Inca II – Final Rating

By Ilmari

My short affair with Inca II – and oh boy was it short, this is a quick game – has finished with more amiable terms than the stormy relationship I had with the progenitor. While both were pretty to look at, Inca senior was definitely the grouchy one, always kicking me in the groin when I least expected it, while the offspring was more tender and forgiving to play with. We’ve agreed with Inca II that this was it and we won’t ever be getting back together, but at least the little time we had together was entertaining enough. I am sure the fonder memories will reflect on the final rating.

Puzzles and Solvability

We need MacGyver here

With the first game, I complained how the adventure/action-ratio was skewed to the wrong side of the equation, although the puzzles themselves ranged from OK to good. Inca II certainly solved the first problem, but mainly, I think, by making the action scenes easier and more tolerable. I am not 100 % certain, but it seemed like the amount and complexity of the puzzles hadn’t increased. In fact, most of them felt either very stock-standard or then they were of the clickety-click variety, where the player can progress just by trying everything on everything, without even considering the reason why certain clicks work and others don’t. In fact, when I managed to choose two interesting puzzle sequences from the first, here I can really think of only one (the end game puzzle). All in all, the differences are not that great, and the slight progress with the prominence of the adventure gamish parts is balanced by the equally slight decrease in the number of interesting puzzles, so I’ll stick to the same number.

Score: 3.

Interface and Inventory

The interface of the adventure game parts hasn’t changed that much, and while there were some oddities in the space simulator phases, overall, I think, the action sequences were much easier to handle than in the first game. And the best renovation they did to the game was replacing the code system of Inca I with a tolerable autosave system.

I just found out the game had also this possibility. I just fail to see where would have I needed it

Score: 5.

Story and Setting

Democratic leanings? Does that mean they vote only when the tyrant wants so?

The premise of the series is what it is, but at least the producers tried to downplay the more ridiculous aspects of the first game (for instance, enemy ships were not anymore space galleons). Furthermore, there was at least more effort put to add some plot twisting to the somewhat bland battle of good and evil, although the clumsiness of these twists definitely placed this in the B-movie category. I don’t know if the final story point of the reincarnation of ancient Inca god as a… planet, I guess? … was supposed to be anything more than an attempt to make this a new 2001 Space Odyssey, but it was just one screen, so I am fine to let it pass. Overall, I am feeling positive here.

Score: 5.

Sounds and Graphics

The inca pop of the first game is back, and although I didn’t make a full comparison (I’d be mad to fire up the first one again), most of the music seems just recycled. Then again, while the breathtaking views of early 1990s are not that impressive in 2020s, at least there were more interesting visages to look at than in the Inca I. I think this one is going to go even-steven.

I'll take this over the bland corridors of the first game

Score: 5.

Environment and Atmosphere

While the first Inca was a confusing melange of real historical facts about Inca, cheesy B-rate scifi and aggravating action sequences, the sequel seems a smoother experience. The producers have clearly emphasised now the B-movie elements, which at least makes the game more consistent in its tone, although the main point I found interesting in Inca I or the use of the traditions of the ancient Incas is all but lost. This felt a very middle of the road experience, so that shows in the score also.

Score: 5.

Dialogue and Acting

I seem to have picked the floppy version of the game, without any spoken dialogue, but I later sampled a Youtube recording of the CD-version. I am glad I didn’t play that one, since the “actors” are cheesy as hell, and it would have been torture to listen to them for more than five minutes. The text itself is again cliched, but serviceable. I think I’ll let the game off the hook this time and won’t detract any points for the travesty that I heard in the CD version.

If you really want to hear them speak, check out this video. 

Score: 5.

Interestingly, Inca II got almost a solid line of 5s! It’s (3 + 5 + 5 + 5 + 5 + 5)/.6 = 47! Checking against the Inca I and its final rating (40), this seems fair, since the sequel was definitely a better game. It’s a surprisingly decent enough experience, if you don't have high expectations and especially don’t try to take any of the plot seriously, and you can finish it so quickly that you won’t get tired with it.

The overall score guesses were much lower (many of them going even lower than the first game got), but Alex Romanov guessed the highest and nailed the score this time. Considering that he had the advantage of having played the game, this seems quite appropriate.

CAP Distribution

100 CAPs to Ilmari

• Blogger Award - 100 CAPs - For blogging and playing Inca II for our enjoyment

25 CAPs to Morpheus Kitami

• True Companion Award - 25 CAPs - For playing Inca II with Ilmari during the review

18 CAPs to Alex Romanov

• Psychic Prediction Award - 10 CAPs - For guessing the correct score for Inca II
• Reminiscence Award - 5 CAPs - For a Sunday afternoon spent on Inca II
• Ancient Games Award - 3 CAPs - For reminding everyone of the gem that was the Snoopy game

6 CAPs to Shaddam IVth

• Snoopy Conoisseur Award - 6 CAPs - For a mass of Snoopy facts

5 CAPs to Arcanetrivia

• Needles Conoisseur Award - 3 CAPs - For knowing where Snoopy's brother lives
• How to Melt Your Car Award - 2 CAPs - On Mythbusting an Inca II puzzle

5 CAPs to Vetinari

• Snoopy Star Award - 3 CAPs - For information on the fame of Snoopy in Hollywood
• The Most Useless Character Award - 2 CAPs - For an in-depth analysis of the (first) protagonist of Inca II

5 CAPs to Michael

• Red-blooded American Award - 5 CAPs - For an in-depth analysis on the effect of Peanuts to American mentality

3 CAPs to Andy Panthro

• Woodstock Award - 3 CAPs - For a factoid on Snoopy's sidekick