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Not many casual games on mobile phones actually deserve to be reviewed or looked at into detail. But then, Temple Run is not just any game. With more than 170 million downloads and counting, Temple Run remains one of the most popular games on iOS and Android platforms. Imangi Studios, the creator of the iconic game released the sequel, Temple Run 2, last week.
For those who have been living under a rock and have not played Temple Run, or don’t know much about it, Temple Run is a game where there is no finish line. You just run and run — also slide and jump collect coins — overcome obstacles in search of an idol. It’s an endless game, and therein lies its beauty.
So, how different is Temple Run 2 from its predecessor? For starters, the graphics are better. Here you find waterfalls, picturesque surroundings, rope slides, a labyrinth of pathways atop a cliff rather than the dark and dreary forest in the first part. There’s also a cart where you can hop on to and continue your journey inside a mine. In Temple Run, there were four apes chasing you down if you hit an obstacle whereas in Temple Run 2 there is only a big, giant ape waiting to pounce on you as soon as you commit an error.
While the graphics are elaborate, some of the obstacles are hard to spot because of that. For instance, you often miss a twist or a turn against the background if you’re running at a very high speed. But that’s something you can overcome as you play more and get used to the surroundings.
There are four characters to choose from, just like in the first part, but the sequel gives different set of abilities to the characters. In Temple Run, there were only coins to be collected and that was the only currency. In Temple Run 2, you can collect coins, as well as gems. Coins come in handy to unlock the three characters, whereas gems are used for things like restarting from the point you died rather than the very beginning. Gems are, literally speaking, a bit hard to unearth in Temple Run 2. There was an Indiana Jones-like feel to Temple Run and that is the case with Temple Run 2 as well.
It is usually very hard to come up with a sequel to an already popular game, especially on the mobile platform.
Imangi has done it successfully to a greater extent. There will be usual cribs about tampering too much with the graphics and the background, because what made Temple Run a smash hit was its simplicity. Temple Run 2 does look a bit complicated, but it retains its USP.
The game is available for free only on the iOS platform, but is expected to be available on Android some time this week. It won’t be a surprise if it once again becomes one of the most downloaded games on both platforms. But, will it eclipse Temple Run? It’s addictive, it’s fun and despite minor flaws , it will be lapped up by both gamers and non-gamers.
