A blog about casual gaming

1136
Castaway 2

Castaway 2

Robinson Crusoe had it lucky. He was only stranded on a desert island once. Things are not so easy for the hero of RPG adventure game series Castaway.

Bookmark and Share
Published by Andy Matthews on 24th May 2011

The original Castaway was very popular apparently. I wouldn't know, I never played it, but if it's anything like it's sequel, the cunningly titled Castaway 2, then I can certainly see why.

An isometric action adventure RPG, Castaway 2 incorporates a colourful anime style and some pleasant stirring music (initially at least - the opportunity to turn it off after a couple of hours gameplay is a godsend) that makes it clear from the off that you're dealing with a polished, accomplished effort. The game looks and plays like a slightly watered down version of one of the Zelda games on GameBoy or DS, and that can only be a good thing.

Playing as [opportunity to insert own inevitable rude name here], you begin the game mysteriously stranded on a desert island with no clue as to where you've been, or indeed where you're going. The only thing for it is to wander about a bit, pick a few things up, and introduce the local wildlife to an assortment of lethal weaponry.

Winning battles or completing quests (of which there are almost 100) will gain your character experience, which is converted into Stat Points (allowing upgrades to attack, defence, agility and magic abilities) and Skill Points (the chance to learn new fighting techniques or spells) which you can use to customise your character.

New to Castaway 2 is the opportunity to craft additional items by combining the things you've found. The game suggests you experiment to see what you can concoct yourself, which unfortunately doesn't work so well. Seemingly sensible combinations I tried throwing together failed on countless occasions, and I soon lost interest in trying.

Fighting consists of simply pressing the space bar to attack with your chosen weapon, plus using the assigned hotkeys to activate any spells and special attacks you've acquired. Battling bravely by your side is one of a variety of pets, whose assistance is vital in getting past the many enemies you'll come across.

And this is one of the gripes I have with the game - there are too many enemies. Almost as if used to artificially elongate the experience, Castaway 2 throws monster after monster in your direction, to the extent that battling them becomes a chore - especially when you discover every creature you've meticulously bludgeoned to death has respawned the next time you re-enter an area. Scrambling around trying to avoid trouble is possible, but the need to gain experience means this isn't a long-term solution.

My other complaint would be the map system. It's irritatingly easy to get lost, and I often found myself wandering around aimlessly, hoping to chance across an area I hadn't visited before. A more detailed map would be an improvement, perhaps supplemented by some icons indicating uncompleted quests, locked gates or points of interest.

Whilst not exactly original, Castaway 2 offers hours and hours of gameplay to those that want it. Some more puzzle-solving elements would be nice to break up the occasionally repetitive wandering-around-and-hacking-at-things gameplay, but on the whole it's a fun experience that wouldn't be out of place on a handheld console.

Creators Likwid Games made a point of engaging with the fanbase to help improve on the first Castaway game, and with some tweaks and new inclusions, the next installment of the series could be something very special indeed. Play Castaway 2 here.


Bookmark and Share

Add comment

Submit
Published by jamesyd on 26th August 2012
pretty good game, managed to kill quite a few hours on it....:) i used www.zownder.com which helped a lot
Published by Casual Games on 18th July 2012
I played this game a couple of times but stopped somewhere in the middle to get back to work... For some reason, I just can't seem to finish it...
Published by neil on 24th April 2012
I love this game...It has a "Ragnarok" feel on it!
Published by Sara on 12th March 2012
I really like the game.Designers have come up with very interesting idea – to live up the old story about Robinson Cruise. I really like the game. it reminds me of another game that I played at http://www.funhorsegames.net/ .
Published by Sara on 22nd February 2012
Great game.It has good storyline, sound and graphics.I could play with hours without feeling bored...
Published by Raider on 3rd August 2011
It's not bad for a Flash RPG but I find the combination of many enemies and repetitive combat simply too GRINDY.
Published by gabriel on 12th July 2011
as i do why to play when it carries the game he says don't get to continue:(
Published by Wizbit on 2nd June 2011
it's good, a lot of effort has gone into it, but there are a few too many enemies
Published by hijacker on 27th May 2011
This is the one of interested game that i'll try to play.

Follow us

  • Twitter

    Be the first to hear about new posts by following us at @casualgirlgamer

  • Facebook

    Alternatively, you might want to become a fan of our facebook page, which you can find here.

  • RSS

    Subscribe to Casual Girl Gamer’s RSS feed here

  • Email

    Enter your email address below and we’ll keep you posted when we have new articles.

    Go

Game reviews

  • Lume

    State of Play's new puzzle adventure title Lume might be made out of cardboard cutouts but it is in no way a one-dimensional game.

    Read more
  • The Tiny Bang Story

    Beautiful hand-drawn graphics, nicely balanced and creative puzzles and a great sound track, The Tiny Bang Story delivers on all fronts.

    Read more
  • Castaway 2

    Robinson Crusoe had it lucky. He was only stranded on a desert island once. Things are not so easy for the hero of RPG adventure game series Castaway.

    Read more
  • ClubWorld

    If the idea of running your own nightclub gets you excited, then Tapulous's latest iOS game might have you dancing around with joy.

    Read more
  • Insectonator

    If the only good bug is a dead one, then you will be doing one helluva lot of good work in this cheery insect massacring game.

    Read more
> More game reviews

Popular articles

  • Top 10 Gravity Games

    The laws of physics might not work as you expect in our list of the ten best gravity-themed games you can play for free online.

    Read more
  • Top ten Online Physics Games of 2010

    You don't need to be a genius to realise there is something peculiar about our list of the best ten online physics games of the year.

    Read more
  • Five games that make you think about life

    Not all games involve mindless shooting the shit out of stuff. Some can even make you think a bit.

    Read more
  • Top 10 most relaxing online casual games

    Some games aim to soothe and calm your nerves rather than get your heart pounding like crazy with non-stop action.

    Read more
  • Top 20 online zombie games

    You don't need to turn on your console to get your fix of zombie games. Some of the best such games can be played right here in your browser.

    Read more
> More popular articles

Developer spotlights

  • Jake Elliott

    You won't find any resource-management or mindless slash and dash games in Jake Elliott's portfolio. What you will find are thought-provoking games that encourage you to ponder on the human experience.

    Read more
  • Con Artist Games

    Chris Condon of Con Artist Games has a reputation for developing some of the most polished games on the web. Casual Girl Gamer speaks to him about his gaming philosophy.

    Read more
  • Gregory Weir

    By combining great story-telling with imaginative game worlds, Gregory Weir has created some of the most thought-provoking games on the internet.

    Read more
  • John Cooney

    Armor Games' head of game development John Cooney - or jmtb02, as he is better known - is one of the most prolific and imaginative game developers around.

    Read more
  • Evan Miller

    In ImmorTall, indie developer Evan Miller created one of the most emotionally moving games to grace the internet. We speak to him about his gaming philosophy and plans for the future.

    Read more
  • Mateusz Skutnik

    Mateusz Skutnik is a rarity: a gifted artist who is also a skilled coder. He is responsible for some of the most beautiful casual games on the web.

    Read more
> More spotlights