Playdate Season Two has drawn its curtains, and the encore is resounding. Though half the length of its predecessor, this season’s weekly game drops hit different, landing with a punch that lingered. The shared, simultaneous unveiling with fellow Playdate aficionados? Pure magic a unified experience Season One’s staggered launch couldn’t quite capture. Panic themselves confirm the buzz: Season Two clocked in at a cool 12,000 units sold. The handheld is not dead yet!
The final crescendo arrives with two wildly different experiences: Taria & Como, a heart-tugging physics platformer that will test your skills and tug at your heartstrings, and Black Hole Havoc, a mind-bending action-puzzle game where you weaponize cosmic singularities. While the weekly deluge of new games may be slowing, don’t despair! Blippo+ still has weeks of fresh content to explore, ensuring the fun doesn’t end with a whimper, but with a cosmic bang (and plenty of reruns to keep the party going!).
Taria & Como
Popseed Studio Inc/JuVee Productions
“Taria & Como” is timeless, but its release feels especially poignant now. In a US grappling with family separations and healthcare anxieties a weight atop existing systemic flaws this game strikes a nerve. While its puzzle-platforming unfolds at a relaxed tempo, the emotional odyssey it offers is profoundly affecting.
Taria’s world shattered the day Toxtum Inc. tightened its grip. Her parents, vanished. Her life, a quest. Once, she moved with a dancer’s grace, a prosthetic leg her partner in leaps and bounds, Kit, her loyal healthbot, a tethered lifeline. But Toxtum’s sterile walls changed everything. She awoke to find Como, her sister, stolen. Her leg, a memory, replaced by cold, unyielding metal. Even Kit was gone, replaced by a mechanical jailer, dedicated to Toxtum’s twisted will. Now, fueled by loss and defiance, Taria will tear down Toxtum brick by bloody brick to reclaim her sister, her freedom, and her life.
Forget everything else; “Taria & Como” had me at “Ferrets.” Seriously, buried deep within the game’s files, past the code and textures, lies a folder simply labeled “Ferrets.” Inside? Two glorious images of ferrets rocking bonnets. As a card-carrying member of the Ferret Fan Club, this instantly catapulted the game into legendary status.
But the ferret folder is just the appetizer. “Taria & Como” is a feast. Each chapter unfolds with the charm of a beautifully illustrated, crank-operated comic strip, a delightful touch that pulls you deeper into the story. The unique gameplay mechanics aren’t just fun; they’re downright captivating. Prepare to be charmed.
Taria, grounded after the cataclysm, becomes a daring aerialist, tethered to a perpetually bickering healthbot. This isn’t mindless swinging; it’s a cerebral dance. Platforms are islands in a sea of debris, demanding cunning traversal. Every swing, a calculated risk. The crank becomes an extension of your will, reeling Taria in and out with precision. Momentum is your ally, each arc a chance to hurl yourself across chasms. Wall kicks add flair to the acrobatic repertoire. This deliberate pacing isn’t a hindrance; it’s an invitation to savor the ingenuity of the level design. I was completely hooked.
Unlocking Como’s diary entries and the cryptic Tuxtum files is key to turning the rogue healthbot to your side. But the real treasure lies inhowyou unearth them. Forget dusty archives; the access points are these bizarre, glitched-out kiosks dotting the landscape. Each one houses a single, glorious minigame: a top-hatted turtle, ripe for exploitation. Your mission? Crank that handle, make him DANCE! Push him past his limit, overload his circuits, and watch the whole system crash in a beautiful, digital cascade, granting you access to the juicy files within. Trust me, the first time I saw that turtle short-circuit, I nearly lost it. And every time since? Pure, unadulterated joy.
Taria’s journey isn’t a solo act; it’s a chorus of the systemically screwed. She encounters ghosts of bureaucratic failings: a patient denied life-saving medication because it lacked corporate approval, a disabled individual stranded, eternally waiting for a wheelchair lost in the labyrinthine process. And presiding over this theater of the absurd is the healthbot, dripping condescension like motor oil, each platitude a tiny paper cut to Taria’s soul. The satire hits like a defibrillator, a welcome jolt for anyone who’s navigated the chronic illness gauntlet and emerged scarred but still standing.
My playthrough wasn’t exactly a smooth sail. Each chapter change brought with it a frustrating lag, a momentary panic that the whole thing was about to implode. And exploring Taria’s world? Forget gracefully surveying the landscape. The crank, essential for panoramic views, felt more like an unwelcome intrusion. Half the time, my Playdate stubbornly refused to acknowledge its presence, especially towards the end. Dock, undock, dock, undock – a maddening ritual until, finally, it relented. More often than not, I’d just hurl Taria into the abyss, embracing accidental discovery over finicky controls.
Ultimately, these minor flaws couldn’t dim the game’s radiant charm. “Taria & Como” isn’t just a highlight of the season; it’s a resonant melody for the soul, a timely tale beautifully spun.
Black Hole Havoc
Cosmic Bros
Years of playing the Neopets game Faerie Bubbles has prepared me for this moment.
Civilization teeters on the brink. Rogue black holes are ripping through reality, and you’re the only thing standing in their way. “Black Hole Havoc” isn’t just a title; it’s a promise of cosmic chaos. Lucky for you, a custom cannon capable of spawning miniature black holes is at your disposal. Team up with a friend, charge your cannons, and prepare for some gravitational warfare. The key? Precision. Fine-tune the size of your projectiles using the D-pad and crank (or A/B). Too small, and you’ll barely scratch the surface. Too large, and… well, let’s just say things get messy, and you’ll take damage. Get ready to play a deadly game of celestial billiards and save the world, one perfectly sized black hole at a time.
At first, you’re practically cradled. The game practically paints the path for your nascent black holes, a comforting illusion of control. Then, the training wheels vanish. Suddenly, it’s just you and the void, demanding pinpoint precision (though, a safety net lurks in the settings if the pressure becomes too much). But the universe has a wicked sense of humor. As you master one challenge, ten more erupt: black holes multiply like cosmic rabbits, oblivious space tourists blunder into the fray, ceilings crumble, threatening to crush your ambitions, rogue ice blocks turn your own creations against you, and… are those giant space bugs?! Prepare for a rapid descent from tranquil cosmic sculptor to frantic, galaxy-saving madman.
Black Hole Havoc’s Story Mode isn’t just great, it’s a black hole itself, sucking you into 80 levels of chaotic fun! Each new area is introduced with charming cutscenes – resist the urge to skip; they’re pure joy. Forty levels vanished in a blink; I was utterly consumed. This season has seen some addictive titles, but Black Hole Havoc is the champion, hitting all the right notes. Need instant action? Arcade Mode throws you straight into score-chasing pandemonium.
Cosmic Bros didn’t just finish the season; they delivered a grand finale! Every brushstroke of art, every pulse of animation, every note of music resonates with passion. This isn’t just good; it’s a masterpiece.
Thanks for reading Playdate Season 2 review: Taria & Como and Black Hole Havoc
