Magicka 2 Reviews
Pieces Interactive has done a very good job in continuing the Magicka series. While there have been some growing pains, Magicka 2 still manages to be an extraordinary cooperative game when played with the right people. If you have a group of friends that are tired of playing Borderlands and Helldivers, then make sure you give Magicka 2 a spin.
The game has some rather fun elements but there isn't enough game to really deserve a higher grade. Being able to play alongside your friends is fun enough, but even that doesn't seem like a big enough perk.
Magicka 2 is here, boasting the same elements, same spells, and pretty much the same, well, everything.
Magic combat and co-op play remain brilliant in Magicka 2, but the sadistic solo experience along with a few bugs and design problems cause some of this spell to fizzle.
Magicka 2 doesn't mess much with the formula of the first title. If the hours you spent traipsing through Midgård before grew tedious, the sequel may not wield enough magic to hold your attention. However, if you dropped the first game quickly due to the plethora of game breaking launch bugs, or missed this gem of series altogether, it is more than worth your time for an excellently priced $15. It's challenging, it's quirky, and it's just plain fun, especially with friends.
I enjoyed my time battling foes alongside wizard friends new and old, but Magicka 2 takes more effort than most games, and it's tiring.
Though it may occasionally test your patience, Magicka 2's charm and depth make it a really fun co-op experience.
With its flexible, unpredictable magic system and fun co-op skirmishing, Magicka 2 is still a co-op hoot. All the same, it's not that different from the first game, and nowhere near as smart and anarchic as Helldivers on PS4. By playing safe with its surprise cult hit franchise, Paradox has failed to take it to a higher level.
You'll need three forgiving friends and a silly sense of humour to make the most of Magicka 2. It's an utterly sensational cooperative romp that refines the series' superb spellcasting into hilarious yet surprisingly tactical chaos.
Magicka 2 is good for some multiplayer laughs, but just how much fun you and your friends derive from it depends heavily on your willingness to repeat the cycle of casting a spell or two, running around like crazy until the cooldown on your revive spell is up, and bringing back one of your dead companions seconds before your enemies reduce you to an unmoving pile of wizard meat.
If you want to pat yourself on the back for getting in-jokes and you can drum up enough play pals for co-op, you might find Magicka 2 [Borat voice] very nice! Like its references, though, Magicka 2 is just a retread.
A leaner, smarter take on Magicka's fascinating combat system, Magicka 2 is the co-op adventure you've been waiting for.
Ultimately, Magicka 2 fails to adequately build on its first outing. It feels more like an expansion to the original Magicka, or an unusually faithful remake.
Much like its predecessor, Magicka 2 is a flawed game whose faults generally contribute to its charm. There's something wonderfully engaging about a game that knows exactly what it is, doesn't try to be anything more, and succeeds on nearly all fronts.
Magicka 2 is fun in the right circumstances - i.e. when you've a friend or three in tow - but even then it's a case of an all-too-familiar experience to the first game. That's not in itself a bad thing, as the Magicka formula is a solid one, but it is disappointing - there's hardly any progress from the first game. For a sequel that took four years to hit, that's just not good enough.
Magicka 2 is Magicka refined - the same wizard-killing simulator co-op fans love with the fixes and improvements players craved. While it doesn't break new ground or surpass the original, it's a blast to play with friends.