Ported over from mobile to consoles (which is where I picked it up) is a deceptively decent puzzle platformer that revolves around gravity. Every time you jump, gravity switches axis and so you will end up walking on the ceiling or the floor each time you flip. It’s nothing new but Hoggy 2 is well put together and cheap.
Whilst choosing between Mr or Mrs Hoggy, you need to collect all the fruit in it. To do this you’ll often need to defeat enemies, hit switches and as the game evolves, you’ll be setting up knock on effects from various puzzle mechanics like a jelly bean Goonie. Whilst nothing is exceptionally new, Hoggy 2 does a great job of constantly changing up what a level consists of and so you don’t get bored quickly. As the game progresses, time limits and more action orientated pieces begin to appear more and more and timing moves is a must. Often you’ll need to think like a hunter to capture the enemies getting in your way or to blast blocks away to reach your fruit. It is surprisingly enjoyable due to the bitesize level design that keeps you moving forward at all times.
There are 200 levels in Hoggy 2 and they take place on a Mario pipe styled overworld map. You don’t need to complete them all to progress the game (which is handy if you have a mental block on something) and you unlock levels to tackle in groups in any order. There is a curious oddity though due to the fact that the console versions are published by Ratalaika Games. The platinum is obtained just after the first boss is beaten in the slightly clumsy boss battles that are shoehorned in. It isn’t until after the platinum is grabbed that Hoggy 2 really shows its true puzzle platform colours! The difficulty rises straight after this and it is where all the best moments of the game can be found. My advise is to stick with it if you can and you’ll find a surprisingly decent headscratcher.
There are a few issues with the game though. Hoggy’s character is larger on the screen than its actual hit detection is. Usually games have the reverse issue! Hoggy therefore clips into scenery and objects and this makes some of the more action orientated levels a bit trickier to navigate as sometimes you aren’t sure if you can or should be using a certain route. This, combined with Hoggy’s slow movement makes the final levels of Hoggy 2 a little bit of a chore as death comes in ways that don’t always feel like your fault.
If you look past those issues, this is one of Ratalika Games’ best releases onto console. Grab it on a sale and you’ll easily get your monies worth. Just look beyond that shiny platinum (or two if you have the Vita).
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