Sokobos was one of the first games I reviewed for the Treat Your Geek website, so reviewing the sequel felt natural. The original was a block-pushing puzzle game set in ancient Greek mythology, inspired by Sokoban. Sokobos 2 is a true sequel, building on the original without repeating it.
Gameplay And Narrative:
Straight away, Sokobos 2 establishes its identity by establishing its narrative as a tale told by a group of travellers at a tavern. Advertised itself as being “inspired by Greek tragedies”. You take the role of “the vase hermit” from the traveller’s tale, who is obsessed with collecting vases. He must achieve this by moving the vases into his 2×2 cart. However, the twist is that the cart itself is also movable, opening a whole new dimension of puzzle-solving routes.
Block pushing works as before—move blocks if nothing blocks your path, and move the cart with blocks inside. New block types appear as you progress, like ice blocks that slide until stopped or rocks for damming rivers or weighing switches.
There are also other obstacles, pressure plates for opening doors, and bridges that collapse after one use. There is even a water flow mechanic that can be used to move vases if you push them into a river, and many more are introduced slowly as Sokobos 2 unfolds.
Level Design:
One of the more visually interesting changes made to Sokobos 2 was the level select. Instead of the static menu of the first, we now have a branching map. So players can choose what order to do the levels. Sure, it is a bit simplistic, and all roads lead to the same place, but it still lends a little bit of life to the world. With sixty-five levels on offer, there is plenty of challenge and content to get through.
I found Sokobos 2 had a nice difficulty curve, but I did find the overall game to be easier than the first. I did manage to beat the game in about three hours while chatting with people. This might be to entice a new crowd or to promote a more relaxed state of play. There are still plenty of brain teasers, and they are still satisfying to solve when that “AHA” moment kicks in.
The map was split into sections, all showcasing a particular mechanic. At the end of each section, you get a special “narrative” level. These were simple puzzles where the goal was to get a golden piece of a jar. I’m not going to spoil anything about these levels except that they were the most surprising and I found them a satisfying payoff to each section.
Visuals and Sound:
I don’t know how they managed, but Sokobos 2 looks the same but better. They have kept the simple, minimalist style, emulating the games of yore, but have somehow put a modern brush over everything. The colour palette is more refined and is less intrusive on the eyes. There is more animation in the levels, and they even managed to give the “vase hermit” some personality, adding some flair to pushing and even doing a little dance when you succeed in a level.
The interface is clean and less cluttered, feeling intuitive to play. I never felt like I was being hand-held or was totally lost when new mechanics were introduced. Music and effects were subtle and never intruded except for the little jingle that played when puzzles were solved.
Challenge and Replayability:
The addition of new mechanics, like the movable cart and special traversal blocks, keeps things moving at a brisk pace. While the puzzles did seem more forgiving than the first game, there are still plenty that will keep you scratching your head till the penny drops.
At the time of writing, some of the “bragging” features of Sokobos didn’t make the journey to the sequel. Gone is the move tracker in each level and the subsequent leaderboards, which, aside from reliving the narrative, could adversely affect replay value.
Final Thoughts on Sokobos 2:
Sokobos 2 is a fun, impressive, if short puzzle game. It has a more structured level flow paired with an oftentimes humorous narrative that lends the title a lot of charm. While some might find the simpler puzzles a downgrade compared to the original, I believe Sokobos 2 has made itself more accessible and more inviting to a wider audience.
Overall, Sokobos 2 offers a refined and engaging puzzle experience with a few welcome new twists. If you’re a fan of brain teasers or enjoyed the first game, this one is definitely worth your time.
Developer: Martin Games
Publisher: Martin Games
Platforms: Steam
Sokobos 2 will be released on the 19th of September and will have a 15% discount during it’s launch window.
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