‘HOOK 2’ Review – A Sharp Left Hook From Out of Nowhere – TouchArcade

The unique HOOK ($1.99) had a quite simple concept behind it. You have been introduced with a tangled mess of hooks and loops, and also you wanted to take away each with out snagging any others. Very simple at first, however because the puzzles rolled alongside, extra layers of complexity have been woven in. By the tip, the puzzles would take a mix of cautious statement and endurance to untangle. As an added bonus, these later puzzles have been additionally stunning objects to take a look at. The sport was a shock hit, and it left individuals hungry for extra.

HOOK 2 ($1.99) is that long-awaited second course. The fundamental concept right here is identical: take away the hooks in such a manner that none of them pull on one another as they arrive out. As you play by way of the primary a number of ranges, it’s maybe too acquainted. Tug on the strains with none snags first, then the subsequent ones, and so forth till they’re all gone. They get extra difficult, however nothing you may’t deal with. Then you definately attain a puzzle that appears considerably less complicated than the one which got here earlier than. What’s this? You tug on the apparent line, and… it snags on nothing?

And it’s right here the place the brand new dimension is available in. Fairly actually, in reality. You slide your finger just a little and all of the sudden, the hooks reveal their secret. The puzzles are three-dimensional this time, and that provides a pleasant twist to the proceedings. Immediately even the only issues like observe adjustments and layered hooks require an entire new mind-set. Tracing these strains round to see what will pull if you yank on the road is quite a bit trickier, and takes much more spatial consciousness.

It’s a beautiful new hook, in case you’ll pardon the pun. And it’s greater than sufficient to energy the pile of recent ranges you’ve obtained to play by way of right here. The great factor is that identical to within the unique recreation, there’s no time restrict or different type of strain right here. Sure, in case you pull on the improper line too many occasions, you’ll should restart the puzzle. That’s probably not a lot of a setback, although. And positive, in case you’re inclined to, you may brute power your manner by way of lots of the degrees. To some extent. As issues get extra difficult, the variety of variables grow to be just a little bit an excessive amount of to randomly fumble your manner by way of. So that you’ll should do it at a correct tempo, patiently unraveling the serpentine threads that make up these pretty three-dimensional artwork items.

There’s a zen-like high quality to all of it, aided by the chilliness presentation. With no significantly annoying parts, you’re free to nibble on every puzzle as you want, unraveling a bunch without delay or slowly yanking on the items of a single one over the course of your espresso break. Regrettably, HOOK 2 doesn’t appear to save lots of your progress in a puzzle if the video games closes out utterly, so that you’ll should not less than end the present one you’re engaged on earlier than getting on together with your day. Even the tougher puzzles don’t take various minutes in case you set your thoughts to it, so it’s not a critical flaw. However it’s one thing to think about.

Whereas it was maybe a bit too lengthy in coming, HOOK 2 is a superb sequel to the unique. It retains the identical really feel and important mechanics, however builds on each in an fulfilling manner with simply the one addition of constructing the puzzles three-dimensional. The primary downside with the sport is identical concern the primary one had: the puzzles run dry just a little earlier than you would possibly like. You’ll whip by way of the preliminary 80 ranges rapidly when you get into the groove of issues, leaving you as soon as once more ready for extra.

Don’t take this as too a lot of a criticism; 80 puzzles is, in any case, a moderately great amount in an goal sense. However I actually do need extra, and that’s maybe the largest testomony to how properly HOOK 2 works. It’s a kind of puzzlers which you can simply get cozy with in these spare pockets of time that crop up every day, and a superb follow-up to Maciej Targoni’s different well-designed video games. Now, how lengthy till the subsequent bunch of ranges drop?