Dumb Chicken 2 has some big aspirations and it manages to be a decent game in all honesty. There are just some things that hold it back from being as great as it could be but I don’t doubt that the developer will keep upping the ante with their next release in this series and other games. Dumb Chicken 2 can be fun, and usually is, but there are some issues that hold it back from reaching its full potential such as some mediocre level design in the large sea of levels. There are some great levels here but I think it would have been a better decision to focus on the quality and variety than the 90+ levels featured in the game.
Dumb Chicken 2 revolves around you navigating through different areas in a strategic manner with the goal of saving “dummies”, avoiding enemies, and escaping through the exit gate to complete the level. “Dummies” are fellow chickens that have been captured by enemies, which litter levels in hopes of keeping their captured chickens and nabbing you as well. With the use of items and the help (or hindrance) of the environment, you can jump in and out of cover to complete your objectives. The level design is normally pretty interesting but I do wish there were less levels in favor of more interesting ones. The majority of them are on the interesting side with some varied design choices but there are many that feel on the bland side that could have been left out.
The difficulty starts off pretty easy and doesn’t increase too much until the player has had enough time to learn the basic mechanics of the game, which is definitely a nice touch. The first few levels almost play themselves which gives you plenty of time to figure out how to tackle the basic obstacles before more difficult combinations of enemies and environmental hazards are introduced. Enemies will attack you on sight and so it is imperative that you stay out of their field of vision. If you have enough currency then you can continue without having to restart the entire level. It’ll be quite a while before you will even be able to do this. It is worth mentioning, however, that you won’t really need to though. Even when levels get a bit bigger and more varied it just isn’t necessary; it doesn’t take much time to get back to where you died. I did enjoy procuring coins just from a collection standpoint and because some of them were harder to reach and also optional spots in the levels. It’s so much fun zipping through levels that feature gameplay aspects that you’ve already mastered, though, so there’s really no need to rely on spending coins to undo failure. This is where the game shines best after all.
The developer did find a way to keep me playing and I’m glad they did. Dumb Chicken 2 was great fun to play for 20-30 minutes at a time due to the levels that were designed well and also the addictive nature of collecting coins and completing levels. After 20-30 minutes I would usually get stuck or just get a bit frustrated with a stage, either from design choices or from a tricky spot. By the time I picked it back up later or the next day I was ready to tackle all the challenges that were ahead. There’s beauty and satisfaction in learning by trial and error and it’s what Dumb Chicken does best. Learning and persevering was a great bit of fun and I think this would be a fun game for many gamers to play at work, or even in between sessions playing through AAA releases.
Dumb Chicken 2 manages to look really great and features cute and charming visuals, despite the packed punch that can be found throughout some of the levels in the difficulty. I enjoyed the look of the heroes, the dummies I vowed to save, and the many enemies found throughout the game. The music is actually pretty catchy too and I even found myself humming some of the themes during levels. There are some great sound effects and musical cues that lay in the background that help add an extra layer of ambiance to the atmosphere as well. The first time I noticed this was in one of the earlier levels with some chirping crickets and it added a nice touch to the game.
Dumb Chicken 2 may not be one of the most original or revolutionary games available to play today but it does manage to do what it sets out to do. There’s some fun to be had here in short sessions with some addictive gameplay that will drive you forward with some solid mechanics. There could have been some more variety in mechanics and level design but there are some well designed levels here as well.
Dumb Chicken 2 can be played with keyboard, mouse, or with a controller if you’re playing on PC. It’s also available on mobile platforms if you’d prefer to enjoy it on the go or in the palm of your hand. It provides over 90 stages and is compelling enough to keep you playing for quite a long time. Just don’t expect it to hold your attention for more than a half hour at a time as the gameplay here isn’t deep enough to inspire long gameplay sessions. There were times I took a break due to getting temporarily stuck, but most of the time I just wanted to play something else for a while. The game features enough variety to keep you from putting it down outright but it may take you a few days, weeks, or maybe even a month or two to complete it. I will say though that it’s a breath of a fresh air as far as casual games go. The depth may not be deep but the fun factor is here in short bursts.
OddChicken Studio did a good job delivering a fun experience to gamers. They just could have done a great job if they reduced the level count and upped the variety a bit more. I also wish the user interface was tweaked for the PC release. It isn’t bad but it’s quite obvious that the mobile version was just plopped onto the PC version with some different control methods. I could do without larger-than-needed icons and remnants from the touch interface on-screen. This certainly doesn’t hurt the game too much but these issues do keep the game from being as great as it could have been.
If you’re looking for a more casual experience that brings more depth than some of the other casual games available to play, then Dumb Chicken 2 may be the game for you. I know that I will revisit this from time to time in between waiting for matchmaking on multiplayer games or just while I’m bored in the checkout lane. There is some fun to be had here. It’s just in smaller doses and held back from true greatness due to some unfortunate mediocrity.
A PC Review Code for Dumb Chicken 2: One Way Out was provided by Black Shell Media for the purpose of this review