Mixx Island: Remix Vol. 2 Review

It seems a bit unusual that there are so many games for sale in the Island series, and this is my first attempt at playing any of them. At just a few bucks a piece, I really couldn’t tell if these are shovelware games or actual episodic releases. Thankfully it was the latter that was true, and I was pleasantly surprised.

Mixx Island: Remix Vol. 2 is the 16th game in this series of Steam releases. As I haven’t played any previous titles in this franchise, I cannot comment on what Remix Vol. 2 does differently than its predecessors.

Starting off there are several icons on the floor that I discovered by trial and error point to playable characters. I eventually realized that there are a LOT more to choose from if you move backwards and enter a room to your left. Each character has its own skin and different stats. Running the length of this room takes a while, and I feel it would be much easier if you could stay put and select your skin and build where you stand. It seems like a minor nitpick, but I spent as much time finding a character to use as I did on some boss fights.

After you begin, the controls are explained by billboards you can stop and read. Optional tutorials are nice, but the infodump was big enough that I skipped most of it and just tried my luck. Some of just didn’t make sense without the context of having played yet.

Now at this point, feeling a bit underwhelmed, the first boss fight is about to start. Having realized I can’t jump and can only dodge and shoot, I wasn’t quite sure If I was going to enjoy my time here. Once the fight began, my opinion of this game quickly changed. The mechanics are complex yet well explained by using markers on the floor that show where bullets will land or where attacks will hit. The graphics look gorgeous, and the sound hits hard and makes battle come to life.

Upon defeating bosses you get your pick of several upgrades similar to any rogue-lite. Move to the next room and fight your next boss. Quick, efficient, and most importantly I had fun. If my initial impression wasn’t so lukewarm, I probably wouldn’t have any complaints. This is an excellent game to waste a few minutes on a quick run or a few hours perfecting your strategy. When you factor in the price, you really can’t go wrong with Mixx Island: Remix Vol. 2 whether you’re a first-timer like me or a franchise veteran.

Purchase Mixx Island: Remix Vol. 2 on Steam!