The Fall Part 2: Unbound Reviews
Disappointingly, The Fall Part 2: Unbound fixes none of its predecessor's issues while chipping away at its greatest strength: the narrative.
For all its clever notions and science-fiction world-building, The Fall 2 struggles to summon interesting gameplay scenarios beyond its admittedly strong final act.
It is hard to come to The Fall Part 2: Unbound after experiencing the (very) rough diamond that is its predecessor, as everything feels inferior. Most puzzles are annoying, the controls are even clunkier than before, and the plot feels less... hard sci-fi than it previously did, as well as less focused on what it wants to offer.
The Fall Part 2: Unbound is different, but certainly not better. Which isn't to say it's a bad game in and of itself, just one that missed the mark as a sequel. I hope the next installment can reflect a tightened focus, something closer to the excellent original. Ditching combat would be highly advantageous.
If you played and loved the first game, you'll still find something to love here, but it's so buried under obtuse puzzles, terrible voice acting, and pointless combat sections that it's really difficult to recommend this. The story is still pretty solid, but getting to it is a total pain in the ass.
The Fall Part 2: Unbound looked extremely promising. Metroidvania exploration? Check. Point and click adventure? Check. Sign me up! Unfortunately the gameplay mechanics are stiff and uninspired and the puzzle solving is either too easy at times or too “out there”, which can lead to clicking on everything until something works.
The Fall Part 2 carries on many of the strengths we saw in the first game, including an interesting story, likable characters, and thought-provoking puzzles. Unfortunately, along with Unbound’s expanded scope comes growing pains, several of which detracted from my overall enjoyment of ARID's latest outing.
Unfortunately, The Fall 2: Unbound does not hit the highs of the first game in the trilogy, as the puzzles seem a little bit more like random luck this time.
The Fall Part 2: Unbound takes advantage of a strong and engaging story with some lovely characters. However, it inherits most of the disadvantages of the first part. Solving puzzles are still frustrating and combats are mostly repetitive. Despite these major problems, I am still eager to follow Arid's story in the final part.
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The Fall Part 2: Unbound continues the story from The Fall with an interesting angle on familiar sci-fi concepts, but the game that underpins this darkly cerebral world is somewhat lacking. Both its action and adventure elements suffer from stilted controls, and the imaginatively conceived point-and-click sections don't always leave a satisfying breadcrumb trail for the player to follow. The result is a game that's as frustratingly flawed as it is thought-provoking.
Where The Fall had suspense and relentless urgency, The Fall Part 2: Unbound has none. It still has a compelling story to tell, in choosing to delve into Arid’s internal conflict in being free from the rules and boundaries that once constrained her. But, it’s the flaws that have been carried over from the first chapter that detract from the experience, and prevent you from becoming more captivated by the game’s world.
Whether the game purposely asks such deep questions about self-preservation and the significance of artificial intelligence is hard to say. But if you’re one of those that enjoys inferring a deeper meaning from your video games, The Fall Part 2 will deliver to be sure.
The Fall Part 2: Unbound tells an interesting and often complex tale of an artificial intelligence but it's often too obtuse with it's puzzle solutions.
What The Fall Part 2: Unbound lacks in difficulty, it makes up for in intrigue. The transformation of narrative from horror to sci-fi makes you look at the series in a new light, and even though the questions about humanity and robotics have been brought up before, the game's take on them remains interesting enough that you'll want to see what's in store for the third game. The gameplay length is decent, and there are satisfactory combat and puzzle elements. If you've already checked out the first game, you should take a look at Unbound as well.
A great indie sci-fi title, strong enough to entice even if you haven't played the original.
For those who find enjoyment in the intricacies of puzzle-solving adventure games, The Fall Part 2: Unbound isn't any different to what you would expect. For those wanting a heightened action romp, you should probably stay away. But if you're looking to experience one of the smartest, wittiest, and thought-provoking stories of the generation, then do yourself the favor and play through both the first game and Part 2: Unbound.
After playing The Fall and seeing the words “to be continued” scroll across my screen, I was interested, but not excited. It told a good story, but its questionable gameplay and puzzle design left me cautiously optimistic. After my time with The Fall Part 2: Unbound, I am not only intrigued but eager for the series' conclusion when the third part inevitable releases. The sequel does exemplify some of the gameplay flaws of its predecessor but tells a fantastic sci-fi tale and builds a world that I never imagined it would.
The Fall Part 2: Unbound succeeds when it makes you think, whether that's through its clever science fiction writing or entertaining puzzles. However, a lackluster presentation and tedious, dull combat prevent the sequel from reaching the heights it could have.
Much like its predecessor, The Fall Part 2: Unbound is needlessly obtuse in some of its puzzle design, but its magnificent characters and storytelling make the frustration worth it.
It has some problems, it's not quite as great as the original but still just as interesting.