Elven Rivers 2: New Horizons Collector’s Edition

Elven Rivers 2: New Horizons Collector's Edition is a fantasy, time management game developed by Big City Lab and published by 8floor. As the name suggests, it is the sequel to Elven Rivers: The Forgotten Lands. Like in the previous game, you take on the role of Celene, an elf ranger who's leading her team as they explore a new country inhabited by beastmen. However, the orcs, the same villains from the first game, are back, threatening the beastmen's lands. Thus, it's up to Celene and her team to stop them, along with a new friend to help. I'll stop my story synopsis here to avoid spoilers and all that.
As for the gameplay, it is pretty much the same as in the previous game. You can choose from among three difficulty levels: relaxed, normal, or expert. (For review purposes, I chose to play on normal mode.) There are a total of 40 levels, with an additional 12 levels that are unlocked upon completing the main story. In each level, you're given a few tasks to complete, and these tasks can vary from clearing the river to defeating orc patrols. Assuming that you play on timed mode, you can earn up to 3 stars per level. Stars are used to unlock a picture. Also, each level has wooden animal statues, hidden object items that reveal a puzzle piece when they're all found in a level. You can use the puzzle pieces to complete a puzzle. In addition, the color palettes are back, and they appear briefly in each level. Like stars, color palettes are used to unlock another picture. All these pictures are for cosmetic purposes. Although there are no Steam achievements, there are lots of in-game trophies.
Now that I've gone over the story and gameplay, I'll move onto my critique. I enjoyed Elven Rivers: The Forgotten Lands, so I was looking forward to getting around this latest installment. First, I like how the story takes place in a new land with new inhabitants although the mission turns out to be the same as in the previous game. (Gosh, those orcs just refuse to let others have peace. lol) Celene is back in top form as she bravely leads her team while befriending the inhabitants and even making a new friend from among the beastmen. Of course, Celene isn't without her flaws, and she acknowledges them and her mistakes. I like when a character is like this since perfection can be boring. XD As for the final enemy, it isn't whom anyone would expect (and no, it isn't the orcs, surprisingly enough). Regarding the gameplay, it feels the same as in the previous game, but I enjoyed it, nonetheless. I wish that the devs had changed the color palette appearances up a bit, though. As I mentioned in my review of the previous game, a major issue I had was that the palettes would disappear way too quickly, and this is something that I dislike. You have to be on the lookout for the palettes and make sure to click on them quickly before they're gone. Fortunately, I'm ok at this, but with those who like to game at a slower pace, this might be an issue. I was able to obtain all the in-game trophies, but I wish that Steam achievements were implemented, especially considering the price point.
Regarding the art, the style is the same as in the previous game, which works. Sprites and the backgrounds, especially are well done, and the in-between story scenes are in a comic book style. Colors feel soft, never feeling overly bright. As for the music, the tracks are the same as before. I didn't notice any new tracks although I wish there would have been one or two new tracks to add a bit of variety. Still, the tracks present work, giving off that adventure, fantasy vibe.
Overall, would I recommend Elven Rivers 2: New Horizons Collector's Edition? If you enjoyed the previous game, like time management games in general, and don't mind the lack of variety or Steam achievements, then I think this is worth taking a look. I like the game as it is, despite that it doesn't add anything new other than a new story and so forth. The story ends on a bit of a cliffhanger, though, so it implies that there might be another installment. (I guess it'll depend on how well this game and this series, overall, does.) For the asking price, I would recommend holding off for a bit of a sale, as it took me around 8 hours to complete the game and obtain all the in-game trophies. However, on a sale, it's worth considering, and it's in a Steam bundle. ^^
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Good game! Fun and challenging