Slime Rancher 2 is a direct sequel which serves to enhance and improve upon an already incredible experience.
Slime Rancher was released in 2016 to a slew of reviews hailing it as a marvel. Who could argue? Monomi Park’s title had a breathtaking, unique world, stunning visuals, and a very interesting (and addictive) gameplay loop. The anticipation for a sequel loomed large for many years as people were eager to see what another Slime Rancher could bring to the table. Thus introducing Slime Rancher 2.
The game once again sets you off as Beatrix LeBeau, the famed protagonist from the ‘Far Range’. The game begins with players being brought to the brand-new setting, Rainbow Island, where players can begin their adventures. The game offers little to no hand-holding towards the beginning, except a very succinct tutorial. The game is immediately open to you, and the world is as breathtaking as ever.
Visually, Rainbow Island is even better than its predecessor, with stunning vistas that seem to stretch for miles. The unique architecture, lighting, and nature culminate in one of the most beautiful games to release this year. Not only this, but the environments manage to feel wholly unique and separate from each other. The first time I transitioned ‘between worlds’ as it were, it felt like a massive change.
When it comes to the slimes, they are magnificent. Both in terms of their design, visually, and personality-wise. Each slime feels different from the other and really informs how you are going to keep them in their pens and such. In addition to this, the way the systems interact with each other makes for some really interesting problem-solving.
For example, I had an issue where my Cotton Slimes were escaping. Now I could have simply saved up my plorts and purchased a net upgrade, but a cheaper solution was to feed them other plorts and turn them into Largos, which meant they couldn’t jump so high and produced more plorts. This kind of evolving, problem-solving story is part of what makes Slime Rancher so endlessly addictive.
Growing crops of your favourite food, keeping hens in their coops, and more may at first sound like a grind, but because of the way the game is built, it instead feels like an amazing amount of progress. When you build your new slime pen or begin growing carrots, it feels like a lot of progress.
This is only enhanced by what I think is the true strength of Slime Rancher 2. It’s world and exploration. I have mentioned the visuals on Rainbow Island, but the design of the place is exceptional as well. The way the world map interweaves and connects creates a sense of density that is comparable to a soulslike games, notorious for their use of shortcuts.
The interconnectivity of the islands makes exploring an absolute dream and is as addictive as it could ever be. The exploration is only improved by utilising the Gordos’ massive slimes that must be fed extreme amounts of food, which burst and unlock brand new areas. Though I do wish Gordos had more information regarding how much you would need to feed them, as the guesswork makes the experience slightly more tedious than needed. Discovering the new areas as you progress through the game never gets old, and with how well designed each part of the world is, it is easily the best aspect of the title by far.
Slime Rancher 2 also allows players to upgrade, like in the predecessor, though there is much more of a focus on resource gathering than in the predecessor. To upgrade Beatrix instead of simply using ports, players must also find certain items across the world, and certain resources to create the upgrades. It’s a slight adjustment, but one that encourages exploration, and while resource gathering outside of your ranch can be rather monotonous, I still see it as a welcome improvement.
The upgrades are each very useful and provide mechanical bonuses. The Jet pack, in particular, stands out as an upgrade that players should seek out first, as getting access to those higher areas is made all the easier with that upgrade.
Slime Rancher doesn’t really feature any combat as such, as most of the slimes are docile, though there are some that can damage Beatrix, like the Rock slimes and Boom Slimes. However, the only real threat to Beatrix is the Tars and feral slimes. This is undoubtedly the weakest aspect of Slime Rancher 2, as the game gets far less creative with how you deal with your ‘enemies’. Either splash them with water or, even better, throw them into the sea. While obviously, the game’s focus is not combat or anything like that, I would like a few more options to perhaps deal with these evil creatures.
When it comes to Slime Rancher 2’s performance, I never experienced any major glitches during my time with the title. The frame rate dipped a couple of times, particularly in the transition between areas, or the occasions when there are too many slimes.
One more aspect of Slime Rancher 2 that I would like to mention is the sound design and music. Both of these areas of the game are exemplary, with each sound complementing the whole aesthetic of the game. This in conjunction with the relaxing music, means that this is a game players can relax and unwind with for hours.
Overall, Slime Rancher 2 is a fantastic game. Graphically, it is one of the most superb titles to release this year; the lighting, art style, and colours all coalesce to create a memorable experience. This, combined with how phenomenal the title’s gameplay is, then it a magnificent title. Slime Rancher 2, at the end, is a game that everyone should play, if only as a game to relax and take in the beauty of its scenery and the magnificence of its gameplay.
Slime Rancher 2 is available right now on PC Game Pass, Steam, and the Epic Games Store. Here at GamesCreed, we cover everything gaming. From the latest news to stellar reviews, GamesCreed has you covered.
