If there was ever a model of the "if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it" axiom, Lost in Blue is a textbook case. The game is similar to its predecessor, even to the point where I accidentally got lost on a map because I thought I was in the first game. So similar, in fact, that it is hard to keep this review from merely being a laundry list of changes from one game to the other. But seriously, when even the graphics look exactly the same as the original Lost in Blue, a reviewer like me is left with few options.

Firstly, one concern I had with the original was the occurrence of fish-less screens when spear-fishing. I have never seen a fish-less screen in this game, so I think that’s been addressed. Another thing changed is the amount of stylus interaction in the game, which appears to have been increased dramatically. Your character is now totally controllable by stylus on the map, and several of the segments that were buttons-only are now optionally touch-screen as well. Another concern addressed from the original is that there are more things to hunt, even so much that the game hunts you with the addition of predators, which you fight off with the typical Lost in Blue weapons (spears, bows, whatever). Although an island with tigers, wolves, and alligators existing in the same spot is nonsensical, it does greatly boost the meat intake, now that the meat finds you instead.

Another big change is the island itself. It’s huge now. I’d estimate it is about twice the size as the one in the original, if my fuzzy memory can be trusted. This is great and terrible at the same time, because even though one of the characters can run a lot faster than in the previous game, it is easy to waste an entire day’s time just traversing the island. Of course, the game wants you to make shortcuts back to your home cave as you go along, but it’s easy to tire out trying to find them and be forced to go back the long way.

I believe the variety of food available has been increased, and the cooking/building mini-games have been given a makeover as well. Gone are the strange metaphorical trials of Lost in Blue. Now the cooking minigame actually resembles cooking (flipping the food over while grilling, stirring soup, etc.) and the building game is now somewhat of a jigsaw puzzle. No complaints here.

Actually, I’m wrong. There could be complaints here, depending on how much you enjoyed the original Lost in Blue. The games are so similar, I could even recommend reading our review for the first as a primer for this game, which leads me to my conclusion: The enjoyment to be had from this game almost solely depends on your opinion of the first, if you’ve played it. Depending on whether you love or hate Lost in Blue’s slow-paced survival gameplay, you will love or hate Lost in Blue 2. If you haven’t taken the plunge into the series yet, by all means give it a shot. It’s one of those new ideas that rarely get a chance to exist these days as companies strive to homogenize games.