The original Epic Mickey was a divisive experiment. It was pitched as a “gritty” adventure into the deepest recesses of Disney history, but ended up as a toothless, but enjoyable adventure in camera management. The Power of Two has received a fair bit of hype for reportedly addressing all of the issues from its predecessor, with series director Warren Spector (of Deus Ex fame) promising things like “1,000 specific changes made to the camera.” How do Mickey and Oswald hold up to that kind of pressure?

The sequel picks up some time after the conclusion of the first game. The opening movie explains that Mickey and Oswald saved Wasteland, showing some stills of the original antagonists, the Blot and the Mad Doctor. However, before the player can learn anything about the fantastic world or its colorful inhabitants, a series of devastating earthquakes strike the world of forgotten Disney characters. The Mad Doctor explains (in song) that he has turned over a new leaf and will save everyone, but some Wasteland residents remain unconvinced. They use poorly explained plot magic to summon Mickey Mouse back to discover the truth behind the earthquakes and the Mad Doctor.

A listless narrative is the least of Epic Mickey 2‘s issues. The main conflict is slow to unfold and highly predictable, but the main draw of the game isn’t its story, but the world it creates. Wasteland is a goldmine just waiting to be unearthed, but Junction Point doesn’t seem to have any interest in pulling the player into that world. Despite being the follow-up to a console exclusive, the game does nothing to ease players into the setting, explain its rules, or even introduce its characters. You’re just thrown headlong into an aimless story about giving second chances to people you’re probably meeting for the first time.

That’s not to say that there is no Disney magic. Mickey’s voice acting is a welcome addition, as are the classic settings of many a timeless cartoon. It’s not the individual elements that fail–it’s their lack of meaningful context. How is a newcomer supposed to be invested in the Mad Doctor’s possible change of heart if he or she doesn’t get a chance to know him first? The game attempts to develop his character through his musical interludes, but these non sequitur sequences don’t really work when he is the only person singing. If Spector wanted to make Epic Mickey 2 a musical, he should have gone all-in and made the whole thing into a proper production. As it is, the music scenes are pale shadows of The Great Mighty Poo and Drill-X.

As Mickey sets off into Wasteland with Oswald in tow, the game’s titular cooperative gameplay wastes no time in revealing itself to be a poor decision. Simply put, the Power of Two‘s artificial intelligence is broken. If you play alone, Oswald will do everything humanly (lagomorphically?) possible to thwart you. Whether it’s ignoring enemies, refusing to activate switches, or getting caught on the environment, he is the anchor that drags the whole enterprise down. The game was clearly designed to be played by two human beings, which would be easier if it supported online co-op or Wii U GamePad functionality to avoid split-screen. Alas, local TV sharing is the only available option.

Once you’ve made peace with the storytelling flaws and grabbed a friend to replace the suicidal A.I. it’s time to brave the numerous bugs that infest the title. How about physics glitches that catapult necessary items into the stratosphere, never to be seen again? Want to watch the game shudder to a screeching halt, as it somehow fails to maintain a steady frame rate despite its low graphical fidelity? Once you’ve had your fill of those hiccups, take a moment to appreciate the enemies stuck in the corners of the map. That was my favorite bug, at least until an NPC started a sentence, only to finish it ten minutes later while I was in a completely different area. I guess it could be worse. Brain-dead Oswald could have gotten stuck in another loop of jumping in place for no reason.

When the game actually plays as it was meant to, the action is uninspired. Platforming is sluggish, combat is a chore, and the paint/thinner mechanic is still underdeveloped. You can create or destroy pre-determined objects in the environment, but the act of doing so never feels creative. Oswald doesn’t get a brush, but is instead tasked with flying Mickey over chasms and interacting with electronic equipment. It’s interesting that this installment chose to emphasize the relationship between the two leads, as they have almost no chemistry. Banjo and Kazooie enjoyed a more dynamic rapport. In fact, with its hub world/themed level structure, emphasis on collectibles, and dual protagonist flavor, Epic Mickey almost feels like a poor man’s Banjo-Kazooie. You would think game design would have improved in the intervening 14 years.

Speaking of design, I refuse to believe that the puzzles included in EM2 were intended to be fun. A good puzzle hinges on critical thinking and creativity. The puzzles of Wasteland are built on tedium. Whether you’re connecting pipes or fixing dioramas, The Power of Two seems convinced that the player yearns for a life of monotonous busy work. Oftentimes it simply dumps Mickey and Oswald into a room and says, “Just go spray paint on things for a couple of minutes.” It’s hard to decide which sequence was worse, the one that waxes nostalgic about the first Epic Mickey or the one where an NPC berates you the whole time.

One of the underwhelming features from the first game that makes a return here is the supposed moral choice system. Most fans will know that the idea was originally conceived with Mickey having a Mass Effect level of choice and a personality to match his decisions. The gimmick was dropped, and remains absent here, but the superficial dilemmas still crop up. Find three generators or over-charge a single one? Fight the Splatters or sneak by them? The choice is yours, but don’t expect much in the way of consequences. Besides the initial difference in objectives, the ending, and the occasional remarks of NPCs, these situations affect very little.

If I can say anything nice about The Power of Two, it is that the occasional 2D sections are inspired. While they retain the lethargic platforming of the rest of the experience (fall damage? really?), the backgrounds are brilliant messes of Disney ephemera. I only wish the camera were a little closer, so that I could more properly admire the detail put into the tributes to the golden age of cartoons. Then again, I’m sure someone has made the same exact stages in LittleBigPlanet by now, so the praise is relatively faint.

What about the camera which so crippled the original Epic Mickey? Well, there are noticeable improvements. Platforming sections feature set camera angles which usually frame the environment correctly, but once enemies enter the scene all bets are off. The Xbox 360 and PS3 versions may have better luck with their second analog sticks, but the Wii iteration is once again handicapped by an inability to keep the action framed. I have no idea where all of those other promised improvements are hiding, but the game provides no incentive to search for them. The same goes for content like collectibles and side quests. They exist, but without fun core gameplay to support them that extra fluff is irrelevant.

2012 produced such a bumper crop of great games that no player should waste their time with this frustrating failure. If you’re looking for family-friendly titles this holiday season, then there are plenty of better choices. Pick up Pokemon Black/White Version 2. Pick up LEGO Lord of the Rings. If you can afford it, pick up Skylanders Giants. Like some of its characters, the Epic Mickey series may be better off forgotten.

A copy of the game was provided by the publisher for review purposes and played for about 7 hours. The title was played on Wii, but is also available for Xbox 360, PS3, PC, and Wii U.

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