I’ve found in this generation that with so many remasters, remakes, and general re-introductions of so many titles from earlier days, there can be pretty big divides on how some of these are thought of and scored. Through a lens of nostalgia, and tied to the excitement of seeing a reimagined version of a game you already love, or at least appreciate, you can have one impression while people new to the experience can see another. Ufouria 2: The Saga strikes me as one such game, and as a newcomer to it while I can appreciate its cute characters, whimsical design, and decent enough play I get the feeling I’m less enthused than the already converted.

What you have here is a visually upgraded version of a relatively light and fun quasi-Metroidvania of sorts, where you’ll eventually have the power to switch between a variety of characters with slightly different uses. There’s no doubt that the visuals in the game are the primary hook, with the classic pixel art look replaced by what would best be described as a craftwork one, looking a bit like Yoshi’s Crafted World. The fact that, for the most part, the degree of challenge remains pretty manageable, including in most boss fights, and there’s a very family-friendly vibe overall here as well, which is appreciated since the space doesn’t already have anything else quite like it when it comes to indie titles.

The thing is, that same upside for people in search of something that could be kid-friendly could be considered a downside for anyone looking for a bit more flavor. The puzzle-ish aspects where you’ll need to switch to the appropriate character are more useful for getting into every spot you can find, and that can be satisfying, but on the whole your enemies and combat remain pretty basic overall. That more low-key combat does at least reduce the pain from the controls being more on the floaty side overall rather than precise, and I’ll admit that the pretty odd assortment of somewhat chunky characters make that feel seem appropriate.

That leads us to the verdict, and for me it’s just that this is a thoroughly enjoyable, if a bit basic, remake that does a great job of providing a lovely modern facelift to what some would consider a classic. If you’re a fan of the original, my guess is that this will be a wonderful way to enjoy some nostalgic beats with a great new look and a few extra surprises that were thrown in as well. For anyone who doesn’t have an emotional connection to that past though, I think this is a tougher sell in a modern world. There’s no question that it has charm, it’s a matter of whether that’s enough to justify your purchase with so many other worthy titles out there.