Finding Teddy 2 is an indie title that celebrates retro 8-bit platformers from the 80s, namely famous NES titles such as Mega Man and Castlevania. It felt like a fun game to play through, however, it does have notable flaws that can be ironed out. (I’m aware this is not the full game, as it is a beta, but I shall review what was given to me)
Visuals: For a modern title created to mimic 8-bit graphics, it does a pretty good job. The scenery popped out, looked alive, and felt somewhat engaging. However, some areas look a bit primitive, as if the game was actually made during the NES era. However, the color palettes and lighting was quite the eye candy.
Gameplay: The game is a platformer that has you control a young girl who wields a basic sword and shield. (Like the famed warrior from The Legend of Zelda, Link) You can perform attacks to slay enemies that come your way and protect yourself with your shield. You can collect jewels which you can trade in for upgrades, All rather solid for a platformer, however, I do wish the game did a better job explaining how to play, what items are what, what they do, and how you’re supposed to perform certain tasks. Also, a bad design choice on the developer’s part was that there is no map. That makes things even more confusing for players. Most of the game was trial and error for me, but that did not deter my enjoyment too much.
Story: Honestly, the most story the game has is the opening exposition (which has a few grammatical errors) and it isn’t exactly what I would call a “stellar plot”. What confuses me even more about the game is that it’s called “Finding Teddy 2”, and yet, the girl’s teddy bear shows up 10 minutes into the game. All in all, you shouldn’t really expect Shakespearean-esque stories from platformers. That’s what RPGs are for.
Verdict: In conclusion, the game did give me an adequate level of enjoyment and does what it’s trying to do decently. Would I recommend it to beginner gamers who want to get into platformers? Not at all, but I would recommend it to veterans who want to see what the new generation can do with a classic genre of video gaming. A more appropriate game I would recommend to beginners and experts alike is another indie game called Shovel Knight.
