Game Info
GAME NAME: Pyramids 2
DEVELOPER(S): Enjoy Gaming Ltd
PUBLISHER(S): Enjoy Gaming Ltd
PLATFORM(S): Nintendo 3DS
GENRE(S): Puzzle
RELEASE DATE(S): October 16th, 2014
The last title I played from Enjoy Gaming LTD was Word Wizard 3D, a word puzzle game that was simple but addicting. Their latest title, Pyramids 2 is a follow up to their 2D puzzler Pyramids that originally launched in 2011 for the 3DS. They have taken the simple idea from the original Pyramids and expanded it to make this journey a lot much feature rich.
I’m not sure the lead character has a name, as I looked on the web site for the game and couldn’t find anything. There is also a lack of any story apparent in the game. You take control of an archeologist looking character who needs to maneuver through death traps and enemies to collect golden items and the key to open the door to exit each level. The level structure is set up like a cell phone game where you can move or retry to collect the 3 possible starts for each level. The 3 stars are earned by completing the level, collecting all the golden items and beating the level in a set amount of time. It is pretty easy to beat each level but very challenging to earn all three stars. Earning the stars allows you to unlock more worlds. There are a total of 6 worlds with 9 different levels in each. There are also 3 different environment types to mix up the backgrounds and levels.
The controls feel okay but they can get frustrating a some points. You can place a block in front of you at eye level or feet level while using the A Button. This allows you to create makeshift stairs and platforms to push metal blocks on. It doesn’t always feel responsive while ducking to drop a block at your feet and I, at times, would die because of the clumsiness of the controls. It isn’t completely broken but definitely added to the challenge in some levels. Once you are about half way through the second world of stages, Pyramids 2 introduces bullets for your gun. These come as pick ups and are extremely limited so you will have to use them to take out the poor monkeys sparingly.
One of the best aspects of this title is the ability to create your own levels. The controls use the touchscreen and are really fluid and intuitive. You can share the levels via QR code which is good but an online community would have been a better route to go in my opinion. You can store upto 27 user created levels at a time.
The games art style and graphics look good on the 3DS and while there is 3D, it doesn’t do much to help or hinder the experience. It’s a very simplistic 2D sprite look but does the job for the genre of game they were going for. The music and sound effects are mostly bland and wasn’t anything memorable.
The Recommendation
If you can look past the fact that it plays like a cell phone game and it has clunky controls, there is some fun that can be had with Pyramids 2. There are some clever puzzles and interesting challenges throughout the 54 levels. Enjoy Gaming LTD has set a good foundation for a puzzle game with a little bit of love, such as a story and tightened up controls, the Pyramids series could be a top notch indie franchise.
