There is something refreshing about a game that knows exactly what it wants to be. In an era when many Metroidvanias strive to become sprawling twenty-hour epics packed with endless upgrades and labyrinthine worlds, Beholgar 2 takes a different approach. It delivers a focused adventure that embraces its retro inspirations while making enough modern concessions to keep frustration at bay.
The story begins with familiar fantasy stakes. An ancient evil has awakened, threatening to consume the world in darkness. Even the legendary warrior Beholgar recognises that brute force alone will not be enough this time. The only weapon capable of defeating the growing threat was forged centuries ago by a blacksmith long since dead, forcing our hero to descend into hellish realms in search of salvation.
What follows is a journey through cursed kingdoms, forgotten ruins, volcanic caverns, and mythical landscapes inspired as much by Arabian folklore as by traditional medieval fantasy. This setting immediately helps Beholgar 2 stand apart from many of its peers. Dragons and demons may be familiar foes, but the inclusion of jinns and influences drawn from the tales of One Thousand and One Nights gives the adventure a distinctive flavour.
A world that feels wonderfully old-school
From the opening moments, Beholgar 2 wears its retro influences proudly. The pixel art presentation feels like a lost action game from the 16-bit era that somehow found its way onto modern consoles. Character sprites are detailed and expressive, environments are rich in atmosphere, and the world carries a rugged fantasy aesthetic that suits the adventure perfectly.
The visual design may not be groundbreaking, but it consistently creates mood. Dense forests feel mysterious and dangerous. Ancient temples hide secrets behind every crumbling wall. Lava-filled caverns glow with an ominous intensity, making every step perilous.
Complementing the visuals is an excellent soundtrack that deserves recognition. The music leans heavily into dramatic fantasy themes, delivering pounding battle tracks and haunting exploration pieces that evoke memories of classic action adventures. It gives the journey a larger-than-life feel, helping transform Beholgar’s quest into something that feels genuinely epic despite the game’s relatively modest scope.
Learning from the past
Perhaps the biggest achievement of Beholgar 2 is how effectively it addresses the frustrations of the original game. One of the most common complaints about the first Beholgar was its lack of a proper map system. Exploration often became an exercise in memory rather than discovery, leading to unnecessary confusion and backtracking. Thankfully, that issue has been completely resolved here.
The addition of a full world map changes everything. Exploring interconnected areas feels far more intuitive, allowing players to focus on uncovering secrets rather than struggling to remember where they have been. Combined with a generous fast-travel system, navigation becomes one of the sequel’s greatest strengths.
This seemingly simple addition dramatically improves the pacing of the entire experience. Returning to previously visited areas never feels like a chore, and hunting for missed collectables becomes genuinely enjoyable rather than frustrating.
Steel, sorcery, and satisfying combat
Combat remains at the heart of the Beholgar experience, and for the most part, it delivers. Beholgar begins with a straightforward arsenal but gradually gains access to a variety of weapons that significantly alter how encounters unfold. Heavy axes deal devastating damage at the cost of speed. Spears offer excellent reach and crowd control. Traditional swords provide a balanced approach that feels reliable throughout the campaign.
Each weapon has its own charge attack, adding welcome variety to combat encounters. Switching between weapon types lets players experiment with different approaches, creating opportunities to tailor the experience to their preferred playstyle.
The addition of magical sub-weapons further expands combat possibilities. Ranged attacks prove invaluable when dealing with flying enemies or dangerous foes positioned across environmental hazards. While none of these systems are particularly revolutionary, they provide enough flexibility to keep battles engaging from beginning to end.
Boss encounters frequently serve as the adventure’s highlights. Massive dragons, terrifying demons, and other monstrous creations provide memorable spectacles that test both reflexes and patience. Visually, these encounters are impressive, often filling large portions of the screen with beautifully animated creatures.
However, the combat system is not without flaws. As enjoyable as these battles can be, many bosses eventually reveal fairly simple patterns. Once those patterns are understood, encounters become surprisingly easy to exploit. Rolling behind an enemy and repeatedly attacking often proves effective enough to overcome threats that initially appear intimidating.
Exploration done right
Like any good Metroidvania, Beholgar 2 thrives on rewarding curiosity. New abilities unlock progressively throughout the adventure, opening pathways that were previously inaccessible. Double jumps, air dashes, and various transformation abilities allow players to revisit older locations and uncover hidden treasures tucked behind environmental obstacles.
The shapeshifting mechanics are particularly enjoyable. Transformations offer more than simple movement upgrades, introducing fresh traversal opportunities that help distinguish the game from countless other entries in the genre. Squeezing through narrow passages or gliding across dangerous terrain creates satisfying moments of discovery throughout the campaign.
What makes exploration especially rewarding is the game’s respect for player time. Checkpoints are generous, progress is rarely lost on death, and important discoveries remain secure even after failure. It strikes a welcome balance between challenge and accessibility. Rather than punishing experimentation, the game actively encourages it. That design philosophy makes searching every corner of the world feel worthwhile.
A few rough edges remain
While Beholgar 2 is a clear improvement on its predecessor, it still has limitations that keep it from the upper tier of the genre. The most significant issue is a lack of complexity. Exploration is enjoyable but rarely surprising. Level design often follows predictable patterns, and the interconnected world never achieves the intricate brilliance of modern classics such as Hollow Knight or Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown.
Combat also becomes repetitive during longer play sessions. While the weapon variety helps, many encounters ultimately rely on similar strategies. Enemy behaviour rarely evolves enough to consistently challenge experienced players.
There are also occasional technical quirks. Menu navigation can feel slightly awkward, and some platforming sections suffer from controls that lack the precision required for demanding sequences. These issues never become game-breaking, but they occasionally remind you that this is a smaller independent production. Fortunately, the adventure’s relatively short length works in its favour. At roughly five hours, the game concludes before repetition has a chance to become a serious problem.
Final Verdict
Beholgar 2 is not a genre-defining masterpiece, nor does it set out to be. Instead, it succeeds by delivering a focused, enjoyable Metroidvania that improves on its predecessor in nearly every meaningful way.
The addition of a proper map system transforms exploration, the expanded combat options provide welcome variety, and the distinctive Arabian-inspired fantasy setting gives the adventure a memorable identity. Combined with excellent pixel art and a powerful soundtrack, the result is a game that consistently punches above its modest budget.
Its simplicity may leave genre veterans wanting more, and some rough edges remain visible beneath the surface. Yet there is an undeniable charm to Beholgar 2’s straightforward approach. It offers a satisfying journey filled with monsters to slay, secrets to uncover, and ancient evils to defeat, without overstaying its welcome.
For players seeking a compact retro adventure that captures the spirit of classic action games while embracing a handful of modern conveniences, Beholgar 2 proves to be a worthy quest.
