Credit Roll Chronicles : Simon the Sorcerer 2

In the Credit Roll Chronicles, Rob (DM4S for his online friends) takes on all the games he left unfinished over the years. From childhood classics that beat him back in the day to forgotten gems that slipped through the cracks, he is determined to finally see the credits roll. Along the way he shares memories, frustrations, and the joy of rediscovering the adventures that shaped his love for gaming.

A Return to Simon’s World

In the first entry of my new article series you read how I went back to the magical adventures of Simon the Sorcerer. I shared my thoughts about the game and if it was still holding up these days. I also talked about how my first ever Simon game was actually the sequel, and how I never finished either of them before.

So, for my second article I picked up my wand and robe once more to see if I could finally beat Simon the Sorcerer 2.

In Simon the Sorcerer 2 you once again play as our magical hero Simon. At the end of the first game he managed to defeat Sordid, the evil wizard. Simon was supposed to walk away with gold from the dragon’s cave, win the heart of a beautiful lady, and live happily ever after.

Well… not really. There was no gold, no lady. At least you did send Sordid to the most horrible place you could think of. I won’t spoil it here, just go and watch the cutscene.

Evil never dies

After that, Simon returned home to his own dimension to continue teenage life, mainly trying to avoid homework again. A few years have passed since then, and Simon, now probably in his mid-20s, is still living without a care.

But evil never dies. Runt, who dreams of becoming a mighty wizard himself, finds a magic book. While practicing dark arts in bed, he gets caught by his dad who wants him to become a workman instead. His father burns the book and that turns out to be a mistake. Sordid, who was trapped inside, is released and now seeks revenge on Simon.

Sordid finds a way to summon Simon back to his realm through an enchanted wardrobe. Luckily, Simon ends up right outside the magic shop of Calypso, a friend from the first game. Saved from certain death, Simon is once again forced into a quest to find his way home.

Jokes, References, and Voices

The story is once again well written, with lots of jokes and funny conversations. Parts of it parody popular fairy tales and real-world culture. You’ll see the three bears and Goldilocks, Rapunzel’s tower with the long hair, a Narnia-like wardrobe, and even a fast-food parody called McSwamp. All of it fits surprisingly well into the fantasy world.

Brian Bowles takes over as Simon’s voice and does a great job. Simon sounds older, which is probably intentional to reflect his age. The rest of the voice acting works fine too, and the soundtrack matches the setting perfectly.

Graphics and Gameplay

The graphics are a real treat for the eyes and a big step up from the first game’s art style. The backgrounds are much more detailed, and unlike the original, there isn’t a single area that looks reused. Adventure Soft really improved the overall presentation here.

Gameplay is pretty much what you’d expect from a point & click adventure. The UI has changed a lot though. Instead of action verbs, the game now uses icons. Each action icon is clear and easy to understand on its own.

The puzzles aren’t very difficult. You’ll still combine items as usual, but there are also some light mathematical puzzles. Most solutions are fairly obvious, and this time objects are much easier to find, which is a good thing.

Final Thoughts

Overall, I really enjoyed my time with this second installment. The story is well written, the characters are memorable, and the voice acting is top notch. The puzzles aren’t too difficult, and this time it’s much clearer which items can be picked up. As the cherry on top, the pixel art graphics are a real treat for the eyes and among the best you could find at the time of release.