ETERNITY WARRIORS 2 Review

Dungeons are moist, which by default is unpleasant because of the word that describes them. They are a place where light and warmth are absent; where darkness and chills live. Nothing good ever happens in dungeons. That’s what makes the battle that Eternity Warriors 2 fights that much more difficult. The entire game takes place in a dungeon. Can Glu Mobile’s latest title hack and slash its way through the dreaded dungeons of the App Store, or will it get trapped in the lightless corners of unnoticed releases?

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That’s a whole lot of warrior!

Dungeons are often presented as dark, dreary places where terribly frightening things happen. It’s where a hero has to travel to brave their worst fears, it’s where evil often makes its home, it’s where the shadows deceive the eyes to hide the things that we delay dealing with. Dungeons are moist, which by default is unpleasant because of the word that describes them. They are a place where light and warmth are absent; where darkness and chills live. Nothing good ever happens in dungeons. That’s what makes the battle that Eternity Warriors 2 fights that much more difficult. The entire game takes place in a dungeon. Can Glu Mobile’s latest title hack and slash its way through the dreaded dungeons of the App Store, or will it get trapped in the lightless corners of unnoticed releases?

As the “2” at the end of its title suggests, Eternity Warriors 2 is a sequel to the original Eternity Warriors. The story of the subsequent title takes place 100 years after the original game’s plot. The first Demon War is over, but those that fought have regrouped inside the aptly named Demon Towers. Your job is, of course, to kill them all. If there is a third installment of this title, expect the story to be about the same because you are a warrior that will fight for eternity.

ETERNITY WARRIORS 2

Look, you’re not here for the story. If you wanted some whimsical tale of struggle, triumph, trials, and tribulations, you would be browsing dramas on your Netflix queue. You’re here to kick some undead behind. Eternity Warriors 2 strives to deliver a fighter worth experiencing and for the most part pulls it off. Your mobile device’s screen is the ultimate weapon in sending demons back where they came from. A touch with your thumb will generate an analog stick for movement and the right side of the screen houses your attacks, which you will tap furiously to eliminate every opponent that challenges you. The game plays like a button-mashing dungeon crawler because that’s exactly what it is. It takes that style of gameplay and perfects it for mobile devices. The attack buttons correspond to different style attacks and you can build up the energy to release a Rage attack or a charged skill. It’s a simplified Diablo and it’s extremely fluid and rewarding.

There’s another hack-and-slash standby that appears once an enemy is vanquished: The always sought-after loot. Baddies leave coins when they’re killed, because Demons are notoriously rich villains, and you’ll use their wealth to buy yourself some upgrades. They’ll come in handy because when the difficulty level increases, it’s a complete vertical jump rather than a slight, slanted incline. This is likely done to encourage the purchase of Gems, the in-app purchase income that works similarly to coins except they are earned from your real-life wallet. The use of gems also guarantees success when upgrading, something that coins do not do. It’s a cheap way to bait your hook, but the game is good enough that you might bite anyway.

ETERNITY WARRIORS 2

Perhaps the most redeeming quality to counter the somewhat forceful implementation of the freemium model is the inclusion of online co-op. You can take to the dungeon with a partner to tear into those treacherous terrors that inhabit the depths of darkness. It’s an excellent addition to the game that puts an instant increase on the replay value. Doing the same dungeon crawl isn’t as bad when you’ve got a friend to fight with. Unfortunately, it does make one missing feature all the more apparent. Having only one class for playable characters feels like an opportunity lost. Player customization is limited as well — aside from armor and weaponry — so there is little way to distinguish oneself in looks or in play style when hopping online.

Despite the slight misstep in class inclusion and the unfortunate way of nearly forcing in-app purchases, Eternity Warriors 2‘s gameplay nearly redeems all of its missteps. Honestly, the difficulty curve and the class options are fixable in update form. Gameplay this good doesn’t come around too often. It’s hack-and-slash done perfect for the platform. Sure, the game isn’t as deep as its PC counterparts, but it doesn’t have to be. It’s the perfect portable fix for fans of the genre with its flawless combat and awesome co-op option. Get the game for free, invest a little in a gem pack, and enjoy it for everything it has going for it.

The good

    The bad

      80 out of 100