Lost in Blue 2

"Great game, but shoddy story"

Let me start out by saying that if you're not a fan of slow and steady games, this game is not for you. This game progresses VERY slowly. Now, on to the actual review.

Playability: 10/10
This game plays perfectly. From the gathering of food, to finding materials for building stuff, it's all very intuitive. Should you ever get lost, you can easily refer to a map by pushing the L button. The coolest thing about the game is that you have to worry about things that would actually happen, should you wash up on a deserted island. In the beginning, surviving effectively is quite hard, as you're disoriented from the cruise ship sinking and washing up on a beach. Later, it gets easier as you discover the materials with which you make tools and furniture.

Graphics: 9/10
The graphics are quite impressive, for a DS game. You'll feel like you're actually stranded on a deserted island, with the semi-realistic waves crashing upon the beaches and the various environments scattered around for you to explore. First, you start on the southeast portion of the island, which has nothing but a river for you to drink out of, a cave for you to live in and your shipmate Amy, who washed up on the same island as you. Next, you've got the beginnings of a mountainous area with small animals and fruits aplenty. Then you've got... another beach! Yes, that's right, another beach! There are actually three beaches that I've seen so far. Then there's a jungle for you to explore, complete with gorillas and tigers, and a swamp with all manner of creatures.

Sound: 10/10
While wandering the island, you'll hear exactly what you'd expect to hear: birds calling, waves crashing on the beach, rain falling, tsunamis crashing occasionally, and the random storms that hit the island.

Story: 4/10
Here's where the game fails. You have no other story in the game (as far as I've played). You washed up on a deserted island, now survive. That's it. I can understand that surviving is the whole point of the game, but would a little story kill the designers? Make the bits of exploring between eating, drinking and building interesting? That's my biggest beef with the game.

Replay Value: 5/10
Not much replay value to this game except seeing if you can survive it all over again. There is a solo-survival mode, where you try to survive without a partner, and I suppose that could be fun to pass the time, but that's about it.

Total: 8/10
All in all, Lost In Blue 2 is an above average game that's great fun.

Buy or skip: Buy
If I saw this game for sale and I didn't already have it, I'd buy it. It's an awesome game that tests your planning and survival skills, so it's a lot of odd fun.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 03/23/07