Discolored 2 Review: Sinister and Satisfying
Games that make us use parts of our brains we didn’t know we had are an art form. There’s something truly special about getting stuck on a puzzle and, after you’ve reached the point where you think you’ll never solve it, you have your “ah-ha” moment and finally make progress. Of course, naturally, you’ll be stuck again just a few minutes later, but at least you had that brief victory, right? Discolored 2 from Godbey Games is a puzzle and psychological horror game based in a world where all colors have gone missing. Your task is to bring the colors back while avoiding the sinister organization that’s trying to stop you.
It’s Not Easy Being Gray
In Discolored 2, you start off in a world nearly devoid of color. You’ll note right away a green prism that can activate certain mechanisms in the area. Eventually, when combined with a camera that you pick up, you can utilize the power of the prism in a variety of ways. Later, as the world opens up to you more, you’ll find more prisms that will add even more colors to this grey world. The best way to discover what you’ll need to make progress is simply to try things and see what works. Something may have different results then what you were expecting or may open up paths you didn’t even know existed. Backtrack to a previous room to see if you missed something, try using an item in an unexpected place, you never know what answer might be right in front of you.
While you solve these mind-bending puzzles, the game won’t hold your hand. The solutions are yours to discover simply by putting together the right pieces, the right sequence of events or the right number combination. It’s the perfect way to allow the player to discover things for themselves with very little instruction from the game itself. That being said, the game does offer a hint system that you can use if you get stuck. Some hints feel unhelpful at times or may hint at things you’ve already discovered but, having relied on the hint system a lot myself, they are definitely a must-have for more casual puzzle game players.
High Stakes, High Contrast
Discolored 2 isn’t just about solving puzzles - the stakes are much higher than that. There is a sinister organization trying to stop you from bringing color back to the world in any way that they can. As you progress, you’ll have to evade them and this is where things can get really unsettling. Members of this evil organization are scary and sometimes disturbing and you’ll find yourself hoping that you can avoid any run-ins with them altogether. If you’re looking for less of a challenge, Discolored 2 does offer an “safe mode” where these enemies will be unable to capture you. This way you can focus more on the story and less on being too scared to even wander around.
While its puzzles are at the forefront of the game, as you progress you’ll slowly unravel Discolored 2’s dark narrative. Why does this organization not want colors to return? Or is it actually that they want to use them for their own nefarious reasons? Who is the woman in red and what does she have to do with all of this? All of these questions will be rolling around in your head as you piece things together one puzzle at a time and try to bring balance back to the world.
Discolored 2 is a long awaited sequel that does not disappoint. Its puzzles are clever and sometimes difficult, but each puzzle solved is rewarded with more intrigue and more mystery that will have you rushing to get to the ending. It has been great to revisit this world after so long and see its story fleshed out. Fans of games like Portal or The Talos Principle will find a welcome home here.
Breakdown
Game: Discolored 2
Developer: Godbey Games
Publisher Godbey Games
Availability: PC
Game Length: A few hours (will vary heavily depending on how often you utilize the hint system)
Accessibility Options: Includes “safe” difficulty mode where enemies will not capture you
Pros:
Puzzles will really stretch your brain muscles
Great visuals
Intriguing story
Really creepy enemies
Cons:
Sometimes the hints aren’t very helpful
Solutions are sometimes difficult to find without use of hints
Final Thoughts
Discolored 2 is a great puzzle game and one that puzzle fans are sure to enjoy, but it can be very difficult. Those that get frustrated easily or don’t like getting stuck and having to use their thinking caps, may find this one to be a bit too confusing. That being said, with a good hint system in place, most puzzles won’t keep you stuck for too long. And the creepy enemies are a fun and welcome addition that add an extra level of challenge.
Review by Becca Smith