The world is ending and flood water is rising, so what are you going to do? Will you try to find high ground, or will you jump in a large wooden ark and hope for the best? The latter option is surely the right choice, even though starvation is a very real risk. Ooops! 2 allows you to experience this exact problem, and you soon discover how dangerous life on the sea can be.
Developed by Independent Arts and published by Wild River, this is a colourful solo action game. Following in the footsteps of Overcooked, this is a hectic title. You control an array of fantasy creatures known as Nestrians. These fluffy cute animals are kind, caring, and love their food. Their obsession with cooking is the key concept behind this game. Subsequently, you must create plenty of tasty meals for thousands of hungry critters.
Ooops! 2 is oddly very similar to Overcooked.
In a genre that focuses on hectic action and food-related tasks, the originality is going to be particularly low. However, even I didn’t expect the gameplay to be so similar to Overcooked. Ooops! 2 uses a unique aesthetic, and this is one of the few things that set it apart from its cooking rival. I was shocked that so many mechanics were almost identical! Moreover, I wonder if this was a nod to a great game or simply a lack of new ideas.
The action revolves around the preparation of food and delivering it to the “pass” ASAP. New recipes are drip-fed and new cooking methods are added. You’ll make salads, pizzas, smoothies, stews, and more across the three chapters. You are tasked with cleaning plates, avoiding obstacles, and preventing critters from stealing your resources. Like others in the genre, its gameplay is hectic, stressful, but rewarding. It’ll make you swear, scream, and laugh as you push yourself to achieve three stars on every level.
It’s full of comical moments, but it lacks one key ingredient!
It’s clear I’m not impressed with its similarities to Overcooked, however, this does guarantee a fun game. The well-polished and familiar mechanics allow you to jump straight in with little fuss. The three chapters all comprise interesting stage designs and the learning curve is well-balanced. Alongside this, the developers punctuated the action with hilarious cutscenes that progress the story nicely. Here you meet each of the protagonists who are lively, colourful, and full of charm. I loved their cute ways and how they interacted with one another.
What makes this genre particularly strong is its family orientated action. Couch co-op has long been a core concept, but Ooops! 2 has ignored this fantastic element. Its desire to concentrate on a solo mode is absolutely wrong! Its blurb even highlights its “family-based” action, yet this isn’t the case. If a four-player co-op mode was incorporated, then, yes, this would be accurate. However, a single-player title is not family-focused. This was a massive oversight and is one key ingredient that is desperately needed.
Ooops! 2 doesn’t miss the mark aesthetically.
Though Ooops! 2 is sadly lacking in key areas, graphically it’s superb. Its cinematic wouldn’t be out of place in a Disney or Pixar film. The brilliantly finished imagery and vibrant colours are a thing of beauty, and I adored the world that has been created. The developers have also been clever in their design of each stage. They match each chapter’s setting perfectly and subsequently I never tired of exploring new levels.
The excitement and energy surrounding each stage are enhanced by the playful soundtrack. This loud high energy audio makes you smile even when everything goes wrong. The constant tunes are accompanied by an array of shrill sound effects. These realistic noises match every action you undertake and are a welcome addition.
Familiar controls that falter under pressure.
If you know this genre, you’ll pick this up with ease. The simple controller layout is a joy to master and the game benefits because of this. However, the responsiveness is reduced considerably when the action is hectic. You’ll struggle to select the correct items and errors regularly happen. Therefore, you’ll experience some unnecessary frustration and this impacts the enjoyment factor.
Thanks to its thirty-plus stages and new recipes to cook, getting the maximum score will be tough. Yet, it sorely misses the multiplayer mode, and this reduces its longevity drastically. The developers could have mixed things up with each character you unlock. Unique skills could have been introduced, but this opportunity was sadly missed.
Ooops! 2 is enjoyable but sadly lacking.
Though I wasn’t impressed with the lack of originality, I still enjoyed playing this from start to finish. Its colourful aesthetic and comical cutscenes are great to look at and break up the action perfectly. However, I can’t forgive the lack of cooperative action and this ensures that Ooops! 2 is sadly lacking. I liked it and recommend you to buy it here! just be aware of its shortcomings. Can you prevent the animals from starving? Explore the three chapters and quickly serve your customers.
