$14.99Hylics 2 A clay world bent out of shape
A surreal RPG built from scanned clay, stop-motion and pixel art. Wayne, a crescent-headed hero, gathers a crew to stop the minions of the tyrant Gibby from putting their master back together. Turn-based fights, strange abilities learned from TVs, and a world unlike any other.
Is Hylics 2 worth it?
Hylics 2 is worth it if…
- you want an RPG that looks and feels like nothing else you have played
- you enjoy turn-based combat where enemies each need their own plan
- you like exploring strange worlds and poking at what the inhabitants say
- you have a soft spot for retro-style games with a great soundtrack
- you never played the first Hylics and want a story-rich RPG that stands on its own
Screenshots
A world sculpted from clay
Every character, creature and location here is made from 3D-scanned clay models, animated in stop-motion and finished with pixel art. You explore it in 3D, air-dashing, rolling and gliding across the terrain to reach hidden treasures or slip past enemies. The inhabitants are happy to talk, offering hints, lore and musings, though what exactly they are musing about is often its own small mystery. It is atmospheric and wondrous in equal measure, and worth lingering in.
Fights fought with gestures
Combat is turn-based, against more than 25 adversaries, each with its own capabilities and behaviors, so you plan your crew's moves instead of mashing attack. New battle abilities come from an unusual teacher: TVs scattered through the world, which teach moves with names like Poromer Bleb and Soul Crisper. The fights have a formal, almost courteous feel to them, an exchange of elaborate hand movements rather than a brawl. Some enemies demand a specific setup before they go down, so remembering what works against whom pays off. Beyond the main game there is optional side content too: a platformer minigame and a first-person dungeon crawler.
What should you know before playing?
Do you need to play the first Hylics first?
No. Hylics 2 is the follow-up to 2015's Hylics and reuses motifs from it, but the game is built so that newcomers can fully enjoy it without any prior knowledge. If the strange world clicks for you, the first game is there when you finish.
How long is the game?
A full run takes around 10 hours, and there is optional side content beyond that: a platformer minigame, a first-person dungeon crawler, and secrets to find across the world. Players who love it have put in far more time hunting everything down.
How hard is the combat?
It is moderately demanding rather than brutal. You cannot get through fights by throwing out whatever comes to mind: some enemies need a particular setup, and it helps to remember their weaknesses and plan your crew's turns accordingly. New abilities learned from the TVs give you more tools as you go.
