Tomba! 2: The Evil Swine Return Special Edition
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Critic Reviews for Tomba! 2: The Evil Swine Return Special Edition
The best way to describe Tomba! 2: The Evil Swine Return Special Edition is that it’s a product of a different time. It’s not a bad game because someone threw out a piece of unfinished trash. It’s bad because it comes from a much less refined era. While the changes in the Special Edition do alleviate the annoying parts, you’re still better off playing one of the many other better Metroidvanias on the market.
Tomba! 2: The Evil Swine Return was overlooked for a reason. It’s a disappointing follow-up that plays it safe and feels worse to play. If you are already a fan, this Special Edition is a no-brainer. It may not be as good as the first game, but it’s good to have it preserved and widely available at a low cost, with QOL features to soften the questionable design choices.
I had so much fun with Tomba! 2 Special Edition and it reminded me just how special of a game it is thanks to its unorthodox approach to platforming, general goofiness, and stage designs that often offer much more than initially meets the eye. Plus, there are piggies. 🐷
It’s genuinely nice to see Tomba! 2 get another chance on modern platforms. For players who missed it the first time around, there’s a lot of retro joy to be found here, from its quirky world design to its mission-heavy structure. That said, this re-release does feel like it delivers the minimum required to bring the game forward. If you’ve already played the original or picked it up on earlier digital platforms (PSN), there’s little reason to return. But if Tomba! 2 passed you by back in the PS1 era and you have a soft spot for retro platformers, this is still a worthwhile adventure, just one that deserved a bit more care the second time around.
Tombi! 2: The Evil Swine Return Special Edition is a nostalgic venture that, like the first instalment, brings a legend of the past to PS5. Although the porting work has been carried out with a certain degree of laziness, the small additions in terms of mechanics greatly enhance the modern-day experience. Needless to say, those who lived through the late 1990s will not be able to resist returning to attack evil pigs, but for everyone else, the approach may be a little more difficult, given the age of the title.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Ultimately, Tomba! 2: The Evil Swine Return Special Edition is a product of its time – it’s full of heart, weirdness, and ambition, but it also looks and feels a little dated in design. It doesn’t hold your hand and it controls a bit like a bar of soap, but the core loop of exploring this colourful, silly world remains satisfying. And whilst it is a little limited on extras, this port provides an accessible way to play a cult classic on modern hardware – and thanks to the recent patch, it’s in a state worth recommending to those with a soft spot for the PlayStation era.
