PopCap Games returns to the Xbox Live Arcade platform with Feeding Frenzy 2: Shipwreck Showdown, the sequel to the surprisingly popular 2006 PC and XBLA game Feeding Frenzy. The fishes are hungry and there are a lot of them, so are you ready to take the plunge and become the biggest fish in the sea?

Gameplay

Feeding Frenzy 2 offers you sixty levels of sea exploration. You take control of various fishes in the water in the hopes of reaching the top of the food chain and at the same time, uncovering the truth behind a mysterious fish lurking the waters. The game is extremely simple: you are a small fish that can eat smaller types of fishes swimming around but you have to avoid the larger fish. Swim close enough to a fish, eat it while watching your back for bigger fishes, because they will eat you. As you reach a certain point on your growth bar, your fish expands and can begin eating larger fish. Once you’ve eaten enough, you complete the level. Rinse and repeat.

While it begins easy and it doesn’t take long to grow, the game throws in curve balls to make some levels a bit more challenging. You’ll have massive fish, like Barracudas, that you can’t eat, so you have to always avoid them. There will be obstacles in your way, such as mines, and the environments will change. The game’s story has you travel the waters as you try to discover a mysterious fish that has appeared. As you progress in the levels, you will play as five other fish to complete the game. The level structures stay the same, but there will always be something to challenge you.

The controls of the fish can be a bit hit-or-miss. Your fish moves really fast, sometimes too fast, which can cause problems when running away from sharks! Since you need to go over, or at least close enough to the fishes you can eat, you may over-shoot your attempt and have to return. This can be problematic when the levels gets filled with lots of fish. As the game gets more difficult, it becomes increasingly easier for larger fish to get you. There are power-ups and parts of the environment to help you out, so you will need to use them as much as possible to complete the game.

Graphics and Sound

Feeding Frenzy’s graphics are not bad, but they aren’t particularly special either. Every fish is distinctive and there are some cute animations, even if it’s a bit limited.

The same goes for sound. It is not bad, but you’ll get annoyed with the voice that says ‘Frenzy’ which tends to sound somewhat creepy. The music is just ok for this type of game, but again, you might be tempted to listen to something else.

Value

The game does have quite a bit to offer. Outside of the basic story mode, they give you the ability to play the game on an easier, quicker setting. There is a time attack mode which has you replay the game, but with time restrictions. You also have plenty of party-type games. While you might not be able to play this game online, it could end up being a fun distraction for a short period of time if you have kids at home. The Party and Frenzyfest modes do offer multiple play options. Party mode allows you to pick any game at your leisure, while Frenzyfest has you pick rounds and the person with the best score in the end wins. These modes are great for parents looking to get their kids playing a game with them and have a blast.

Conclusion

Everyone plays PopCap games. You might like to pretend that you don’t, but we all have done it. You cannot deny that while they might not make the most impressive looking or sounding games, they do make titles that can be enjoyable and that can become quite addictive. This is a game geared very much towards kids under the age of 12; adults will still enjoy this game but only for a short-period of time.

Final Verdict

If you have kids, this is a great choice if you were looking for a cool and easy game to play with them.

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Editor’s Take

It’s sure fun to see PopCap releasing an updated version of Feeding Frenzy. This sequel is fun but gets quickly old when played by adults or experienced gamers. Of course, you will understand that these kind of games aren’t made with the purpose to compete with the CoD’s or Halos of the world but to give a cool, easy, fun and unexpensive alternative to game without hassles. Plus, nothing is cooler than playing a fun game with your kids or wife without having to explain the controls and tell them where to go and how to do things. Playing the game alone might not give you the same fun level for sure but it has it’s moments...