Unfolding A Colorful And Challenging Sequel In Kami 2
Kami 2 delivers a Zen-like experience in which your goal is to transform a grid of colors into one solid color. Is it as good as the original?
The original game first launched back in 2013, and now there’s a brand new sequel. Kami 2 doesn’t go about reinventing the wheel and instead focuses on delivering more of the great puzzle mechanic. With that said, there are a couple of changes beginning with a new triangular tile layout which allows for more complex challenges in the placement of the alternating colored regions. The sequel also introduces a level editor, which allows you to create levels as well as access tons of user generated levels including daily puzzles.
The Good
Kami 2 excels by continuing the style of the original allowing you to sit back and contemplate each puzzle. There’s a great mix of Zen relaxation with perplexing brain teasers as you try to figure out the right sequence of color tapping. It all comes down to making larger and larger sections of the same color and trying to pick up as many smaller colored sections as possible with each tap. Like any puzzle, it’s great to see the solution come together, but that’s even truer in Kami as you get to witness each triangular tile flip to a new color that radiates outwards from where you tap. There are 100 precisely crafted levels to play through, and then you have a potentially near infinite number of levels to play with the user created content. Just the first batch of levels shows great creativity in the user-generated challenges, and it’s thanks to the effortless level creator that lets you draw the colored sections you would like.
The Good
Kami 2 excels by continuing the style of the original allowing you to sit back and contemplate each puzzle. There’s a great mix of Zen relaxation with perplexing brain teasers as you try to figure out the right sequence of color tapping. It all comes down to making larger and larger sections of the same color and trying to pick up as many smaller colored sections as possible with each tap. Like any puzzle, it’s great to see the solution come together, but that’s even truer in Kami as you get to witness each triangular tile flip to a new color that radiates outwards from where you tap. There are 100 precisely crafted levels to play through, and then you have a potentially near infinite number of levels to play with the user created content. Just the first batch of levels shows great creativity in the user-generated challenges, and it’s thanks to the effortless level creator that lets you draw the colored sections you would like.
The Bad
It would be nice to see a little more ingenuity in Kami 2, as it feels more like a level pack update than a true sequel. The challenge has definitely increased, but it’s mostly the same game. The main problem with the sequel is the actual level structure. You unlock six levels at a time, but you can’t unlock the next level pack, unless you solve all six previous puzzles. To make matters worse, you can only complete a level if you solve it in the set number of moves. You’re restricted from making an extra move to simply solve a puzzle. There is a hint system, but it’s tied to the free to play structure, so you can only get additional hints by buying them. The game would benefit from a video ad system to unlock hints. As it stands, if you can’t figure out a level, and if you don’t want to buy a hint, you literally can’t progress through the game.
The Verdict
Kami 2 delivers a refined puzzle experience with a brilliant mechanic within a beautiful package making it well worth picking up.a
