I had my reservations about Beholder 2, fearing it would simply be a rehash of the first game. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find that it offers a fresh and exciting experience. While familiar elements from the first game do make an appearance, the new story, characters, and setting provide a unique and engaging experience. The game developers have clearly considered the feedback from the first game, building upon the successful aspects and making improvements where needed. I am impressed with their efforts and am eagerly awaiting to play Beholder 3 on the Nintendo Switch.
As an intern at the Prime Ministry in a totalitarian state, you can climb the career ladder using cunning and strategy. You can choose to play the game by spying on your boss and completing paperwork, or you can take a bolder approach and turn against the state, exposing corruption. The choice is yours in Beholder 2, but one thing is for certain, you are now part of the Ministry, and your future is yours to shape. Will you become a decorated officer, a ruthless careerist, or a whistle-blower? Only time will tell.
Pros
Story: It’s a good one, with a solid main storyline that gets spiced up with a few side quests as you meet different characters throughout the building. The first floor was my favorite, it felt like I had more freedom to explore and play around with different options.
Time: Instead of feeling rushed with a stopwatch ticking away and no way to pause it, you have a set amount of time allocated for your workday. Each action you take deducts from that time, so you can roam around the Ministry, talk to as many people as you like without worrying about running out of time.
Merit: One of the great new features is the merit system. It's a straightforward point system where the more you work towards your mission for the ministry, the more points you earn. You can use these points to get out of tricky situations or convince others to do things for you.
Friendships: You also have the ability to build friendships with your colleagues. This can be done by watching the same shows as them, helping them out, or even using them to your advantage.
Gameplay: It’s s a breeze to navigate compared to the first game. It's simple, user-friendly, and easy to understand. Plus, while you're in the Ministry, you can use the map to quickly move from one room to another.
Fear: The fear factor has changed from the previous game. Instead of being scared of getting caught, you're now on edge, wondering if you've made the right decisions and what the consequences will be for yourself and others.
Theme: The themes are similar to the first game, but they are presented in a more visually striking way. The game doesn't rely on gore but sets the tone from the start, emphasizing that actions have consequences, both good and bad.
Cons
Text: I noticed that there were a few missing words in the subtitle, which leads me to my next point: too much text. I feel like the developers may have gone overboard with the amount of text, and by the end of the game, I found myself skipping most of the dialogue.
Scavenging: In Beholder 1, the scavenging aspect involved finding various objects throughout the game. In Beholder 2, however, the focus shifts to finding and accessing biometric safes scattered around the Ministry. It's a bit of a disappointment as it was enjoyable to learn how to acquire different objects, trade them or sell them for money.
Easy Gameplay: Once you understand the gameplay and its logic, it becomes easy to navigate and know where you're going and how to get there. However, this also means less of a struggle for money and merits, which takes away some of the excitement and challenge of the game.
Mini Games: I enjoy the mini-games included in the ministry, but the third one frustrated me a few times. As you progress through the game, the difficulty level increases, and I must admit that I don't want to spend my time doing the math to figure out the clones.
In short, Beholder 2 offers a fresh and exciting experience with improved gameplay, time management, and a merit system. The game has its own issues, such as too much text and some unenjoyable mini-games, but overall it's an interesting game with a unique story and characters.
Total Game Time: 15+ hours
Games similar to Beholder 2: My Child Lebensborn, Children of Silentown, Beholder 1
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