Klang 2
Review

Klang 2 (2016) is a psychedelic rhythm-action game. You take on enemies in this symbolic universe of three attacks: stikes, dashes and holds. The simple system interplays with the pulsing music to create a rhythm based high-speed combat challenged. Like the Amiga demo scene of the 90's Klang combines visuals, music and interactions to create a trance-like experience.

Play involves directing your character's attack in the direction of the next beat icon with one stick, and then pressing the button at precisely the right time. Get this right and you gain score and potential multipliers. Sometimes it's a tap to attack, sometimes it's a hold. Then there are the triangle strike attacks where the direction isn't relative to your player, but in the direction the arrow is pointing.

The result is the feeling of conducting an electronic symphony with your fingers. Each time you play one of the 40 tracks the challenge is different because of the procedurally generated levels. Things culminate in several boss enemies that require new ways to engage with the music.

Our examiner, Andy Robertson, first checked Klang 2 2 years ago. It was re-examined by Jo Robertson and updated 17 months ago.