PixelJunk Monsters 2

 Switch
User Score
8.3

Generally favorable reviews- based on 36 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 27 out of 36
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 36
  3. Negative: 3 out of 36
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  1. a-ha
    May 29, 2018
    5
    PJM2 retains a lot of what was so charming and good from the first iteration. But...

    Given that it's been 11 years since the first one was released, it's pretty sad that the final product not only fails to bring new features to gameplay, but ultimately is a worse version of the first one. Someone mentioned a few gameplay gripes (not being able to run, no speed up, etc.), and while    PJM2 retains a lot of what was so charming and good from the first iteration. But...

    Given that it's been 11 years since the first one was released, it's pretty sad that the final product not only fails to bring new features to gameplay, but ultimately is a worse version of the first one.

    Someone mentioned a few gameplay gripes (not being able to run, no speed up, etc.), and while these missing features are essential the flow of gameplay, there are other, more glaring flaws that really need to be addressed.

    The first being visibility. In the original PJM, you can clearly see when towers are upgraded (little colored flags and visible tower changes). Not so in PJM2. The flags are hard to see and the towers at a maxed level 5 look identical to their newly birthed level 1 brethren. The 3D also makes it very difficult to gauge depth in the landscape, as well as coins and jewels being dropped.

    Speaking of dropped coins and jewels, the physics in this game are seriously wonky in that regard. If you have even a slightly downsloping plane, bye bye coins and jewels.

    The camera locking is by far the worst thing about PJM2, and it is something I feel needs to be addressed in a future update. The original PixelJunk Monsters did not have this issue because the the entire map was on display in each level. PJM2's maps, which are much larger, have to scroll with user movement. Okay that's fine.

    But what if you need to see the monsters and how they are pathing while you are sitting on a tower to upgrade it? Or running around looking for hidden items in trees? You can use your right stick for a limited map scroll. But what about 2P?

    Locked.

    This is a pretty gamebreaking design flaw in the multiplayer experience. The idea that 2 players have limited mobility + visibility, are map locked, have a limited range of separation (2P will automatically teleport back to 1P if he drifts too far off screen), it just doesn't make any sense. Why not zoom the map out for increased visibility? Why not allow players to map scroll to view monster pathing? I really don't understand this. There are times you can be on a tree building a tower with monsters 100% not visible on your screen because the camera will not allow you to scroll.

    Absolutely terrible.

    Lastly, the new features (which I'm adding as an addendum because they didn't really sway me one way or the other):
    - jumping. negligible. I'd rather have run. You can attack with Tikiman now, but the jump timing has to be perfect, and does barely any damage.
    - fruits. the only thing you can buy as one time use items. they do pretty much nothing in the grand scheme of things.
    - unlockables. masks and shells. okay? this is just purely aesthetic, there are no stat boosts or anything of that nature.

    So there we have it. At its core, it has the basic frame of PJM1. But with clunky gameplay, not enough features, beautiful graphics that are more of a distraction that anything else, and terrible multiplayer execution, it's missing the soul of what made PJM such a great game.    … Expand
  2. runeasgar
    Jun 1, 2018
    7
    The original PixelJunk Monsters was a local co-op triumph. Some of the design decisions in this second game ruin that aspect. For example, the maps are large, and only zoom out a small amount as the two players separate. If you get farther apart than that, the second player gets warped to the first player. This makes it basically impossible for two people to multitask in different areas.The original PixelJunk Monsters was a local co-op triumph. Some of the design decisions in this second game ruin that aspect. For example, the maps are large, and only zoom out a small amount as the two players separate. If you get farther apart than that, the second player gets warped to the first player. This makes it basically impossible for two people to multitask in different areas.

    Given that I purchased the game FOR the local co-op, I can't score it favorably (although it still gets a reasonably high score, as it's a good game in other aspects).    … Expand
  3. MediaFreak
    May 27, 2018
    6
    I was a really big fan of the first game. I'd put it right up there with Starship Patrol on DS and Field Runners 2 /Bloon 5 on ipad as my all time favourite tower defence.

    My 1 issue with the first pixel junk game is that it could have possibly done with a speed up button. Pixel Junk 2 not only doesn't have the speed up button either, but it's even slower than the first game.    I was a really big fan of the first game. I'd put it right up there with Starship Patrol on DS and Field Runners 2 /Bloon 5 on ipad as my all time favourite tower defence.

    My 1 issue with the first pixel junk game is that it could have possibly done with a speed up button.

    Pixel Junk 2 not only doesn't have the speed up button either, but it's even slower than the first game. There are times when i've just put the controller down and started doing something on my phone to occupy my boredom while the game plays itself. To make matters worse, their also doesn't seem to be a run button like their was in the first game, so not only is the game play even slower, so is your character.

    I'm not too keen on the graphic change, i associate 2d with pixel junk, this doesnt seem to fit in with their style at all. Looks really generic now.

    If the developers add a fast forward button in a later update I'd reconsider the score, but as it is, it's slow speed and lack of challenge are sending me to sleep, I don't think my boredom will let me get to the later levels and difficulties.    … Expand
  4. Korvspad
    Oct 6, 2018
    6
    It has a cozy world that you just wanna run around in together with the addictive gameplay of the genre. What really drags it down though is the horribly long loading times. Becuase of how the game pnuishes you for not getting a perfect score, plus the unpredictable enemy movement, you will need to restart maps a lot. On each time you will have to wait thorugh a loading screen that takesIt has a cozy world that you just wanna run around in together with the addictive gameplay of the genre. What really drags it down though is the horribly long loading times. Becuase of how the game pnuishes you for not getting a perfect score, plus the unpredictable enemy movement, you will need to restart maps a lot. On each time you will have to wait thorugh a loading screen that takes forever. When you've completed a map, you will have to go through two of those to start a new map.… Expand
  5. Metarok
    Dec 1, 2019
    7
    Really enjoying the game for both its design and game play.

    I would have given the game a higher score, except the level loading time on the Nintendo Switch takes forever.

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 5 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 5
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 5
  3. Negative: 0 out of 5
  1. NintendoWorldReport
    Jul 2, 2018
    85
    Some patterns can absolutely destroy you without proper notice, forcing you to play over and perfect certain levels. While that side can be little irritating now and again, it can't be denied the amount of effort Q-Games put in.
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  2. Cubed3
    Jun 18, 2018
    60
    Tower defence games may have lost their popularity somewhat in recent years but PixelJunk Monsters 2 shows why it exploded in the first place. It is insanely addictive and just the right level of challenging, although certain folk may find the frustrating elements a little too much to enjoy. Some will find achieving every perfect rating compulsive, while others will find it wholly off-putting.
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  3. Nintendo Life
    Jun 13, 2018
    80
    Charming, addictive but sometimes ruthlessly unforgiving, PixelJunk Monsters 2 has made the transition into 3D almost unscathed. While there is a sense of if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it in some instances, it's still a gorgeous, lovingly-crafted and action-packed tower defence game that despite a few annoyances, will delight, entertain and challenge in equal measure.
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