Game: Qomp2
Genre: Action, Arcade, Puzzle
System: Nintendo Switch (also on Steam (Windows), PS4, Xbox & Atari VCS)
Developer|Publisher: Graphite Lab | Atari
Age Rating: EU 3+ | US Everyone
Price: US $19.99 | UK £17.99 | EU €19,99
Release Date: February 20th, 2024
Review code provided with many thanks to Uber Strategist
Qomp2 You Are The Ball
Qomp2 is the sequel to the indie gem from 2021, which takes inspiration from the classic arcade game Pong. It asks the question: what if you played the ball in Pong? This is totally different from the competitive arcade gameplay of Pong. Qomp2 goes for a single-player puzzle adventure experience, which turns out to be pretty good.
The game begins with the familiar Pong screen of two paddles hitting around the ball. Only this time, you are the ball. After breaking free from the paddles, you have but one goal: navigate through the levels and escape. Possibly to start a new life somewhere warm and more colourful. You’ll work your way through 30 levels, solving small puzzles whilst seeking out the exit.
There is not really a plot to speak of though it’s clear the developers are attempting to deliver a meditative journey through the levels with its minimalist design and ambient music. The general art style is bland and grey, with hints of colour used occasionally to highlight important items or enemies. I’ll be honest, I didn’t quite feel the Zen vibes or deep message when playing through the game but that is not to say others won’t. It does end with quite a pleasant message in the text, which I won’t spoil.
Just Bouncing Around
The controls for Qomp2 are very simple, a word you could use to describe the game overall, to be honest. One button changes the 45-degree trajectory of your ball. The other button you can charge turns your ball blue and does a little dash. Dashing in this state serves several functions. This includes interacting with blue objects, travelling through areas quickly and attacking the boss characters. It’s easy and accessible for most gaming audiences. It may not seem like a lot to work with, but this will see you through some varied-level designs.
Things start off pretty straightforward, with you bouncing off walls and looking for keys to unlock doors. As the levels progress, additional mechanics are thrown at you. Some hazards will rotate when you change the direction of the ball; sometimes, you’ll enter a body of water, which will change the physics of the ball’s movement; and then there are the tense movements where you get chased by these evil blocks with sharp teeth. There is something a little unexpected in a game about a ball, but I was on board with it. Then, you have the boss fights, which I found to be varied and challenging. Some even pay homage to the history of Pong.
Difficulty and Accessibility
If you take a single hit, whether falling into a pit of spikes or getting munched on by an enemy, you will die and respawn instantly. This kept a lot of the frustrations at bay, even encouraging me to keep pressing on with the puzzles. But things started to get difficult towards the back half of the game. If you really struggle on a section, the game does provide accessibility features, including a line guide to help you see where your ball is heading and invincibility, where you take no damage from most hazards.
Like other games, I wish Qomp2 found some middle ground rather than just offering god mode. I think I would have preferred if you could take a hit or two so as to offer some challenge rather than just let you sail through. Should you want some extra challenge, a collectable can be found at each level, which requires a little more risk to obtain.
Conclusion: Without a Paddle
Qomp2 is a pretty good puzzle adventure. The simple controls certainly make for an enjoyable experience that puzzle fans will enjoy in small bursts, maybe after a long day at work or before bed.
I’ll be honest: the gameplay didn’t fully click for me. I often found it frustrating to get my ball to head just the right way, and while the gameplay has that Zen-like feel to it, I found the quick deaths quite frustrating towards the end of the game. I did, however, like the reworking of the Pong formula and creating an entire game from the simple concept of a ball escaping. All in all, Qomp2 is a unique puzzler, and any game that attempts something original is good in my book.
Final Verdict: I Like it
