Unravel Two

Unravel Two (stylized as UNRAVEL two) is a puzzle-platform game developed by Swedish studio Coldwood Interactive and published by Electronic Arts. It was released on June 9, 2018 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.[3] A Nintendo Switch version released on March 22, 2019.[4] The game is centered around two 'Yarnys', small anthropomorphic creatures made of yarn.[5] It is the sequel to the 2016 game Unravel.

Unravel Two
Developer(s)Coldwood Interactive
Publisher(s)Electronic Arts
Director(s)Martin Sahlin
Composer(s)Frida Johansson
Henrik Oja[1]
EngineModified PhyreEngine[2]
Platform(s)Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch
ReleaseWindows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
June 9, 2018
Nintendo Switch
March 22, 2019
Genre(s)Puzzle-platform
Mode(s)Single-player, local-multiplayer

Gameplay

Unlike Unravel, Unravel Two is both a single-player and a multiplayer game, however only in local co-op. The game focuses on two Yarnys (which can be controlled by one or two players) which must work together in order to solve puzzles and manipulate the world. The game's main storyline is set on an island, and it includes additional, more difficult challenge levels.[6]

Plot

A red Yarny is separated from his home and his owner in a storm at sea, and is washed ashore with his yarn being cut to a dead end. He encounters a blue Yarny among the shipwreck and the two connect their dead ends together, forming a bond. A spark emerges from the connection and the continuous objective of the game is to chase it. The two Yarnys explore the forest and the underground before emerging to ground level and taking residence in an abandoned lighthouse - the game's loading hub.

The Yarnys enter the corridor of an adoption home where a young girl is attempting to escape abusive adults, and the Yarnys help her by using the spark to chase the adults off. A boy knocks on her bedroom window, and she escapes with him through the rooftop. The Yarnys follow the children through a small park, and the adults take the form of dark shadows with red sparks that disintegrate the Yarnys on touch.

The Yarnys emerge in a sunny countryside setting in the midst of midsummer celebration, but as the children are mistreated by the intoxicated adults, the setting turns dark and threatening. The Yarnys run from the shadows and, along with the children, hide from the adults. They are chased through the forest by a wood grouse, narrowly escaping. As the children play and go swimming in the forest, the Yarnys explore the woods and are chased through a lake by a pike.

By nighttime, adults search for the children with flashlights and hounds in an old factory. The boy is caught and locked up, but later escapes when the Yarnys cause a machine to malfunction, causing a mayhem distracting the adults, and the children are reunited. The Yarnys help the children hide by chasing the adults off with the spark, and finally break out of the factory. A truckload of wooden logs crash onto an electrical fence, starting a forest fire that spreads to the buildings and stables. The girl rescues the boy from the fire when he is stuck in branches by a stream. The Yarnys struggle their way through, and the children are seen rescuing the stable horses from the fire before themselves running into safety.

Initially, the Yarnys go through the ruins of the forest ravaged by wildfire, and go through an abandoned watermill, gradually making it active again, and they follow the water to the nearby rapids in a sunny setting. The children are seen pushing an adult into the current. In the final cutscene, the lighthouse is surrounded by dark spirits, but the spark chases them away and a group of Yarnys of various shapes and colors appear. Together they bring the spark to the center of the lighthouse and its light is restored, and the storm outside passes over.

Development

In May 2016, EA announced the developers of Unravel, Coldwood Interactive, had signed a publishing deal for their next game. This game was later confirmed to be Unravel Two.[7] On June 9, 2018, at their 2018 E3 press conference, EA announced Unravel Two would be released that same day.[8]

According to the game's producer, Michael Gill, Unravel Two was not released on the Nintendo Switch as "it would have taken another half a year or so."[9] On February 13, 2019, Nintendo announced that the game would arrive on the Nintendo Switch through its Nintendo Direct presentation.[10]

Reception

According to review aggregator Metacritic, the game received "generally positive reviews" upon release.[11]

Awards
YearAwardCategoryResultRef
2018 Titanium Awards Best Social/Family Game Nominated [12]
Australian Games Awards Family/Kids Title of the Year Nominated [13]
2019 D.I.C.E. Awards Family Game of the Year Won [14]
National Academy of Video Game Trade Reviewers Awards Game, Puzzle Nominated [15]

Notes

    References
    1. "Unraveling the story of Unravel Two's sound". asoundeffect.com. Retrieved 12 November 2018.
    2. Batchelor, James (20 June 2018). "Why Unravel Two is not on Nintendo Switch". GamesIndustry.biz. Retrieved 21 June 2018.
    3. Campbell, Colin (9 June 2018). "Unravel 2 is out today and it's a sweet, co-op platform adventure". Polygon. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
    4. "Unravel Two is Out Now for Nintendo Switch". Retrieved 27 March 2019.
    5. Chan, Stephanie (9 June 2018). "Coldwood and EA's Unravel Two is now out as an E3 present". VentureBeat. Retrieved 9 June 2018.
    6. Campbell, Colin (9 June 2018). "Unravel 2 is out today and it's a sweet, co-op platform adventure". Polygon. Retrieved 10 June 2018.
    7. Sarkar, Samit (17 May 2016). "Unravel developer working on a sequel with EA (update)". Polygon. Vox Media. Retrieved 10 June 2018.
    8. Hernandez, Patricia (9 June 2018). "Adorable yarn-based platformer Unravel has a sequel, and it's out today". The Verge. Vox Media. Retrieved 10 June 2018.
    9. Batchelor, James (20 June 2018). "Why Unravel Two is not on Nintendo Switch". GamesIndustry.biz. Gamer Network. Retrieved 23 July 2018.
    10. Kohler, Chris. "Everything That Happened In Today's Nintendo Direct". Kotaku. Retrieved 13 February 2019.
    11. "Unravel Two reviews for PlayStation 4". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 23 June 2018.
    12. "Titanium Awards 2018". Fun & Serious Game Festival. 10 December 2018. Archived from the original on 7 July 2019. Retrieved 7 November 2019.
    13. "Your 2018 Winners". Australian Games Awards. 19 December 2018. Retrieved 15 January 2019.
    14. McWhertor, Michael (14 February 2019). "God of War wins big at DICE Awards 2019". Polygon. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
    15. "Nominee List for 2018". National Academy of Video Game Trade Reviewers. 11 February 2019. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
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