As with many games, I stumbled upon Ufouria: The Saga 2 somewhat coincidentally. I just logged onto YouTube, and it was just sitting at the top of the page. I saw its intriguing style and captivating craftwork art style and knew I had to check it out. This led me down a rabbit hole to learn everything I could about the game. Little did I know that not only was Ufouria: The Saga—titled Hebereke in Japan—released on the Famicom and PAL region NES, but Hebereke was a whole franchise featuring a bunch of games of varying genres.
The more I played Uforia: The Saga 2, the more enraptured I became. While it seems so simple on the surface, it’s a game that is so deeply layered and so incredibly likeable it makes me sad I couldn’t experience it back in 1991—and even more that I missed it on the Wii’s Virtual Console back in 2010. But with a true sequel comes a new chance to experience a classic in a new, updated way, and it absolutely hooked me.
Ufouria: The Saga 2 begins when an alien named Utsujin—who was actually one of the mini-bosses in the original Hebereke—crashes on Earth with the intention of spreading his sticky Bumyons all across the land. Fortunately, our hero Hebe approaches him and quickly points out that their own Popoons can swiftly destroy the Bumyons, much to Utsujin’s chagrin. Utsujin sets off to research the Popoons and complete his invasion, and it’s up to Hebe to gather his four friends and put a stop to Utsujin’s evil plan once and for all!
It’s an adorable plot that continuously unfolds in sweet, silly ways that find a solid balance between being new and paying homage to the original— like how all of Hebe’s friends need to be fought to remove the sticky Bumyons before they join him. It plays out like a light-hearted Saturday morning anime with plot elements that feel more like minor inconveniences to the cast than anything truly life-threatening. The dialogue is consistently funny and charming.
“…it’s the gameplay in Ufouria: The Saga 2 that is truly unique.”
However, it’s the gameplay in Ufouria: The Saga 2 that is truly unique. While the original Hebereke was a fairly straightforward Metroid-like exploration game, the sequel is a strange blend of linear platformer and exploration game that flips the whole thing on its head. Players will move through 2D levels, platforming and defeating enemies, eventually reaching the end culminated in a mini-boss battle or a bird named Bobodori that will fly players back to Hebe’s House—the main hub of the game.
As more and more areas open up as part of the story, Hebe and his friends will need to work together in order to traverse the many diverse areas—Hebe is a well-rounded character, O-Chan can swim and jump in shallow water, Sukezaemon can float short distances, and Jennifer can dive and move underwater. But it’s the way the game implements its exploration elements that really stood out to me.
As players advance, they will need to collect and recycle Utsu-cans to unlock special items from a vending machine at Hebe’s Tree. This means, in typical Metroid-like fashion, players will need to return to previous areas in order to find the required amount. However, unlike Metroid or even the original Hebekere, levels aren’t laid out in big areas separated by rooms. Instead, every world plays along a single 2D level and is randomized every time you return.
While there is still the element of exploration, as areas are connected between themselves, a few end with Bobodori taking you back to Hebe’s House—while some areas have an optional Bobodori ride. This is the first game I’ve ever played that approached exploration in this way, and I honestly love it.
It works in such a way to consistently keep each area simple enough to move through quickly but different every time, so it feels a lot bigger than it is. And as players get more abilities to further explore levels, certain parts—though random—that were unavailable before suddenly become accessible, so there’s a constant sense of progression. I genuinely couldn’t believe how well it worked.
“Ufouria: The Saga 2 has a craftwork aesthetic that makes the whole game feel so genuine and charming.”
Like I said at the top of this review, the game’s visuals were what hooked me the most. Ufouria: The Saga 2 has a craftwork aesthetic that makes the whole game feel so genuine and charming. From the way you can see the little wool threads on every character, to the way environments all look like they were cut out from felt, to coins all looking like little buttons, and even to the way little character icons and text boxes look like craft beads—every aspect of Ufouria: The Saga 2’s visuals brings the game to life in a playful, earnest way.
Furthermore, the music in Ufouria: The Saga 2 is just amazing. A lot of it is remade from the original Hebereke—which makes me more sad I missed a game with such a rocking soundtrack—but it’s done in an updated way that sounds clean and modern but also maintains a retro aesthetic that reminds me a bit of the music from old NEO GEO arcade games.
When I reviewed Promenade, I said it was the game that might get kids into platformers, and I honestly think Ufouria: The Saga 2 is the game that will get them into exploration games. Its adorable cast of characters, unique gameplay style and commitment to lighthearted fun compelled me—and remember Metroid is one of my favourite games—to keep playing, and I loved every second of it. If you don’t give this one a look, you’re doing yourself a massive disservice!
