League of Evil 2, the follow-up to Ravenous Games’ awesome speedrun-based platformer, is now available from the app store. The most notable change is the updated visual presentation, as LoE 2 retains the frantic challenges present in the original release.
League of Evil 2 Pros:
- Beautiful graphical upgrade
- Upbeat and enjoyable soundtrack
- Spot-on controls make speedy maneuvers a breeze
- Strict time limits and briefcase objective offer great replay value
- GameCenter and OpenFeint integration for leaderboards and achievements
League of Evil 2 Cons:
- Some crashing issues and minor bugs to iron out
The latest iteration contains over 100 levels that span 5 environments. The goal of each is to wend your way through the treacherous terrain, avoid attacks by the guards, and kill the scientist at the end of the level within an extremely specific timeframe. You earn 3 stars for beating the goal time, dropping a star or two the longer it takes to complete your mission. Additionally, there is a briefcase hidden somewhere in the level that you are tasked with collecting. You can complete the time and collection goals separately, offering some replay value since the briefcase is usually not on the path toward the scientist. The Agent moves quickly and uses wall jumps, double jumps, wall slides, flips, flying punches, and the like to maneuver effectively within the world. You must avoid spikes, turrets, hammers, and other dangers while negotiating huge pits and landing on moving platforms to remain safe. The addition of a handful of boss battles was also a nice surprise.
While the original had a great retro presentation that we really enjoyed, the graphics have been kicked up a notch for the sequel, providing a smoother look and feel. The backgrounds also show a greater level of detail than before, adding some nice eye candy. There are even black-and-white comic strips that lay out some backstory, though the gameplay is strong enough that this isn’t even necessary. The soundtrack is still upbeat and enjoyable, meshing terrifically with the gameplay. The controls are again a strong-suit, with the left/right movement buttons, the jump button, and the fire button offering good responsiveness and large hit boxes so that you shouldn’t have any trouble.
Replay value is very good, as you’ll certainly need multiple playthroughs of most levels to earn all stars and find all briefcases. Repeated plays will likely reveal better ways to get through levels, allowing you to shave fractions of seconds off of your best times. GameCenter and OpenFeint integration offer global leaderboards and over a dozen achievements to pick up. Two difficulty levels allow you to tailor the game to your ability, as well. Our only issue was the occasional crash or freeze, though these will likely be ironed out quickly. A universal app on launch sale for $0.99, League of Evil 2 is another solid 5-Dimple champ.
