Developer: Rain Games
Publisher: Modus Games
Platform: PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox series S/X
Tested on: PS5
Teslagrad 2 – Review
Games have often looked at science as a source of inspiration to create unique gameplay mechanics. Teslagrad did this to deliver an interesting puzzle platformer that focused on using electricity and magnets. Now, ten years later, the series returns to once again delve into the world of Teslamancers.
Story
The story of Teslagrad 2 follows the daughter of the previous game’s protagonist, Lumina, who is on her way back home. However, this doesn’t go as planned when a group of Vikings attacks her airship and cause her to crash on a mysterious island. Now she has to use the powers of electricity and magnetism to escape the northern land, encountering the natives and Vikings, while also uncovering the mysteries of the elusive tower that resides on the island.
Teslagrad 2 takes the saying ‘show, don’t tell’ very seriously since there isn’t a single word of text in the game, and thus all of its story is told through visual storytelling. This isn’t a big deal since the story itself is quite simple and many of the world’s mysteries are delivered through short cutscenes. The game delivers a satisfying narrative, along with a clear inspiration from Norse mythology and collectible cards that depict the history of the tower.
Graphics
A ton of indie games like to use a simple yet beautiful hand-drawn art style, and Teslagrad 2 does exactly the same. The animations are fluid and full of personality, which makes a fast-paced game like this one play that much nicer. It is a true joy to travel through the varying locations and encounter the colorful characters.
Sound
A nice world to look at begs for great songs to listen to, and Teslagrad 2 delivers. The game features an extensive collection of tracks, each fitting its part of the game perfectly. Here we also can’t deny the clear inspiration of Norse sound and instruments.
Gameplay
Teslagrad 2 is a puzzle platformer that has you traversing a mysterious island and ominous tower with a collection of scientific powers. Aside from these genres, there are also a collection of Metroidvania elements that encourage exploration and revisiting older locations.
The central focus of the game is the main heroine’s role as a Teslamancer. When Lumina first sets foot on the island she encounters a mysterious man that gives her the power to dash forward as a bolt of electricity. This is one of the many powers she acquires throughout the game that are crucial for traversing the dangers of the island. All of these powers have a distinct function that can work together very well, making the puzzles of the game ever-changing and evolving with each new power you unlock. After every long section of puzzling and platforming, there is also a reward in the form of shortcuts. This makes it a lot easier to revisit older locations with new abilities to reach parts of the world that weren’t accessible before.
While there is not a big focus on combat in Teslagrad 2, you will encounter multiple inhabitants of the island and Vikings that are chasing you for your powers. Lumina isn’t a fighter and goes down in one hit, making these encounters more of a puzzle to avoid the enemy using your powers than fighting them. This does change however during a collection of boss fights. All of these fights will have you using the abilities you just got to their fullest to take down bigger monsters and villains. While these fights are far and few between, they do use unique gameplay mechanics that will push your use of the Teslamancer powers to make a memorable encounter.
All of the mechanics work together to deliver a fun experience that you can finish in the course of an afternoon. This can however be extended thanks to exploration and optional areas. All of the places in the game are easily accessed after completing them and they also boast a ton of collectibles. While these don’t offer any gameplay bonuses, they can extend your understanding of the story and test your skills.
While Teslagrad 2 is a blast to play through, there is no ignoring the one thorn in the game’s side, and by this we mean the fairly clunky controls. Since there is a big focus on fast-paced platforming, it can be frustrating when the powers you have to use don’t control smoothly. The biggest example is the final weapon that uses the same joystick to aim as the one you use to move your character, turning the final boss into a fight against the controls. The short runtime of the game works in its favor here, since no section overstays its welcome.
Conclusion
Teslagrad 2 is a worthy sequel to its 2013 predecessor. The short game offers a great atmosphere, an interesting story, and fun platforming. While the controls aren’t always on your side, it’s still a bite-sized experience worth checking out.
Teslagrad 2 - Review,
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