Well, here we are in the new week.
I’ve finished the Shapez 2 demo twice and logged 10 hours into the game.
So here I am.
Shapez 2 knows exactly what it needs to be.
If you played Shapez 1, it will all be very familiar to you.
But it’s not just that.
Key info such as belt throughput and ideal ratios is much more freely accessible.
The demo is organised by a series of missions displayed in the top-left.
Both types of missions ask for certain numbers of specific shapes to be delivered to the central portal.
That’s the other masterstoke of Shapez 2.
One other thing I really liked was Shapez 2’s Blueprint Points.
Blueprints aren’t new, of course.
They’re a staple of the genre.
But I really like the decision to tie it to earning points.
I do wish the demo challenged me a bit more.
It’s convenient, but it also means there’s less incentive to be efficient.
Convenience is nice, but removing all limits isn’t necessarily always the most enjoyable thing.
I think Shapez 2’s long-term success will come down to how ambitious it ends up being.
I know that the complexity comes from the layering and colouring of those shapes, but still.
What I wouldn’t give for a clover, or a diamond, or a donut!
Despite that, the demo left me aching for more.
Which probably means it was exactly the right length.
I played the demo again afterwards, and finished it in 90 minutes.
So it’s really dependent on how you decide to play.
