Unravel 2 Review

Unravel 2:

The original Unravel was an absolutely fine puzzle/platformer – and that was the most damning thing about it, honestly. Fine doesn’t really cut it anymore – luckily developers Coldwood Interactive stepped up and knocked this sequel out of the park, making a game that is so much more than just fine.

Story:

Our story picks up just as the cute and charming Yarny is tossed from his boat into the raging sea below. After tugging on his string in an attempt to get back to his vessel on the stormy sea, it snaps, and he’s washed ashore far away.

Pretty soon he runs into a second Yarny – a little blue guy seemingly identical to our protagonist – and he’s just as broken and lost as our hero. They decide to team up, tethering themselves to each other in the hopes that two truly is better than one.

As you trek through the treacherous world together, memories play out in the backgrounds of each stage. These are poignant flashes from another story entirely – one that seems to mirror our own journey somewhat – but whilst I appreciated what they were going for I was actually far more intent on the primary storytelling and trying to get through the stage to the next gameplay setpiece. These flashes just kind of got in the way.

Gameplay & Multiplayer:

In Unravel Two the series finally finds its unique selling point in its multiplayer. Whilst you can make your way through the game on your own, you’ll be severely missing out by doing so – controlling both Yarnys is a somewhat frustrating and far less rewarding task, and makes the plight of these two loveable creatures an exercise in annoyance rather than the effortless joy it otherwise yields.

Being tethered to another Yarny opens up a surprising amount of options for traversal: Using each other as a tether point to swing across wide gaps, using your string to build bridges together, pulling each other up to out-of-reach ledges and a whole host of really interesting, asynchronous play makes the somewhat standard platforming of the original feel fresh and fun.

The movement tech in this game is really enjoyable to get to grips with. Using your yarn to swing your way through levels and build up real momentum, before tackling some of the games interesting puzzles, makes for a well-paced adventure with a decent amount of variety. A lot of the best moments involve lowering your stringy compatriot into ever more deadly situations and helping each other navigate these lethal areas.