As a new month begins, Xbox Game Pass is once again refreshing its library of games. A number of new titles have joined the service this December, including some high-profile games such asFinal Fantasy 13-2andHalo Infinite. Xbox owners, and those who participate in the program on PC, continue to enjoy a hefty output of cheap game rentals that they can peruse at their pleasure. If the rumors are accurate,Sony may be so impressed by Game Passthat it intends to copy it with a PlayStation subscription service bringing back old games.
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The Guacamelee Games are Excellent Metroidvanias
TheGuacameleefranchise consists of a pair of action-platformer metroidvanias that take a lot of cues from theabilities found inMetroid. The two games are heavily inspired by traditional Mexican culture and folklore and have a gorgeously colorful art style to back it up. That interesting aesthetic is backed by a spirit world mechanic, which players eventually gain the ability to switch between on the fly. The one issue that players take with the games’ aesthetic, as well as their writing, is a very strong reliance on referential humor. A lot of memes and pop culture references are found in the background and in dialogue, which may turn off some. If one can make it past those, however, a great action game awaits.
Guacamelee’s luchador action permeates its beingand is one of the series’ strongest aspects. As well as a variety of slams, dashes, and abilities while transformed into a chicken, players have access to grappling. Combat may be simple, but grabbing a skeletal enemy and sending them hurtling into their comrades is always satisfying. Repetition can feel like a problem outside of the cool boss fights, so players looking for a satisfying level of challenge may want to bump up the difficulty a bit. Still, with another player around, combat can still be a chaotic and fun distraction from platforming and exploration.
Guacamelee 2 is the Perfect Evolution to Guacamelee
That brings up one of the first big improvementsGuacamelee 2has over its predecessor: four-player co-op. While the first game just supported one or two players, the sequel allows for up to four to play as a wide variety of characters fromGuacamelee’s Mexiverse, and deck them out in silly costumes in the process. It’s only offline, unfortunately, but there are screen-sharing options available to some. The rest may be thankful for the lack of chaos, as whileGuacamelee 2’s combat has seen a few tweaks and fun expansions, it’s platforming now comes even further into focus.Guacamelee 2’s late platforming sections can be brutal, especially if one goes for a high completion. Still, that gives players something to work towards.
Guacamelee 2is out now for PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.
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