A Valley Without Wind 2 tweaks the random madness of its predecessor.
Back in early 2012, Arcen Games (previously known for AI War) released A Valley Without Wind, a game almost as odd as its title. It featured a massive, procedurally-generated world filled with platforming, crafting, RPG stats, base building, turn-based strategy, and very likely a kitchen sink as well. The only issue is that it didn’t quite work. Arcen admitted that their experiment needed more work, and promised to heavily rework the sequel. Now A Valley Without Wind 2 has arrived, and it’s free to everyone who bought a copy of the previous game.
Almost every element has received an overhaul in AVWW 2. For example, combat has been tweaked, and every object and spell now has a list of physical properties, including mass. Unlike the free-form sandbox of the original, AVWW 2 has more structure, including a distinct beginning, middle, and end. Meanwhile, the strategic element has been redesigned, and all the artwork has been reworked in a new style. Top it off with 125 new creatures and 200 new spells and you have a game more ambitious and hopefully a bit wiser than it’s predecessor.
Like before, you’ll hop between platforming and turn-based strategizing as you attempt to organize a resistance to the evil Demonaica. You can take on the task yourself, or play with 2-8 players in coop. It’s enheartening to see developers take risks on crazy new ideas and own up to their mistakes when they don’t work.
For those wishing for a taste of this madness, Arcan games has a demo available here. The full game can be found on Steam, or DRM free on Arcan’s website.
Source: Arcan Games
