- 3RD-STRIKE.COM - A La Une - 12/Sep 05:06

Sokobos 2 – Review

Greek mythology provides a wealth of stories to draw inspiration from. Back in 2022, Sokobos proved this by telling us a tale about a mythical hero tasked with building a temple, followed by a standalone DLC where a young couple seeks the approval of the goddess of love. Fast forward to 2025, and indie developer Martin Games is back with another story inspired by the Grecian tales of old, combined with Sokoban-styled gameplay. We were definitely charmed by Sokobos and its expansion three years ago, so here’s hoping that Sokobos 2 can live up to its predecessor. Story The story of Sokobos 2 begins with a traveller, Hermon, arriving in a tavern. He’s looking for the owner, but unfortunately for Hermon, the owner isn’t at the tavern right now. Hermon decides to wait, and the patrons ask him to tell them a story. Happy to oblige, Hermon weaves a tale of a man obsessed with vases. What starts out as a seemingly innocuous fable quickly turns grim, however, as the man in the story starts to kill innocent people in order to obtain the pieces of a mythological golden vase. We won’t spoil where Hermon’s story goes next, but we can tell you that it is a lot less clear-cut than it may seem at first glance. The framing device of Hermon telling the story to patrons allows for the tavern patrons to act as a moral counterweight to the bloody actions of the protagonist, with the less clear-cut narrative being a lot more interesting than Aeschylus’ gods-and-heroes tale from the first game. Graphics We lauded the visuals of the first Sokobos game for being brilliant in their simplicity, and we’re happy to say that the second game continues this. As simplistic as the retro pixel visuals are, they are very fitting for the Grecian setting of the game, resembling the kind of designs you’d see on ancient pottery. The game’s UI is clear and easy to read, and the inherent back-to-basics approach of the graphics means that the game’s performance is flawless. Sound Like its visuals, Sokobos 2’s audio is simple yet brilliant. The music is the highlight here, adding a mysterious and ominous atmosphere, without ever taking up center stage. Sound effects are tied to the tiles that you interact with, and help with understanding what the different tiles are supposed to represent. A white circle might not immediately read as a boulder, for example, but pushing it creates the sound of a heavy stone being dragged across the surface. There is no voice acting here, but this isn’t something that would fit with the retro aesthetic of the game anyway. Gameplay Like its title already indicates, Sokobos 2 is a Sokoban-style game. If you haven’t played the first Sokobos game, or if you’re unfamiliar with the genre in general, then allow us to quickly explain: In a Sokoban game, you need to push blocks around a limited space to get them to their designated location. In Sokobos 2, that typically means that you need to collect a number of purple vases and put them in a big box. You can typically move the box itself, provided you haven’t overloaded it, and you can even push it around from the inside. Where the first Sokobos centered around getting blocks to specific spots on the map, this new mechanic of getting everything into a box is Sokobos 2’s main new gimmick, and it opens up all sorts of new ways to solve the puzzles. In typical Sokoban fashion, new obstacles are gradually introduced as you make your way through Sokobos 2’s story campaign. Ice blocks will slide until they hit something, or until they land in water, in which case they’ll freeze and create a temporary pathway. Switches will unlock gates as long as there is something on top of them, be it vases, boulders or even yourself. Streams will transport vases but not boulders. Mechanics are introduced in a way that is easy enough to understand, but once the game starts combining different mechanics in different ways, the puzzles can really become headscratchers. That said, Sokobos 2 does keep the stress-free approach of that first game. There is no time limit, no limited number of moves, and you can undo mistakes or restart the level at the push of a button. There are 65 puzzles to solve in Sokobos 2, and compared to that first game, they come across as more streamlined and more balanced. That’s not to say that Sokobos 2 is an easier game than the first one. Far from it, in fact, as some of the puzzles really knocked us for a loop. If you enjoyed the first game, you’re going to love what’s on offer here. The only real issue we had with Sokobos 2 is its comparative price point. At €9.99, it feels light on content, especially compared to the first title, which was only half the price but offered 60 puzzles. In fact, Sokobos 2 is more expensive than the first game and its expansion, Aphrodite’s Trials, combined. In a vacuum, Sokobos 2 is probably still fairly priced, but it’s hard to ignore that the first game offered much more bang for your buck. Conclusion Compared to the first game, Sokobos 2 absolutely steps things up in almost every aspect. The introduction of new mechanics makes for a much more balanced and creative set of puzzles, and the game’s music adds a lot to the overall atmosphere this time around. Not only that, but Sokobos 2’s morally grey story makes for a much more compelling narrative. The only real issue we had with the game is that it feels light on content for its price point, especially when compared to the original, but even then, Sokobos 2 is worth picking up if you’re a fan of the genre.