Lingo 2

Reviewing after getting all achievements even though there is still some postgame content I haven't finished. Get this game if you are interested at all in wordplay puzzles. There is 50+ hours of content for $10, few puzzle games will give you that much value. A worthy sequel, not as rough around the edges as Lingo 1. The letter collection and puzzle rules blend into an interesting split of metroidvania and metroidbrainia, where you are keeping various areas in your head to come back to once you learn more of the mechanics or unlock a new letter. Puzzle themes are well telegraphed, navigation is more natural, answers feel less arbitrary, and the graphics are slightly improved. As with Lingo 1, the experience is really defined by the high points. There are times when I feel frustrated or lost, or feel that certain puzzles basically need a hint to solve. But there are multiple sections of Lingo 1+2 that contain some of the best puzzles I have ever played in a video game. Sometimes I get more dopamine from admiring the construction of a puzzle than I do from actually solving it. I'll happily trudge through some fiddly bits to get to the gold underneath.