Snail Bob 2 Review: Puzzle Perfection

Bob… is a snail. Most snails don’t have a lot going on in their lives. They crawl around, they hide in their shell, that sort of thing. But Bob, his life is filled with surprises and dangers and excitement! Our …

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Bob… is a snail. Most snails don’t have a lot going on in their lives. They crawl around, they hide in their shell, that sort of thing. But Bob, his life is filled with surprises and dangers and excitement! Our curious friend is out on an adventure, crawling through single screen puzzle stages one slime trail at a time. It’s your job to help Bob survive the perils of this world by moving dangers out of the way or providing platforms for him to walk on. And honestly, who could say no to a smile like that?!

Your interactions with Bob are kept simple. The little guy slides along on his own, pushing objects and knocking things over that get in his way. When he encounters a wall, Bob stays there until you manually turn him around. You can also stop Bob by sending him hiding in his shell, giving you a second to catch your breath and study the level layout. The challenge comes from your indirect interactions with Bob, things like flipping levers to open doors, clicking blocks to slide them out of the way, or raising partitions to block spikes. It’s a scary world out there, Bob needs your help to stay safe!

Apart from the direct puzzle solving and navigation, levels in Snail Bob 2 feature a couple of hidden items for you to poke around and discover. Three stars are hidden in every screen, often camouflaged or stashed behind other objects. Give them a quick click to collect them, they’ll come in handy when you want to change Bob’s wardrobe! Some stages also have hidden jigsaw puzzle pieces. Collect enough of them and you’ll unlock some superb bonus stages!

Snail Bob 2 is one clever little game. The puzzles keep you thinking without resorting to nasty tricks or unfairly difficult layouts. There’s a great balance between quick reflex stages and clever puzzles, as well. Just the right amount to keep you on your toes and provide variety. The extras are cute and desirable but not so overwhelming that you feel like you have to grind to get them all. And those wardrobe options? Pure perfection. I’ll take Batman Snail Bob right away, please.

Snail Bob 2 is an adorable experience that happens to be perfect for younger players to sit down and enjoy. If you’re of the slightly more adult persuasion, however, you’ll appreciate the fun inside jokes scattered throughout the game, such as 8-bit wardrobe options and the Half-Life 3 logo. Snail Bob 2 looks all cute and simple, but this is one adventure you won’t regret diving into.

The good

  • Simple but smart puzzle designs.
  • Fantastic sense of humor.

The bad

  • Challenge level is kept pretty low throughout.
95 out of 100
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