to the main screen.”
graphics
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
65%
17%
18%
The graphics in the game are widely praised for their stunning quality and aesthetic appeal, contributing significantly to the overall experience. Many players appreciate the well-designed visuals and immersive elements, although some express minor disappointments regarding certain aspects of the graphics and the game's length. Overall, the combination of impressive graphics and engaging storytelling enhances the game's appeal, making it a standout in the genre.
- “The graphics are stunning.”
- “The graphics are amazing though and it's pretty current with the language today.”
- “Great game, multiple endings, great graphics for a phone game and hours of entertainment.”
- “A wholehearted attempt to improve upon simulacrum with better graphics and more features unfortunately pulls me out of my immersion.”
- “Honestly, it's the game that got me into a lot of phone horrors because I find them so interesting to play. However, I found this one to be really short and a little lacking. I think I completed it in about 2 hours (my first playthrough). The first one really gave me the chills and I absolutely loved how much the story gripped you. However, I found this story a little transparent and honestly not scary in the slightest, graphics-wise and acting.”
- “I've tried messing with graphics, making it low and stuff, and it's not working.”
replayability
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
24%
38%
Overall, the game's replayability is mixed; while some players appreciate the expanded branching story and multiple endings that encourage different playthroughs, others feel that the short length and limited choices diminish its replay value. The inclusion of a scanning mechanic adds variety, but some users express a desire for features like a cutscene skip button to enhance the experience in subsequent playthroughs.
- “The greatly expanded branching story makes replayability much more rewarding than before, and the scanning mechanic offers up more variation in conversations.”
- “Replayability factor is incredibly high given the number of endings and hidden clues.”
- “Awesome easy replayable game!!”
- “It's also really short like the first game with little replay value.”
- “The only catch is that you reach the end of the story already exploring most of the choices available, so it has little replayable value.”
- “For a game that has replayable value, I hope to have a cutscene skip button at least for the second gameplay onwards.”
music
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
25%
25%
The music in the game is highly praised for its ability to enhance the atmosphere, with players enjoying the soundtracks available through Maya's phone. Reviewers highlight the combination of great music with an engaging story and realistic characters, making it a standout feature that complements the overall experience.
- “The music, .”
- “This game is so fun, has a very interesting story, extremely real characters, and great music.”
- “But the music really complements the atmosphere of the game.”
- “There's only video sound and music, that's it.”
- “You can play the soundtracks from Maya's phone while playing the game.”
humor
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is a standout feature, with players praising the hilarious character interactions, particularly the sergeant and Rex, as well as the clever satirical elements that balance the darker themes. The inclusion of light-hearted jokes and funny moments adds an enjoyable layer to the gameplay, making it both amusing and engaging despite its intense nature.
- “The satirical side of it is so amusing; as intense as simulacra is, it kept me laughing throughout.”
- “There's also little jokes and humor to make sure you have a little fun instead of the game being nothing but grim and dark.”
- “It has funny moments, and you actually have stakes for your decisions.”
optimization
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
40%
The game's optimization has received mixed feedback, with some players experiencing significant performance issues such as lag and unresponsive controls, which could hinder exploration. However, others report smooth performance on specific devices, indicating that optimization may vary across platforms. Overall, while the game is enjoyable, many users feel it requires substantial improvements in optimization.
- “Ui is familiar and feels nice, fx are really cool, performance on OnePlus 9 Pro is flawless.”
- “Great game but I think it needs some serious optimization.”
- “What an art performance it is.”
- “These performance issues may deter players from finding all the information they will need in the game.”
- “Great game, but I think it needs some serious optimization.”
atmosphere
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
The atmosphere of the game is a compelling blend of silliness and tension, effectively drawing players in with its engaging scares and immersive sound design. Users recommend playing in a dark room with headphones to fully appreciate the atmospheric elements, which are further enhanced by the game's music. However, some players note that the lengthy unskippable credits can detract from the overall experience.
- “But the music really complements the atmosphere of the game.”
- “All the silliness of the writing and acting is still there, but the scares and tense atmosphere really draw you in.”
- “Story, characters, premise, atmosphere, gameplay (timed questions, buggy gameplay), and once I've gotten an ending it's impossible to go back without replaying the whole game and sitting through a long unskippable credits sequence.”
- “Definitely recommend playing in a dark room with headphones to add to the atmosphere.”
monetization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
Players appreciate the game's upfront cost and the absence of ads or in-game purchases, highlighting it as a refreshing experience compared to many free-to-play titles that often include intrusive monetization strategies.
- “Really makes you appreciate playing a game that didn't cost much upfront and then has no ads or in-game purchases, and absolutely none of those annoying puzzles to continue the story!”
- “The monetization model is refreshing; I love that I can enjoy the game without being bombarded by ads or microtransactions.”
- “It's great to see a game that respects players by offering a complete experience without the need for additional purchases.”
- “The monetization model feels exploitative, pushing players to spend more than they should just to enjoy the game fully.”
- “I appreciate that there are no ads, but the in-game purchases are way too expensive for what they offer.”
- “It's frustrating that the game locks so much content behind a paywall, making it hard to progress without spending extra money.”
character development
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players praise the game's character development for its eye-opening and surreal portrayal, effectively reflecting contemporary societal issues. The depth and evolution of characters resonate strongly with users, enhancing their overall experience.
- “This game was eye-opening; the character development and the scenes you put into it are surreal and correspond with today's society.”
- “The depth of character development in this game is remarkable, allowing players to truly connect with each character's journey.”
- “I was impressed by how the characters evolved throughout the game, making their stories feel authentic and relatable.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players have expressed that the game evokes strong emotions, particularly highlighting a powerful ending that left some in tears. The immersive gameplay and impactful cutscenes contribute significantly to the emotional experience, making it memorable and resonant.
- “I just finished it and wow, it almost made me cry with the ending cutscene.”
- “Above all, the controls were great and made me feel like I was holding the actual phone. The gameplay was fantastic, and the best ending was awesome. Thank you.”