Here at TechGuySmartBuy, we talk about gaming all of the time. Whether its deals or highlighting the latest titles, we are gamers at heart along with being TechGuys. We have our 1st video game to put under our microscope for analysis. Our subject for today is: Epic Mickey 2, The Power Of Two.
Published by Disney Interactive, developed by Blitz Games Studios as I have the Xbox 360 (Wii + Wii U was developed by Junction Point Studios). The 1st title was popular and sold well as a Wii exclusive and the sequel is available for multiple platforms (Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, Wii U, Mac, & PC). The game can be played as two characters:
Mickey Mouse – The current icon of the Disney brand for the most recent years.
and
Oswald The Lucky Rabbit – One of Disney’s earlier characters who would make the path for Mickey.
*FYI: this is the 1st time Oswald actually speaks. Back in the day the cartoons where silent.*
This is a celebration or a spotlight on Disney’s epic past.
The game takes place in Wasteland, a kind-of- retirement home that’s full of 80 years of classic Disney characters and DisneyLand attractions. Taking place some time after the original Epic Mickey, the sequel kicks off with a series of massive earthquakes. Ones that damage the town that has been rebuilding after the events of part one. The villain from part one, the Mad Doctor, is now reformed and comes willing to assist immediately. The townspeople aren’t quick to believe and Gus the Gremlin leader and Ortensia (Oswald’s girlfriend) declare this to be enough of an emergency to call on their savior, Mickey Mouse. And Disney’s dynamic duo begins their quest with you at the helm to see what caused the tremors and restore order.
The two cartoon heroes will have to travel through various maps & environments to beat the baddies and the fibbing Mad Doctor. You will travel to lands like Fort Wasteland, Disney Gulch, Mad Doctor’s Lab, Rainbow Caverns, Rainbow Falls, Prescott’s Arena, and the Floatyard. Throughout your journey, you will notice parts of the older Disney sprinkled within the story and environments. Like earlier in the game, Mickey is running around with the walking mops from ‘Fantasia’ to seeing Chip & Dale (pre-Rescue Rangers) to watching the Skeleton Dance to Oswald sporting the suit from ‘Tron’.
The camera & Oswald can work against you at times during gameplay.
The sequel to Epic Mickey brings an interesting spin on co-op gaming. The 2nd player can join in at anytime to assist. Other than that, it will be the computer controlling Oswald who gets in the way at times as well as the camera. It can get you killed a few times while getting the hang of the camera controls in certain situations. Chalk it up as a learning curve.
As far as abilities go, Mickey is armed with a magic paintbrush and shoots paint or thinner at enemies and objects w/ different effects. Mickey also has a spin attack similar to Crash Bandicoot. Oswald has a remote control that can create shields, shoot at foes and reanimate machines/doors. The rabbit can also take off his arm or leg to throw it at the baddies like a boomerang and spin its ears to glide fly through the air. You can also work together in certain instances to get across areas where a bridge would help. Mickey would grab Oswald legs while flying to get across together.
There are several side adventures and riddles to solve through out the game too. It has a little Fable-like consequences based on the decisions you make. So the developers made sure to make you work & think a bit so this isn’t a mindless side-scrolling adventure but a 2D/3D one.
“It’s no Mario but kids (5 & older) can enjoy it.”
This sequel has improved within the story and gameplay from the original. But it could have been improved a lot more in some areas of the game. Being a game geared towards children, it’s no Mario but kids (5 & older) can enjoy it. There are several optional adventures to purse as well as some bonuses out there for you to find to add to the game’s replay value. Parents can play along with their kids in co-op as well. Nothing like a Disney game for some child-parent bonding.
To Buy Or To Rent
With the price ranging from $30 to $60 (depending on which platform you go with), I would say that this game could be either a buy or a rent. This all depends on the kind of games your kids or child you would gift this to enjoys playing. Our child reviewers had fun playing and hopefully yours will to.
Levon Myles contributed to this review
We were provided a copy for Xbox 360 by Disney Interactive.
and 
