Asterix & Obelix XXL 2: Mission: Las Vegum REMASTERED – Review

Name: Asterix & Obelix XXL 2: Mission: Las Vegum
Developer: Etranges Libellules, Osome Studio (Remaster)
Publisher: Atari Europe, Anuman (Remaster)
Released: 30.06.2006, 29.11.2018 (Remaster)                                                                   Platforms: PC, Playstation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
Reviewed on: PC                                                                                                                      Acquired: * A copy of this game was provided by a publisher for review purpose*

Asterix and Obelix are a couple of iconic comic book figures in Europe, known and loved by multiple generations. My dad has a chest full of their comics in the attic, and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t get a Dogmatix plushie when I was a kid. Some of us filthy millennials and Gen Z’s might have even played one of them vidya games starring the iconic duo as a kid, and even though I didn’t play this particular one, I still got a sense of nostalgia upon loading it up.

Story

The story is every bit as wacky as one would expect from an Asterix & Obelix game, and then some. The Gauls, as well as druids from various other cultures,  are in a bit of a bind thanks to who else but the Romans? Luckily Getafix himself has a surefire plan to save-wait, why are the Romans here? Why are they kidnapping the other druids? Don’t tell me Getafix is in CAHOOTS with the Romans?

Upon getting the news from an apparent Roman double agent named Sam Schieffer, our two Gaul heroes are just as confused as me. Looks like Caesar is building himself a grand ol’ amusement park named Las Vegum, where Getafix is just… kinda… chilling? Not quite sure where all the other druids come into the picture, but what the heck, the story has me intrigued.

Also worth mentioning, this game has a TON of references in it, from Rayman and Sonic depictions to Romans who fire off Hadoukens or hide behind Pac-Man shields, to one Roman who’s straight-up Mario with an F.L.U.D.D. Also, Lara Croft-sorry-Larry Craft is in this game, and I’m kind of amazed that they got away with all of this.                                                            8/10

Graphics

Comparing the remaster with the original, I can safely say that this one looks… brighter? A lot of the textures look sort of more detailed, but… I actually think the old version might look better in this case. There are some things I like better in this one, like the helmet counter staying on the screen at all times, but it, as well as the health bar, just look too generic now. While the O.G. game had a Roman-style font and shields, the remaster has very plain-looking white text and basically the same hearts as every other platformer. It just sort of loses its charm.  

As for the cutscenes, they look fine, although the graininess is a bit jarring compared to the rest of the game.                                                                                                                          5/10

Gameplay

The premise of Asterix & Obelix XXL 2 should be very known to anyone who’s played a 3D platformer from the PS2-era. Explore stages, find switches, solve puzzles and collect collectibles. Some parts of a stage require the smaller Asterix to slip through cracks and ride rope lifts, while others require the heftier Obelix to operate said lifts or smash through reinforced walls. Many platformers play out like this, but in this case, it’s a tried and tested formula that doesn’t really need to be fixed.

And of course, there is a horde of Romans for our two Gauls to stomp. The combat is ok, with some fun combos, but when you get a not-very-varied pack of Romans around every corner, it can quickly get tedious. There are challenges scattered throughout the stages where you can fight a massive number of Romans for the money and the respect of Larry Croft, but… after running into them so often in the main stage, it wasn’t very tempting. At least you get to throw them into targets sometimes for a change of pace?                                                        7/10

Controls

The controls were easy to get into, and for the most part, they worked just fine. For all the aforementioned tediousness of the combat, I found the belly-flop move to be very satisfying, and that was basically what I spammed during most battles. There were some times where the commands just plain wouldn’t respond, though, most often seen with grabbing enemies perfectly within grabbing distance and no enemies stunning you. The camera was also a bit odd, but still workable.                                                                                                                   6/10

Replay Value

Asterix & Obelix XXL 2 has all the replayability expected of a 3D platformer worth its salt. There are Roman bashing challenges for players who strive for gold medals, as well as multiple kinds of collectibles scattered across the stages for people who want that sween 100%. As with many other remasters, there are now also achievements, which, for many, give the collecting and completing even more purpose than before.                                               7/10

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