Rolando 2

Story

The story, according to Ngmoco, involves a more detailed plot and a new cast of Rolandos in a new location on the island of Fontanis. The story begins with the Sages of the Kingdom of Rolando being afflicted by a curse, infecting them with the "Kilgorean Flu." The king orders explorer General Sir Richard Smythe to lead a team of Rolandos to Stormtop Mountain to retrieve the Golden Orchid—the only thing that can save the Sages from the curse and cure them from the flu. Smythe has different types of Rolandos to help him succeed in retrieving the Golden Orchid, such as those who can move large objects, dive underwater, and perform other unique navigational skills.

Upon reaching Fontanis, the Rolandos split up but head in the same general direction across the island. They all eventually meet at Stormtop Mountain, the location of the Golden Orchid. However, the Orchid is guarded by Uqishthatuximon, a gigantic, tree-shaped monster. The Rolandos manage to destroy Uqishthatuximon and claim the Orchid. They then head back down the mountain and reach their ship.

The Rolandos sail back to the Kingdom, and Sir Richard enters while being congratulated by the numerous residents. The Sages begin to thank Richard, but another Rolando named Edward drops in and announces himself as the new dictator of the Kingdom. The game ends as the Sages plead their god 'Finger' to save them.

Gameplay

Rolando 2 consists of 46 different levels that span across six chapters. The levels are in a 2.5D environment, although the Rolandos remain in 2D. The object in each level is to use the accelerometer and multitouch features on the iPhone or iPod Touch device to guide the Rolandos to the exit of each level while avoiding various traps and pitfalls. Players move Rolandos by tilting the device in the direction they want them to go. They must get a set minimum number of Rolandos to the exit within a specified timeframe. There are multiple paths players can take to lead the Rolandos to the exit. If a Rolando makes contact with certain object (e.g. an enemy), it becomes dazed; if a similar object contacts a dazed Rolando, then it dies. As a new feature different from the original Rolando, players must, in addition, collect crystals that are scattered throughout the levels. The game rates players at the end of each level according to the number of Rolandos who reach the exit, the time it takes to get the minimum number of Rolandos to the exit, and the number of crystals collected. Throughout the levels there are other devices designed to help the Rolandos out, such as vehicles that move them around the levels, bombs that destroy obstacles, plants that serve as platforms for them, and turrets that can be used to dispatch enemies.

Rolando 2 contains several new elements that differ from its predecessor. One of them is levels requiring Rolandos to deal with water. Whereas heavier Rolandos sink to the bottom of a water-filled level, smaller Rolandos are able to float on the water's surface. In addition, in some levels, players need to guide the king to the exit by tilting the entire level—a feature similar to that found in the bonus stages of the original Sonic the Hedgehog. In these levels players also receive the ability to break blocks using a cannon that is activated by their finger. Some levels allow Rolandos to inflate balloons to navigate chasms. Other new features include items called "Idols" which allow players to skip levels, medals which can be used to increase users' scores on Plus+ accounts (a system that is similar to that used for Xbox Live), and the ability to post high scores and times on online leaderboards.

Reception

Rolando 2 has received much praise from reviewers for its unique gameplay elements, artwork, sound, and replayability. Levi Buchanan from IGN lauds the game for its artwork, new features, level design, and replayability. He also praises the music, saying that it "sounds like Mr. Scruff was listening to everything from Boards of Canada to Bobby Womack and just synthesized it all for this game". Tracy Erickson from Pocket Gamer praises the game for its new gameplay mechanics, increased accessibility, and the ability to purchase tracks of Mr. Scruff's music from the iTunes Store. Trevor Sheridan from AppDevice.com said that Rolando 2 is "by far the best platformer in the [Apple] App store". Like Buchanan and Erickson, he praises the game's sound, which, according to him, "sets the standard for what other titles should strive for". He praises the replayability, saying that the incorporation of the Plus+ network adds to it. Criticisms of game were few. Buchanan notes the game's higher-than-normal price, but says that the price is "entirely appropriate for this premium-quality game".

Possible sequel

Although Ngmoco cancelled the second sequel to Rolando, HandCircus, the developers, have written on Twitter, "the Rolando series is dear to our hearts, hope to return to the series someday".

At GDC 2014, the developers announced the title Seabeard, which has a different setting and other protagonists but a similar aesthetic and whimsiness.