Unravel Two

Back when Unravel Two‘s trailer came, back at E3 2018, I was blown away. I loved the music (in fact, AURORA, the singer that sings the song in the trailer is one of my favorite singers!), the atmosphere, the scenery…and the Yarnys! So, what does this game have to give? Is the Nintendo Switch version as good as the others? Let’s find out in this review!

An adventure for two…?

The players take the role of two anthropomorphic yarn creatures called Yarny. Unlike the previous game though, you are not alone anymore: there’s two of you! After losing your tracks on a small boat, our hero finds himself on an island. This is where we meet our second yarn friend. Our little creatures can be customized, and it’s possible to unlock more customization options beating some challenges you can find at the lighthouse, the game’s hub. Some players might be turned off by the fact that the game seems to be made for two players, but let me tell you, the game is a beautiful experience, both alone and with a friend. While the co-op mode is recommended, it’s not mandatory at all. Surely, some sections are easier alone while in others you may need extra help, but playing solo doesn’t take anything away.

Our heroes, together!

A fantasy adventure in a realistic world

Even though the Yarnys don’t talk, I really loved them. I loved how they interacted with each other, they looked so positive and encouraging. When things are done right, they clap and jump with joy. They always give a light of hope in a sometimes sad world.
Talking about the world, the scenery is inspired by the Scandinavian wilderness and it’s gorgeous. While the Switch version loses some aspects compared to the much powerful Playstation 4 or Xbox One, I still found it beautiful. It looked lovely even while escaping from a forest fire or exploring a lake.  Do I recommend the Switch version? Sure. In TV mode, you can choose between performance and graphics. The first runs at 60 FPS and the other at 30, but they are both extremely solid and never go down.

Follow the sparkle!

A sound experience.

The gameplay doesn’t differ too much from the first game, it’s mostly the same but with some extra actions thanks to the extra Yarny. The game still remains easy enough that anybody can beat it. You can use your yarn to do anything: climb a wall, swing from one place to the other, pull objects…you can even wall-jump!
What about the soundtrack? Well, you’ll love Unravel Two‘s. It works wonders with the game. It’s never repetitive, it doesn’t get boring and it’s original. It always fits the situation and never feels out of place. I had the pleasure to listen to it outside of the game too since I wanted to hear those joys once again.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUdpqT9reUM

A weird story…

This is where things get weird. You could say that the game follows two stories: the Yarnys’ story and the story of two kids against the evils of the world. While the Yarnys represent the kids, do the kids represent the Yarnys? Sort of. The Creators of the game explained that the game’s inspired by the silly behavior of children and that the Yarnys are inspired by them. But that doesn’t make up for the story: since the game has no dialogue, and the various in-game cutscenes are played like memories, you’ll never get a full explanation of what is happening and why. It doesn’t take anything away from the game, but it would have benefited from having some sort of explanation.

…With great symbolism

The game, like the first one, is filled with symbolism, and I think it’s great! For example, yarn represents romance, and the broken yarn represents the loss of romance. Our heroes can be shaped in any way they want and they will not care about it. This is a story about all the shapes of love: friendship, romance, platonic love…you name it. I encourage the players to read the message that can be found right at the start of the credits, it made me cry for a good while.

Love is love, in any way or shape. Even if you look like a fork.

VERDICT

I honestly can’t recommend this game hard enough. I loved it, every inch of it. It’s such a charming experience and even if the story can be a bit odd, it’s your personal interpretation in the end that matters. The music is great, gameplay is lovely. There are tons of extra challenges that add hours to the game. The only nitpick is not having the first game available too, but maybe, someday…
But really, go play this game, you won’t regret it. The Nintendo Switch version is as solid as the other consoles’, except for some graphical downgrades. So, what are you waiting on? Go buy this game already!

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Enjoyed this review? Check out our review of Baba is You and Assault Android Cactus (Both by Senpavo!)! Also, check out how you can help our site by visiting our Ko-Fi page here! Thanks!

Game not provided by Coldwood Interactive nor EA.