Freedom Planet 2 Critic Reviews

Freedom Planet 2 takes its inspiration from one of the biggest franchises in the history of video games, but refines mechanics, design and narrative that had already been presented in the previous game. The sequel manages to improve what was great and becomes one of the best exponents of the genre.

I'm very happy that Freedom Planet 2 not only lives up to its phenomenal predecessor but surpasses it in many ways. With stellar gameplay, oodles of supplementary mechanics and content, and a bubbly cast of characters that you'll love; it's one wonderful game.

Freedom Planet 2 is the perfect example of more and better: fussy but satisfactory gameplay, audiovisually overwhelming and loaded with tons of content.

Freedom Planet 2 is a sequel to the popular 2014 game, Freedom Planet, and builds on much of the feedback gained through that game. It offers additional game mechanics and difficulty settings, as well as the helpful system of equipping power-ups before entering the speedy atmosphere of timed levels. On the PlayStation 5, Freedom Planet 2 offers 27 trophies for players to get, including a coveted platinum trophy.

Managing to step out of the shadow of its inspirations, Freedom Planet 2 is a brilliant 2D action-platformer that balances all of its elements in a near-perfect harmony while trying plenty of new things. Painstakingly detailed visuals, an entertaining cast and toe-tapping soundtrack help to set this game out as a game that any platformer enthusiast should seek out, despite some small hiccups.

Freedom Planet 2 takes everything that worked about the original's quick pace and diverse playable cast and improves upon it. The samey-feeling character play has been completely revamped allowing every playthrough to feel different, while keeping enough familiar elements across each character to make each runthrough rewarding. The gameplay has been tightened up while the blend of story mixed in with gameplay has been improved in terms of pacing and acting. The graphics have remained outstainding, but received a visual overhaul in terms of detail level that nicely improves upon the first.

Freedom Planet 2 is another excellent 2D platformer from developer GalaxyTrail. The adventure boasts some fantastic levels to explore, a wonderful soundtrack, and an assortment of playable characters with unique abilities. There are some issues with enemy hitboxes and some aspects of its level design, but Freedom Planet 2 is still an enjoyable experience nonetheless.

Freedom Planet 2 feels like the first game with a bigger budget, expanding on many of the key mechanics it employs from its Sonic roots while crafting a unique identity with its complex levels and refreshingly unique enemy and boss design.

Freedom Planet 2 suffers from many of the same problems that plagued the original game, with the additional problem of having way too much combat, but remains a delightful speed platformer at its core and is worth running through for any fans of the genre.

While its occasionally spotty hit detection and overly long stages can sometimes be annoying, they do little to take away from just how much of a joy Freedom Planet 2 is to play. As a die-hard fan of the Sonic series since its inception, playing GalaxyTrail’s latest offering felt like taking a trip back to the early 90s with its pixel-perfect presentation and high-energy 2D gameplay. If you’re a fan of the Sonic The Hedgehog games of old or are simply looking for a great 2D platformer to add to your PS5 library, Freedom Planet 2 demands your attention.

Nostalgia is a tricky business. Pixel art and chiptunes are all fine and good, but you need more than that to capture an era. You’ve gotta drill down, deep into the bedrock of bygone eras. Freedom Planet 2 is a perfect time capsule of Sega’s glory days, for better or for worse. The graphics are amazing and the soundtrack is incredible. But the dialogue is corny and the combat feels out of place. Maybe this is for the best. Perhaps you can’t properly emulate a lost era of gaming without preserving the flaws as well. Either way, this game feels like time travel. If you’re hungry for a high-speed platformer crammed with Sonic and Sega vibes, you can’t pass up Freedom Planet 2.

Freedom Planet 2 will surely be enjoyed by Sonic fans wanting some more high-speed 2D platforming antics. It even has a soundtrack that can trade blows with the Blue Blur’s finest. It suffers from the same pitfalls as a typical 2D Sonic game, though, such as enemy placement sometimes feeling punishing. And the deviations from the Sonic formula often work against the game rather than for it, with combat in particular being deeper but also scrappier. Still, this is a solid game, and developer GalaxyTrain should be applauded for trying to build on the Sonic formula rather than simply replicate it.