When Teslagrad first came onto the market a decade ago, I was immediately blown away by what it had to offer. Rather than floaty platforming where I needed to squish as many enemies as possible by landing on their heads, I found myself exploring a thought-provoking puzzler that kept me on the edge of my seat. 10 years later, Teslagrad 2 has finally made its way to the market, bringing an even more interesting approach to the now familiar genre, with a few small drawbacks that keep it from reaching its full potential.
You control Lumina on a quest to reunite with her family after crashing on a new and unknown land, and it’s up to you to help her make her way back home. On this ride, gorgeous vistas and incredible sound design dotted the lands I explored and kept me interested until the very end. Find out why Teslagrad 2 needs to be on your radar, even if you’re not a fan of the genre below.
A Room with a View
Booting into the world of Teslagrad 2 for the first time after its surprise drop, I was immediately impressed. While 2D titles have continued to grow and advance in their artistic style and integrity, it’s hard to find something that almost instantly takes your breath away due to the overall art style choices, but lo and behold, here I was. After an immediate sense of hustle and dread, I was catapulted into the world below the surface, full of magnetic forces that I slowly learned how to manipulate.
The glowing aura emanating off of these pillars quickly taught me what their uses were, and I found myself working my way back toward the surface. At the surface level, Teslagrad 2 is baby’s first Metroid-vania, giving you the chance to explore while also having a clear goal in mind, given to you by a mysterious stranger. My first task was to get out of this underground world and get back onto the surface once again, and after clinging to walls and using the power of repulsion to shoot from one side of the map to the other, I was on my way.
“In motion, it looks and feels like a moving picture book, and the first time I hit the proper surface, my jaw dropped right onto the screen of my Steam Deck.“
However, nothing could have prepared me for the immediate shock of the surface. Teslagrad 2 has a set goal in mind, and photos do not do it the proper justice. In motion, it looks and feels like a moving picture book, and the first time I hit the proper surface, my jaw dropped right onto the screen of my Steam Deck. Every part of the world is detailed and gorgeous and helped keep me on the right track. I wanted to see everything the game had to offer, so I indulged in some exploration to see what awaited me.
Character design is another strong point, with exaggerated proportions and some of the most impressive-looking bosses I’ve seen in quite some time. Taking a hint from Nordic mythology, you’ll find yourself facing off against Vikings, beasts from beyond this world, and so much more. It’s a game that will stick with you for quite some time, and have you thinking about not only its designs but its environments for years to come.
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Controls are Tricky, but Fair (Mostly)
The Teslagrad series is known for its brain-bending puzzles, and Teslagrad 2 continues this trend in spades. However, there are a few puzzles that seem to be needlessly complicated due to the somewhat finicky controls rather than a lack of skill or brain power. While working through the world, I found plenty of power-ups that would aid little Lumina, the main protagonist, in her goal to be reunited with her family once again. Plenty of these puzzles are based purely on physics, and there were plenty of times that felt unfair, rather than rewarding. Thankfully, the checkpoint system is rather forgiving.
For example, after finding a power-up that allowed me to slide on the ground faster than the speed of sound, I found myself at a crossroads with a particular puzzle. I needed to slide, teleport, slide, teleport, and land on a particular platform, or I would meet a rather unfortunate end. Looked simple enough, but due to the finicky nature of the controls and physics at times, I was more frustrated than I could have imagined after failing time and time again. Eventually, I got it, but it took far longer than I would have expected and didn’t feel like a lack of skill. Expect a few moments of frustration in an experience that other times controls fantastically.
While at its core, it’s more or less a Metroid-vania Lite, you’ll find that there are still plenty of dangerous moments. At the beginning of your adventure, you’ll find that you are relatively defenseless, making every encounter a life-or-death situation. One hit from the enemy and you’re toast, but you have a few powers that can help you survive. Using Blink, essentially an electrical teleportation magic, I found that I was able to defend myself and evade attacks against the growing threats around me. As I continued my adventure, plenty of new items, and finally weapons, would become available to me to make me into the Teslamancer I knew I could be.
Skills are spread throughout the maps, and are almost impossible to miss, making this a great introduction to the genre for those that feel burned and scared to try something more daunting, such as Hollow Knight or even Metroid itself. It’s a great entry point, alongside the remasted version of Teslagrad that is available alongside it.
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Sound Design is On Point
I have to take a moment to single out the sound design, which is actually incredible. The haunting chants featured in the soundtrack, alongside the industrial buzz of this Nordic-Steampunk world echo still within my mind. It’s hard to draw an immediate comparison to anything else on the market, as it is incredibly unique throughout, and I could easily find myself listening to this soundtrack on a regular basis outside of replaying this adventure.
It fits the bill perfectly and delivers exceptional service to the core gameplay, expanding the world around me as I would interact with new pieces of machinery and find new parts of the world. Constantly changing and evolving, the sweeping score is easily one of the highlights of this game and can provide an emotional backdrop to the, admittedly, low-profile story. You feel more of how the story is progressing through the music, rather than the storytelling.
Pros:
- Incredible Soundtrack
- Memorable character designs
- Unique world and skills to explore
Cons:
- Lackluster Storytelling
- Somewhat Finicky Controls
- Physics at times feel a bit off
Verdict
Teslagrad 2 takes what made the first game a unique puzzle platformer and expands on almost every front of it. While there is a bit of room for improvement in the overall control scheme and physics engine, it stands out in a flooded genre. Teslagrad found fame in itself on the indie scene when it first came out, and Teslagrad 2 will hopefully find the same level of success. A memorable platformer that I feel blessed to have experienced, and will happily recommend it to anyone to enjoy.
Score: 8.5 – GOOD
A copy of this game was provided by the publisher for review. Reviewed on PC / Steam Deck.
