7 Reasons Why You Should Be Excited for Guacamelee! 2

I'll be honest, there are not many indie games that excite me as much as big, triple A games like Insomniac's Spider-Man or Kingdom Hearts 3. However, there are moments when I would be completely enamored in their charming and bold attitudes. Journey took me on an adventure I will always remember. Hollow Knight is a tough metroidvania, but one with fantastic music, art, and mystery. Don't Starve's gameplay loop is masterful. Yet, the one indie game I constantly refer to as my favorite is DrinkBox Studios Guacamelee! - a game with beautiful level design and slick gameplay, all supported by its ability to stand out from the rest. With that said, Guacamelee! 2 is looking like it will exceed the level of polish and fun the first game is known for when it drops August 21, 2018. Here are seven reasons why you should also be excited for Guacamelee! 2.

1. Fun isn't something one considers when balancing the Mexiverse, but this does put a smile on my face.

Guacamelee! has always been about wacky fun, and the story is no different. Straight from the game's synopsis,

"Seven years after defeating Carlos Calaca, Juan Aguacate is forced to don his luchador mask again to face a new threat -- this time to the very fabric of space and time. Punch your way through a whole new Metroid-vania style world and try to save the Mexiverse!"

While a deep story probably won't be its strength, you can rest easy on the story being a supporting pillar for everything else. Guacamelee 2! has so much else going for it, such as the gameplay. What I love about metroidvania games is the balance of your combat skills and being constantly aware of your surroundings, and Guacamelee! aced this. The fighting in its sequel has the potential for more stylish combos and platforming being tight, responsive and varied, so there won't be a moment of boredom in Guacamelee 2!

2. The video game references are hilarious

Don't you just love it when Deadpool breaks the fourth-wall with funny commentary and meta-references to other superhero movies? Then you'll love what Guacamelee! 2 does with gaming references - and it seems to be chockfull of them. Per IGN's "The First 9 Minutes of Guacamelee! 2" video,

Look familiar?

How about this one?

Pretty cool, right? The first game had tons of gaming references as well, and it was always a treat to come across them and have a good laugh. The two images above are more obvious examples, so keep your eyes open and stay sharp to catch even the most subtle gaming callbacks in the sequel.

3. You won't be disappointed with the art style

Mexican folklore and crafts created a signature art that is known around the world. Guacamelee 2! uses that same vibrant visual inspiration throughout the entire game and it's a match made in heaven. What Pixar's Coco did for Mexican folklore art in movies, Guacamelee 2! does for video games. It's something only official screenshots of the game can say really:

I'm in love. Again.

4. Grab your friends and don your luchador masks!

A big feature of Guacamelee! was the co-op. While I played the game by myself and enjoyed it thoroughly, others understandably preferred a co-op experience. Thankfully, Guacamelee! 2 is seen to include a 4-player co-op mode for the campaign! While not much else is said regarding co-op being local only or both local and online drop in/drop out, let's hope it's the latter. I would love to find a group of three online for my second playthrough of the game.

5. The price is more than right - it's muy bueno

Only $20? For this potential metroidvania masterpiece? That's a steal!! It's no surprise that Guacamelee! 2 will give you more than enough to do to warrant its asking price, especially with the new abilities to unlock and levels to explore. As a bonus for PS Plus users, you get an additional 20% off until the game releases.

6. Chicken obsessed

On top of Juan getting new abilities, it is said that Juan's chicken form can gain new abilities as well! These new special moves will be unlocked by successfully completing "chicken dungeons," which just lends itself to a whole new level of depth in gameplay and fun. On top of that, there's a chicken illuminati you can do side quests for. Sounds like a win-win in my book.

7. New enemies to body slam

As a sequel, it's only right that Juan will have to face against old and new enemies. DrinkBox Studios keeps to that promise, bringing back some enemies from the first game while introducing completely new ones. One example is the blue skeleton foe, in which the player will have to get behind them in order to do damage. I'm looking forward to seeing what the development team has up their sleeve as they seem to be overflowing with great and creative ideas.

And if somehow these seven reasons couldn't you get excited for this indie gem, PlayStation has uploaded a 22 minute gameplay feature for the game:

Guacamelee! 2 releases on August 21, 2018 for PS4 and PC. I've been yearning for this sequel for some time now, so I'm really excited to dive into the Mexiverse with Juan and the game's obsession with chickens very soon!