Developer: Tinimations
Publisher: Tinimations
Platform: PC, Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X
Tested on: PC
Klang 2 – Review
Back in 2016, Tinimations released their first game: an interesting mashup between a rhythm game and a platformer, which they aptly called Klang. Five years later, the developer is back for a second go-round in this genre with Klang 2. Taking what they learned from the original into account, this game uses a lot more rhythm elements and takes out that which was often cited as dragging the game down, leaving us with a smoother, more enjoyable experience. If you want to deal with the psychedelic chaos that is Klang 2, we advise you to read on!
Story
As this game is a sequel, some carry-over of lore from the previous game can be expected. What does feel a bit disappointing however is that Klang 2 makes no effort to provide new players with the needed context to understand what’s going on. The game opens with a cutscene that is downright confusing for anybody who hasn’t played the original Klang. You’re forced to just go with the flow, and after two levels, you get an in-game encyclopedia with the most basic of info. Though the game does hand you the option to play without story elements if you want, we would have loved a bit more context.
The plot revolves around a futuristic setting where the titular ‘Klang’ are rhythmic warriors who fight enemies based on sound by using weapons called tuneblades. Usually, they do this in service of the Soundlord, but the character you’re playing as has gotten their hands on a pair of cursed tuneblades haunted by wayward ghosts. And to set these troubled souls free, they’ll have to go up against the Soundlord himself.
Graphics
Klang 2 describes itself as psychedelic, and that certainly feels accurate. The aesthetic was inspired by synthwave and musical symbols, but also by classic greek culture, making for an unusual setting for the game to take place in. The color palette stands out as being overall dark and monotone, making the pops of color used during the rhythm game itself stand out in a great way. Sometimes the screen can get a bit too cluttered during fights when there are enemies, attacks, background elements, and button indications all flying across the screen at the same time. Overall, the 3D graphics give Klang 2 its unique touch.
Sound
Since Klang 2 is a rhythm game, it stands to reason the music is one of the highlights of the game. Legendary EMD composer bLiNd returns to work on the soundtrack, and this is the same artist who worked on the first game too. A whole collection of additional musicians were asked to feature, among them James Landino, Nhato, and City Girl. The result is that every level has its own lovely track that allows for different speeds and BPM for the gameplay to change things up with. There is barely any voice-acting, aside from a handful of lines during the story bits.
Gameplay
Klang 2 is an action-rhythm game where you fight enemies by staying on beat with the music. The basic gameplay is extremely simple, with only three types of moves you need to execute: a simple click, a drag motion across the screen, and a click-and-hold. The entire game can be played with the mouse, though there are settings for those who prefer using a touchscreen, keyboard, or gamepad. As in most rhythm games, your score on each button press is dictated by how in-tune you are, awarding you the least points for missing completely, an average amount of points when you’re a little too late or early, and the most points if you hit them perfectly. Depending on your overall score, you will get a ranking of S through D.
The game uses a hub called The Arcade, where you can choose your levels. There’s also the training room, which consists of simpler, basic levels you can complete to earn tokens. The amount of tokens you get for each level depends on what rank you achieve, so the better you are at the game, the faster you can get tokens. These tokens are then used to unlock the story-relevant levels where you have to fight a unique boss, which also progresses the plot. After getting the S rank on a level, you unlock fast play for it, which is exactly what you think it is. It’s the same track, but with the speed bumped up to make it more of a challenge.
And that’s about it. Klang 2 is a very simple, straightforward game without too many bells and whistles. If you enjoy rhythm games and/or EMD music, you’ll be getting exactly what you want.
Conclusion
Klang 2 learned from its predecessor and it’s clear the devs took any criticism they received to heart. The game runs smoothly, has amazing music, and keeps the gameplay simplistic, while presenting you with a proper challenge. If you don’t mind that the story will be hard to grasp unless you’ve played the first game, you’ll have great fun with this one.
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