In Freedom Planet 2 - Sequel to the breakout Indie Games hit, Freedom Planet - The Kingdom Stone has been broken and now an ancient threat has been awakened. Will you stand strong when Bakunawa rises?
Freedom Planet 2 is the second game in the Freedom Planet series, taking place 3 years after the events of the first game. It was submitted to Steam Greenlight on February 10th, 2017[1] and was greenlit on February 14th, 2017[2]. The game's release date was previously estimated to be in 2018[2] and was later changed to late 2019.[3] After several delays in game development, Freedom Planet 2 was officially released on September 13, 2022 for PC and Linux, with a home console release on multiple platforms scheduled for release on April 4, 2024.[4]
A demo of the game, aptly called the "Sample Version", was released for a limited time on January 31, 2017, via the game's website.
Join the heroes of Avalice: Sash Lilac, Carol Tea & Milla Basset as they team up with their once rival Neera Li to face their greatest challenge yet. An ancient terror has emerged from the depths of the ocean. Merga, a water dragon from Avalice's oldest and deadliest war, has been freed from her crystal prison as a consequence of the Kingdom Stone's destruction. Through her act of vengeance, she holds a dark and terrible truth about Avalice's leaders that will change the history of the three kingdoms forever. War is imminent once again, but this time, the heroes are split between sides. As friendships are tested, will the girls stand united when Bakunawa rises?[5]
Gameplay[]
The gameplay of Freedom Planet 2 remains broadly true to that of its predecessor[5], with the following updates and new features added:
Adventure Mode[]
Adventure Mode functions similarly to the first game, with the following and updated features included:
Hub Areas, which didn't make into the game's predecessor due to time constraints, are a part of the game's Adventure Mode. They are filled with NPCs that the player can interact with as they progress through the story. There is also a World Map, allowing the player to move between the Hubs and Stages, exploring the world of Avalice in style.
Cutscenes[]
Adventure Mode has Cutscenes similar to those from the first game, in which the story is told through the use of unique sprite animations and voice acting.
It was originally planned for the cutscenes to play out in a style similar to a visual novel, with only certain cutscenes featuring sprite animation. However, the cutscenes have been altered to mirror those of its predecessor, as shown in the Adventure Mode 2019 Trailer.
Classic Mode[]
Classic Mode is more unique this time from its predecessor, and can only be unlocked if the Player completes Adventure Mode with any Character. Instead of progressing through the stages in a set order that is determined by the identity of the playable character, it now features a grid map that allows quick and easy access to any stage. Unlike Adventure Mode, some of the stages in Classic Mode are non-linear, as completing certain stages unlocks multiple stages at once, allowing the player to play them in any order they want.
Universal & Quick Shops[]
Exclusive to Classic Mode is a feature called the Universal Shop, where the player can buy items before the start of a stage. In contrast to the Universal Shop is the Quick Shop, a feature exclusive to Adventure Mode that allows the player to conveniently access any previously visited shops from the World Map without the need to travel to said shop. Between both variants of the shops, the player can buy items, Music Vinyls and even Gold Gems. Although some items can be found for free in the stages, the player is given the option to pay extra for convenience.
Guarding is a new gameplay mechanic introduced in Freedom Planet 2. By tapping a dedicated button, the player can avoid a certain amount of damage from incoming enemy attacks.[5] The technique will not fully reflect damage from larger or more powerful attacks; however, it will reduce the amount of damage if properly timed. This new mechanic also has a secondary action for each Playable Character:
Revivals constitute another new gameplay mechanic included in Freedom Planet 2. When the character has been defeated, the player is given two options for revival: return to the last checkpoint at full health, or immediately get back up at zero health unless certain health-related items are equipped. This also grants a few seconds of invincibility.
WARNING: Reviving doesn't work if the character's body has been disintegrated.[5]
Speed Gates[]
Speed Gates are rainbow-colored rings with a similar appearance to the Time Gates from Pangu Lagoon. When the player passes through one of these rings, a bonus timer will begin, and the player will be able to earn bonus Crystal Shards by leaving behind a trail of Tao marks. Once the timer runs out, all the Tao Marks on the trail will transform into Crystal Shards. The longer the Tao Trail is, the more shards the player will earn.
The Pause Menu has been updated and expanded with the following new features:
Option
Details
Guide
Provides the Player with an In-Game Instruction Manual on how to play the Game, giving them details on Basic Controls, Revivals, Special Attacks for each Character and Collectible Items.
Photo Mode
Allows the Players to take Photos of the Character while the Game is Paused, able to pose them on the Ground or in the Air to make them look adventurous or comical.
Photo Album
Allows the Player to look at the Photos they took in Photo Mode, able to hold up to 50+ Photos.
Stages[]
Freedom Planet 2 has a total of 24 regular Stages. Unlike those of its predecessor, each stage is now a single big area instead of being divided into multiple areas and two acts. Though every stage has an end-boss encounter, some also have a mid-boss encounter. Alongside the main stages, there are optional tutorial levels where players can learn the basics as well as be familiarized with each character's special abilities. After the player's first visit at the Royal Palace hub, the order of stages split into 3 separate episodic story arcs (with 6 in total), before merging again for a singular path in Gravity Bubble for the third act of the game. Act 2 begins with Tidal Gate after completing the first 3 arcs. The player can not change between story arcs once one of the 3 has been chosen.
In addition to the standard action Stages, Freedom Planet 2 also contains Hub Areas, where the player can interact with various NPCs and access many different shops offering various items and collectibles.
There are four playable characters in Freedom Planet 2, three returning and one new. Each returning character retains most of their abilities from the first game, along with some new and updated abilities.
It was originally planned for Freedom Planet 2's Adventure Mode to have separate story arcs to choose from, such as the Museum Arc, Battlesphere Arc and Shuigang Arc. But likely due to changes in the story, the gameplay now is more linear. [9] However, the choice to choose between the story arcs is still retained in the game's Classic Mode, where the player can play the stages in any order, regardless of the story arcs.
However, the linear structure was scrapped entirely because the developers changed their mind and the "seperate story arcs" feature was brought back for the final game. There is an exception if playing as Carol in the Adventure Mode, where "Justice in the Sky Paradise" is locked unless the player finishes the "Robot Wars! Snake Vs. Tarsier" arc due to a later scene in the former arc's story.