Hoggy 2 review for PS Vita, PS4, Xbox One, Switch

Platform: PS Vita
Also On: PS4, Xbox One, PC, Switch
Publisher: Ratalaika Games
Developer: Raptisoft
Medium: Digital
Players: 1
Online: No
ESRB: E

I?ve got to admit, most of the time my experience with games from Ratalaika go like this: I play them. I get the easy Platinum. I delete. Sometimes, if it?s really simple, I go for the double-Platinum by getting it on both PS4 and Vita.

It?s rare, in other words, that I keep playing even after that Platinum Trophy pops. When it does, it?s a sign that the game in question is actually solid, enjoyable even. So, with that in mind, I?ll say this: I kept on playing Hoggy 2 even after I got the Platinum.

That doesn?t mean it?s exceptional or anything. It got its start as a mobile game (a sequel, obviously, to Hoggy), and those roots show, particularly if you play the game on PS4 instead of Vita. On the bigger screen, the visuals look a little less vivid, the gameplay seems even more basic, and it all just feels kind of meh.

As a Vita game, though, it?s a lot of fun. The bright colours — of which there are a lot — look fantastic on the smaller screen, and it doesn?t have the same washed out look that you get on a TV.

Even more importantly, the gameplay is perfect for quick gaming sessions. The controls are simple (you don?t jump, so much as you switch between walking on the floor or the ceiling). The levels are short. There?s a story (the titular hero and his love, Hogatha, are trying to rescue their slime-monster children), but it?s not something you need to give much thought to. All in all, it?s the kind of game that was probably perfect for mobile, and that?s just as good for handheld consoles.

Again, Hoggy 2 isn?t a sleeper GOTY candidate or anything. But if you go in looking for an enjoyable platformer that works well on the go, you should find plenty here with which you can be satisfied — with an easy Platinum or 2 to boot.

Ratalaika Games provided us with a Hoggy 2 PS4/Vita code for review purposes.

Grade: B