Oceanhorn 2: Knights of the Lost Realm is set 1,000 years prior to the original title, casting players as a young knight confronting a formidable adversary: Warlock Mesmeroth.
Having not played the first Oceanhorn, I approached Oceanhorn 2: Knights of the Lost Realm as a standalone experience. The game presents an intriguing and inventive take on the pirate theme, offering a refreshing feel. The environments are visually appealing, with graphics that possess a distinct, crafted quality. Voice acting is present for most main characters, enhancing the immersive experience, while less prominent characters communicate through text.
The game provides ample upgrade opportunities and approximately 20 hours of gameplay to complete all objectives both on land and sea. Oceanhorn 2 exhibits solid performance on the Nintendo Switch, in both handheld and docked configurations. The loading times, however, were somewhat lengthy in portable mode. The text remains legible on the smaller screen, thanks to appropriately sized fonts.
The control scheme presented some challenges. The attack action is mapped to the Y button, rather than a bumper button, which feels less intuitive. Coordinating movement, camera control, and combat simultaneously can become unwieldy. While not a critical flaw, this aspect could benefit from further refinement by Cornfox & Bros. The boss encounters follow predictable patterns, which, although easily deciphered, can become somewhat repetitive. Overall, the combat mechanics feel relatively simplistic, making the engaging narrative a key strength of the game. The title clearly draws inspiration from classic Zelda games.
In conclusion, Oceanhorn 2: Knights of the Lost Realm is an enjoyable, stylish, and engaging action-adventure RPG that warrants a recommendation.
