Game Reviews

Monsu 2 review - A clever twist on the auto-runner

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| Monsu 2
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Monsu 2 review - A clever twist on the auto-runner
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| Monsu 2

For a game all about automatically running from the left side of the screen to the right side of the screen, Monsu 2 seems to have it all figured out.

Through a healthy mixture of RPG-elements, objectives, and tricky levels, it manages to take a sometimes-dull genre and turn it into something far more enjoyable.

Levels can drag out at times, and it can feel unfairly punishing when you're starting out, but overall, it's a fun title that will challenge and entertain for a good while.

Runaway success

The core of Monsu 2 will be familiar to any auto-runner fan – your monster character runs automatically to the right of the screen, and you have to jump over obstacles to prevent it from dying.

You can jump again while in the air to give you a boost, and there's plenty of things to dodge and gold to collect as you go.

Monsu 2

To keep things interesting, each level has its own objective to complete before you can progress. This can be as simple as reaching a certain distance, collecting a certain amount of gold, or killing a number of one type of enemy.

Getting a one-star rank on any mission is fairly straightforward, but if you want to be the best, it'll take a lot of time and a little help from some upgradable friends.

You can equip a weapon, an ally, and a rideable companion into your party, all of which give different boosts and abilities to help you out as you go.

Go ape

And if you collect enough gold, you'll enter the "frenzy" world, where it's just you, some clouds, and a heap of treasure to pick up and propel you towards that three-star rank.

There's also boss battles, where gold is replaced by boomerangs that you throw at hulking creatures hellbent on killing you, in another clever twist on the formula.

Monsu 2

All in all, it's a solidly enjoyable game. It reacts to your taps in a timely fashion, the power-ups are well spaced to give you small boosts without completely removing the challenge, and it's a joy to look at to boot.

Levels can take a bit too long to finish, however, especially if you're going for a three-star rank, and you'll be long past caring about that third star before you even reach the 75% mark.

And its energy system is at times far too restrictive, particularly when mixed with one-hit-kills that wipe you out for even the tiniest mistake.

Take a break

But once you're into the swing of things, Monsu 2 is a thoroughly enjoyable game. It takes a basic genre and shakes it up just enough to be fun without being alien.

It's filled with clever and well-implemented ideas, and you'll be happily rushing towards your energy limit in no time.

Going for a perfect run can take an achingly long time, and it feels unfair to begin with, but power through and there's a very fun game underneath the slight pains.

Monsu 2 review - A clever twist on the auto-runner

Despite some mild frustrations, Monsu 2 is a competent and fun auto-runner that brings plenty of new ideas to the genre
Score
Ric Cowley
Ric Cowley
Ric was somehow the Editor of Pocket Gamer, having started out as an intern in 2015. He hopes to take over the world the same way.