App review: Angry Birds 2, less satisfying than original but still smashing fun
Angry Birds 2. (Handout)
Screenshot from Angry Birds 2. (Handout)
Parents need to know that Angry Birds 2 features the same characters, theme and physics-puzzle style as the other games in the franchise, but is social and freemium. (Common Sense Media/TNS)
Parents need to know that Angry Birds 2 features the same characters, theme and physics-puzzle style as the other games in the franchise, but rather than being a self-contained, paid app, this is both social and freemium (free-to-play but with lots of in-app purchases and pushes to connect to social media). Parents should also note there is a large gallery of both Angry Birds branded, and similarly themed cartoons that are free to watch, but there are advertisements between episodes. Also, there’s no parent gate between your kid and in-app purchases.
WHAT’S IT ABOUT?
Angry Birds 2 doesn’t alter the bizarre back-story behind the original hit game: Mean, green pigs sneaked into some birds’ nests and stole their eggs. Enraged, the birds swear revenge and the game starts. Pigs hide in ever-more-complex structures and players have to use a slingshot to catapult birds at them in the hopes of crushing the pigs. Different birds have varied abilities, as they did before. In Angry Birds 2, however, you move along a map, and in each level you get certain “bird cards” and choose which bird is best suited to the task. If a player runs out of cards before completing the goal, they can buy more cards with in-game currency or real money. Watching video advertisements also earns more chances. Another notable change is that levels are no longer the same every time you play them, nor are the birds you get to solve the puzzles.
IS IT ANY GOOD?
From a production-quality standpoint, the game is excellent, but loyal fans might be disappointed with the focus on Facebook, ads, and microtransactions. The animation is highly polished and the core gameplay is still as compelling. The controls work brilliantly and the level of difficulty actually seems easier, at least in earlier levels, which makes it fun for kids. Unfortunately, the game is so highly integrated with Facebook, Angry Birds fans under 13 are left out of the gift-giving, tournaments, and score-sharing. Also, parents may hesitate to let younger kids play now that it’s so easy to spend real money in the game. For players who enjoyed the long-term strategy involved in beating certain levels, the sequel is far less satisfying since levels and bird choices change. For quick bursts of bird flinging that rely less on carefully planned puzzle solving, and more on playing the game often and socially, Angry Birds 2 is smashing fun.
RATING AND CONTENT
Recommended for ages 10 and older
Quality: 3 out of 5
Ease of play: 3 out of 5
Violence: 2 out of 5
Sex: 0 out of 5
Language: 0 out of 5
Drinking, drugs, and smoking: 0 out of 5
Privacy and safety: 3 out of 5
Consumerism: 4 out of 5 (Are products/advertisements embedded? Is the title part of a broader marketing initiative/empire? Is the intent to sell things to kids?)
APP DETAILS
Devices: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android
Price: Free with in-app purchases
Release date: July 30, 2015
Category: Puzzle Games
Size: 86.30 MB
Publisher: Rovio Entertainment Ltd
Minimum software requirements: iOS 7.0 or later; Android 4.0 and up
