Game review: Tomba! 2: The Evil Swine Return Special Edition (PS5)

My first introduction to the Tomba series was when the first game was put on a PSOne demo disc back in the late '90s. I remember falling in love with its 2D pixel art, and the music was bubbly and memorable. 

However, playing the full game was impossible because the physical copy was rare and expensive to own. I did not get a chance to play the full game until it was released as a PSOne classic title on the PS3. 

Despite loving Tomba so much, I actually never played its sequel called Tomba! 2. That is, until this year, thanks to the release of Tomba! 2 The Evil Swine Return Special Edition, which is out now for PC, PS5, Switch 2 and Switch. 

Much like the first game, Tomba! 2: The Evil Swine Return has a similar story of some evil pigs invading the land near where Tomba lives. This time the mission is more personal, though, because the pigs have kidnapped Tomba's girlfriend, Tabby. 

A fresh face joins the cast as Tomba has a new friend called Zippo. The two set out on an adventure to not only rescue Tabby but also get rid of the evil pigs once and for all. Removing the pigs also reverts the environment to its original state, too. 

The newest addition to Tomba! 2: The Evil Swine Return is that the graphics have changed from the first game. While Tomba had simple 2D graphics, Tomba! 2 opts for the classic 3D look reminiscent of PSOne titles from the late '90s. 

Instead of just travelling from left to right, Tomba can now somewhat move around a 3D environment in this sequel. The movement is still rigid for a 3D game, but arrows appear on the floor to show you where Tomba can move to. This can include hidden paths or buildings that Tomba can enter. 

People who have played the first game will be happy to know that most of Tomba's weapons return for this sequel. The returning weapons include his iconic flail, a grapple, and a boomerang. New to this game though is a mallet he can use to whack both objects and pigs. 

Another new addition to this game is that Tomba can wear different suits that will give him special abilities. The most useful suit in the game was the flying squirrel outfit that allows Tomba to glide. There's a ton of jumping to do in this game, and gliding helps Tomba land on platforms more easily. 

While fighting minion pigs is as easy as the first game, defeating the evil pig bosses is a different story. The pig bosses in Tomba! 2 are more annoying because you now have to throw them inside bags three times!

Not to mention, the new 3D camera angle makes it harder to judge when you should throw them inside the bags. The boss fights were much easier in the first game because you only had to throw them inside once, and the 2D camera was much less frustrating. 

If you find Tomba! 2 slightly annoying, this Special Edition adds some helpful new features for all players. One new feature is the ability to save anytime you wish. This saves you time needing to find save points. 

The other helpful new feature is allowing you to rewind gameplay. For example, if you die falling off a cliff, you can easily rewind the game for a few seconds and retry the jump again to save your precious lives. 

Since this is a Special Edition, some behind-the-scenes goodies are included for players to enjoy. A museum is included in the main menu where you can look at the game's artwork, advertisements, manuals, packaging, concept art, and way more. 

As a whole, Tomba! 2 is much like the first game, but some of its changes might deter a few diehard fans of the original. For one thing, my brother prefers the cute 2D graphics of the first game. He did not like the ugly 3D character models of Tomba and Charles the Monkey in this sequel. 

Another thing others might dislike about the sequel is the horrendous voice acting. In the first game, all the characters mumbled their lines like in a Banjo-Kazooie game. Here in Tomba! 2, they speak English, and it sounds horrible. 

The music in the sequel is also not as memorable as the music in the first game. This is because the sequel has a different composer, and his music just didn't click for me. You can, however, listen to the original Japanese soundtrack if you don't like the default music in the game. 

Overall, Tomba! 2 isn't as good as the first game, but this Special Edition adds some nice new features. If you want to experience platform games from the late '90s, you might get some enjoyment from this. 

Verdict: 7.5/10