A speed platformer that honors classic-era Sonic while forging its own identity. The playable characters change the feel dramatically, the levels teem with alternate routes, and mastering the movement delivers a genuine, exhilarating rush every time.
Your verdict
Category
Platformer1 player7+
Description
Three animal heroines defend their world against a mechanical threat from the stars. Published by GalaxyTrail, released worldwide in 2024. Breakneck speed, character-specific abilities, branching stages, towering bosses and colorful pixel art with rousing music.
Freedom Planet 2 review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
MAX
Music
★★★★★
"Legendary"
2/5
Story
★★★★★
"Classic"
Built to evoke the Mega Drive's golden age, the score makes a virtual FM chip sing with stunning command: turbocharged leitmotifs, snapping bass and solos that race by at full tilt. The tempo locks onto the frantic platforming and galvanizes every dash. Modern chiptune that holds its own against the classics it pays tribute to.
Gameplay
"Masterful"
Breakneck speed comes paired here with a genuine sense of level design, where the original Sonic so often lost its footing. Each heroine reshapes the feel entirely and fully justifies the multiple routes, while the towering bosses blend action and platforming with flair. A few dialogue stretches break the rhythm and the childlike tone won't win everyone over, but controller in hand it's a dazzling triumph of the speed genre.
Fun
"From the very first seconds"
Tearing along at blue-hedgehog speed, the adventure strings together loops, wall-runs and surprisingly punchy melee combat. Its level design rewards momentum mastery as much as reflexes, and each playable character reshuffles the deck. You replay stages just to clear them faster and cleaner.
Speed and platforming join forces in clashes that recall the golden age of Sonic and shmups. The bosses unfurl multiple phases, projectiles to dodge mid-dash and transformations that change everything in a flash. Mastering momentum, chaining attacks and movement without losing rhythm makes every win exhilarating, carried by dazzling pixel art and a galvanizing soundtrack.
An underrated gem
Seven years after a charming but rough first entry, GalaxyTrail delivered a sequel of startling fluidity, sitting somewhere between Sonic and a brawler. Its busy camera, breakneck pace and lingering "hedgehog clone" reputation saw the public file it away as mere homage. Yet the branching level design, four characters that genuinely play differently and a turbo-charged rock soundtrack make it a true action-platformer joy. Worth a fresh look if you love speed under control rather than chaos.
Is Freedom Planet 2 still worth playing in 2026?
Freedom Planet 2 takes the legacy of Mega Drive-era Sonic and pushes it further than the original series has dared in a long time. The breakneck speed comes with a real sense of level design, and each heroine offers a distinct play style that fully justifies the multiple routes. The imposing, well-choreographed bosses recall action as much as platforming. The colorful pixel art and rousing tunes overflow with energy. A few dialogue stretches break the pace and the childlike tone will not please everyone, but as a game, it is one of the genre's finest achievements.
