Angry Birds 2

As angry as they used to be...

Angry Birds have returned with the first full-blown, legit sequel in 2015. And they seem to be as angry as ever. We still have Infuriated toucans, ferocious kiwis, dissatisfied ducks and other winged bringers of destruction, seeking to have their revenge on the naughty, green swines. Even the iconic Angry Birds grumpy title theme is back! Only now it has unique variations with a specific vibe, varying from one level to another, featuring a variety of other instruments apart for a sneaky xylophone.

The gameplay is pretty much the same: you have the good-old slingshot, a number of birds to catapult and some green snouts to eliminate. But the level-design has seen a drastic change. First of all, each time when you restart a level, everything can be reshuffled spontaneously: the pigs' location, constructions, traps, barriers, air balloons, etc. such randomness gives both a boost to your strategic thinking and a bit of frustration.

Second, Angry Birds 2 now feature a variety of additional elements that can affect your progress negatively/positively. Depending on how well you learn to adapt to them. For instance, there will be portals that redirect both your birdies and obnoxious pigs randomly. There are giant fans that alter the game's physics and flight direction. And of course not to forget about mysterious flowers that have a tendency to suck whatever comes near them in and then spit it out as high as it's only possible. Unpredictability is a radical factor in Angry Birds 2.

New business model

Unfortunately, apart from newer lavish visuals, intricate stages, and somewhat erratic gameplay, Angry Birds have brought a new monetization model. Before you could pay roughly one dollar and enjoy multiple sequels/seasonal content etc. But now, once you lose all of you 5 retries you can:

• Patiently wait for them to recover. 30 minutes/each retry.
• Pay with the in-game currency. It can be either grinded agonizingly long or bought for $0.50.

Apparently, the birds aren't just angry, but also avaricious.

At least the Arena mode, in which you can compete with other bird-slingers from all over the world, adds a new dimension and thrill to the game. Suddenly, your Angry Birds skills, acquired over the long years of practice can actually make you a champion at something. Which is excellent.

The Bottom Line

Angry Birds 2 are different from the first legendary games. There's no denial about that. They don't hand out free retires as they once used to an abundance of the commercial features is saddening.

But at the same time, they haven't lost their enjoyably silly spirit and simple philosophy of time-killing fun. And you still have to cautiously calculate your feathery salvos. Especially now, when the levels tend to change non-stop with each retry.

So take your slingshot and show those pigs that your skills haven't gotten any rusty, since you had your last rendezvous with them...