Teslagrad 2

After a decade of waiting, Teslagrad 2 is undeniably a great follow-up to the original. The game is gorgeous, movement feels excellent, and the world is a joy to explore. What's here is very strong, but the short length means it's all over too quickly, which may come as a disappointment given the 10-year gap between this sequel and the original game. Despite that, if you are a fan of the original Teslagrad, or games with great mobility in general, you will surely enjoy Teslagrad 2.

Teslagrad 2 brings a different approach to the Metroidvania style and with its gorgeously detailed backgrounds and entirely text-free visually-narrated story, it provides a very enjoyable option for fans of 2D puzzle platformers. Those looking for something more thrilling might come out disappointed, though, as Teslagrad 2 does not invest in engaging combat, whether with the regular enemies or the bosses. Still, and despite its somewhat short length, Teslagrad 2 is an original effort that will capture the attention of many fans of the style and genre.

Teslagrad 2 does justice to the well-liked original with a sharp presentation, some new mechanics to master, and more magnetic physics-based riddles to solve. It suffers somewhat from feeling a little too familiar at times, and it can’t quite escape the long shadow of the first game. The game also suffers from some technical drawbacks in this Switch version, and although none of it is really enough to spoil the game, I would still recommend playing it on a different platform if you can. Overall, an okay port of a pretty good game, but not one I’d recommend with the same vigor I would have for the first.

Teslagrad 2 is an iterative sequel that brings some smart new ideas to the table. Its stronger focus on speed, momentum, and platforming feels great, but it comes at the cost of more confined puzzles and often feels looser than I’d like. Still, the movement, presentation, and great use of Lumina’s powers make this another solid entry in the series.