Crashlands 2 review - "Crashing into adventure, AGAIN!"

• Return to an updated and remodelled form of Crashlands!
• Crafting items depends on crafting bonds with the locals
• The harsh wilderness will test your combat skills and preparedness

As soon as you see it, some media takes you back to when the internet was young, and webtoons were the pinnacle of internet comedy. If one site embodies that most, it's Newgrounds, with its distinct style that can be seen in games old and new. Even though those behind Butterscotch Shenanigans may not be Newgrounds alum, Crashlands has that quirky Flash-like tone that embodies the site.

However, they have continued to grow, bringing us back to their sci-fi universe in Crashlands 2. This 2D survival-crafting game has you exploring new realms of a strange alien planet where nice and mean creatures are waiting for you to do something meaningful.

What is Crashlands 2?

If you haven't played Crashlands, let's get you up to speed. In the unknown space-faring future, the Bureau of Shipping handles a lot of interstellar deliveries, and the story follows one delivery person named Flux and her robot companion named Juicebox.

After crashing on a planet called Woanope thanks to a powerful jerk alien, the two teamed up to survive, save Woanope, and get back to work, when they were hailed as heroes. After a period of praise and celebrity, Flux and Juicebox are once again flying near Woanope when an energy surge shoots their ship out of the atmosphere, causing them to crash AGAIN. Once again stranded on Woanope, they realise suspicious changes to the planet and go on a quest to save it from a new threat while trying not to die.

Crashing over Crashlands 2

It's been almost a decade since the first Crashlands game, and tech has changed a lot since then, and you can see some of that in Crashlands 2. Looking at the characters, enemies, and plant life, everything is much more animated and bouncy. The art appears cel-shaded, making the creatures pop more against the bright background. It's even more notable during the day/night cycle, where new things shine more colourfully than others and incentivize you to keep exploring, no matter the time.

The crafting system returns with a few notable changes. You're not as alone this time as in the first adventure since you'll often encounter odd and interesting characters. Not only do they usually have something for you to do, but you're encouraged to make friends to gain Insights. These grant you new recipes for tools, structures, equipment, and other random doodads that are more useful than they initially seem. The more friends you make, the more stuff you can make, and the more quests you can do.

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• PBJ - The Musical review - "Very silly, quirky game"

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Even though Woanope was saved last time, it's still a wild and dangerous place. You may find more towns and safe spaces while exploring, but the roaming beasts are relentless and all too happy to hunt you down.

There aren't fodder enemies this time, so engaging in combat can be daunting and exciting. Every little item you take, any piece of equipment you use gives you an edge, but never enough to be careless. When you die, a dancing inflatable with a sick beat will watch over your stuff, but you still need to get there in one piece. Being strong enough to stroll confidently through the wilderness is plenty of motivation to harvest, craft, and make friends.

Crashlands 2 and burn

Even though Crashlands 2 has added a lot and improved their skills across the board, a few things are still causing problems. Even though the graphics and animation are more vibrant, there are periods where they look stilted and lag. It's most noticeable in Flux's movement, which is wildly exaggerated and, therefore, hard to ignore. She bounds along the ground, but it looks like she's literally skipping through frames while still not moving fast enough to justify that. At least the dashing and teleport system will help cut casual travel time.

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• Follow the Meaning review - "A unique point-and-click adventure"

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That's probably the most significant issue: Time. Crashlands 2 is not a game for the impatient since you'll spend a lot of time doing nothing. Researching Insights can take ages, even when you max out your bond with someone. Gathering can take a while, especially when you need a specific drop and the sources decide to play hard.

You'll also need particular Insights just so that you can get certain drops to appear, and even then, you're at the whims of Woanope's RNG. Combined with the returning mechanics of time-sensitive resources and encounters, this can further draw out the process. Much like how harvesting works in real life, this is a title to pick away at throughout the week.

Crashlands 2, ho!

Crashlands 2 is the latest entry in the Crashlands series, continuing the premise of exploring an isometric 2D alien planet with sci-fi themes, alien creatures, and survival-craft gameplay. The graphics look good, the crafting system works better when linked to character interaction, and the wilderness still presents a good challenge for the casual and expert explorer. Sometimes, the movements look and feel laggy while finding and making things takes a long time, but it's all part of the process. You can't just crash and hope to land right on a solution; you must work towards it and earn your new stuff, too.