Party Hard 2 Review: Just Short of a Killer Sequel

Party Hard 2 is the sequel fans of the original game were likely hoping would come along some day. The problem is that Pinkol Games might have tried a little too hard to duplicate what made the first title a cult hit. The title even launched at about the best possible time of the year for a game like this. It came to the PC on October 25, just in time for those who like this platform to stay in on Halloween night and take out some loud party goers.

For those who haven’t played the first, the (rather light) story of both games is that players take on the role of a serial killer who has decided that his neighbors are being a tad too loud. In the first game, the playable character is a guy who looks quite a bit like Jason from Friday the 13th, complete with knife and hockey mask. In Party Hard 2, you can be that character again or, if you progress enough, you can choose two other kinds of characters to antagonize your victims with.

Speaking of antagonizing your neighbors, there are all kinds of new weapons you can use. There are still things like ovens to explode or devices that can be rigged to electrocute the party guests. Stun guns and even grenades are available as well. The murderer character also has special powers that can be used to take down victims. There’s even one power that can be unleashed once each round that will knock people down and even kill a few. All of this appears to be on offer because it’s even harder to get away with stealthily murdering literally dozens of people. This time around, taking out as many people in one shot as possible is not only encouraged but almost required.

Party Hard 2 is Different But Also the Same

The biggest difference between the original game and Party Hard 2 is that it has a more realistic look to it. The first game had a much more pixelated look to the graphics. This version changed it up to look a bit more realistic. There still isn’t the kind of realism you’re going to see in something like Red Dead Redemption 2 but it does look a bit sharper than the original game.

This is where the reskinning comes into play. The game isn’t all that different from the first. The levels look quite a bit similar to what we saw before. The aim is basically the same, though you don’t have to kill everyone in the party anymore unless you really want to. The targets tend to be a certain group of party goer. If you enjoyed the first game, then you are going to enjoy this game. If you were expecting to get a brand new game with some new mechanics or a different spin on the story, then Party Hard 2 isn’t fitting that bill.

Pros

• It’s still fun to kill as many people as possible
• Better graphics
• More ways to kill and cause massive carnage

Cons

• It’s more of the same
• Levels can be a bit too hard at times

Conclusion

Party Hard 2 is a really fun game to while away 10 or 20 minutes here or there. It’s the kind of game you can play the way it’s supposed to be played, or you can just take your aggression out on the party goers. What it isn’t is really any different at all from the first game. It’s a good game that could have been just a little better with some more innovations.