Sequel Everhood 2 from Foreign Gnomes brings us back to this quirky universe for a new adventure. Learn more in our Everhood 2 review!
Sequel Everhood 2 from Foreign Gnomes brings us back to this quirky universe for a new adventure. I was definitely not expecting Everhood 2 to be a thing, but I’m here to say this is the sequel we didn’t know we needed. The game builds on the foundation laid by Everhood while expanding and improving on everything it previously did… and then some! It certainly wears its Undertale inspirations on its sleeve – just like Everdhood did – but that’s not a bad thing! I had a chance to review the prequel Everhood on Nintendo’s console back in 2021, so I was ready to take this new game for a spin.
Something to keep in mind is that some of the choices you make in Everhood 2 will affect the outcome of your journey. Your first choice will be picking an answer to a simple question: What do you like the most in games? Your options are Story, Battle and Challenges, Unique Experiences, and Funny Stuff. You’ll then be asked: “How do you prefer your challenges? Your options for this one will be Story Mode, Easy, Medium, and Hard. As expected, this will establish the difficulty setting.
The next question is as follows: Do you talk to every character in a room? Your choices will be Yes, No, and I Don’t Know. Is this questionnaire boring you? Yes, there are more questions for you to answer, but these examples should give you an idea of where things are heading since the questions will start to get a bit more personal. The questionnaire can be as extended as you want it to be. After you’re done answering, your soul’s color will be determined.
Once you begin, you’ll control your character by using either the left analog stick or the D-Pad. Press the A button to interact with items or other characters. You can open the menu by pressing the X button so that you can check out what you’ve collected so far and what you can use to your advantage. To switch characters, all you need to do is press the L and R buttons. As was the case for Everhood, there are going to be plenty of battles for you to take on during your time with Everhood 2, and if you haven’t played the prequel, then the combat in this sequel might feel a bit odd at first.
You see, battles in Everhood 2 are of the musical variety, so you’ll have to pay attention to each song that is playing so that you can find the right rhythm for you to dodge incoming attacks as you find the proper window of opportunity to deal some damage. You’ll move your character left or right by using the left analog stick or the D-Pad as you switch from lane to lane. You can jump by either pressing up or by pressing the B button. You can absorb some of the attacks by pressing the ZR or A buttons and then cast your attacks by pressing the ZL or Y buttons.
New to this sequel is how you can press and hold down the ZR or A buttons to absorb several notes in a row. You’ll also have different skills for you to cast into action depending on how much energy you’ve absorbed. The more energy you absorb, the more punch your attack will pack! Do be careful, because if you’re hit, you’ll lose all of the energy that you had accumulated, so don’t get greedy! You also can’t mix colors, so you’ll need to absorb energy of the same color to boost your potential cast. Pay attention to the types of notes sent your way because barrier notes will block your attacks. Once you have access to weapons, you’ll be able to switch between them by pressing the L and R buttons to find the right one to get the job done.
Another new element is how you’ll be fighting against enemies roaming the overworld, in a nod to, say, games like the classic Earthbound. Because of this, you’ll also be gaining experience points after each battle. You can also get some extra experience points from treasure chests. Once you’ve accumulated enough experience points, you’ll get to level up. When this happens, you’ll receive a boost to your stat values. Getting some extra HP and attack power every time you level up can go a long way! Leveling up will also unlock additional cosmetics for you to customize your character’s look.
Sequel Everhood 2 brings us back to this quirky universe for a new adventure. I was definitely not expecting Everhood 2 to be a thing, but I’m here to say this is the sequel we didn’t know we needed. The game builds on the foundation laid by Everhood while expanding and improving on everything it previously did… and then some! It certainly wears its Undertale inspirations on its sleeve – just like Everdhood did – but that’s not a bad thing! Something to keep in mind is that some of the choices you make in Everhood 2 will affect the outcome of your journey.
You’re a very special being with the ability to wander between different realities. You’ll be aided by Raven to unlock your full potential. First up on that journey will be to slay the dragon so that you can gain your Soul Weapon. Collect Power Gems to upgrade yourself. Spend the first one to improve your medium cast with the power of Armor Break. Collect and use a second and third Power Gem to boost the overall damage you deal. Yes, that does mean that subsequent upgrades will get more expensive! Everhood 2 launches tomorrow on Nintendo Switch with a $20.00 price tag.
Disclaimer
This Everhood review is based on a Nintendo Switch copy provided by Foreign Gnomes.