Feed Me Oil 2 Review

By , on January 9, 2014
Last modified 10 years, 2 months ago


Feed Me Oil 2
Download on the AppStore
4 out of 5

PROS

  • Adds a great range of twists to the previous liquid physics puzzles.
  • Nice new industrial aesthetic and calming music.
  • Responsive controls allow for fine manipulation of the smooth flowing oil.

CONS

  • Progression of complexity leaves early stages a tad barren.
  • Sometimes solutions demand a little too much trial and error.

VERDICT

Feed Me Oil 2 builds on the original game slick premise, giving it a new lick of paint and piping in a new layer of additional complexity.


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Holy Water Games's Feed Me Oil was a charming fluid dynamics puzzler that was conceptually simple but mechanically challenging. Now, the team has returned with Feed Me Oil 2, a title that manages to build on its predecessor with the simple addition of water.

The goal in Feed Me Oil 2 is to transport oil from a nozzle to a creature's gaping maw. The black liquid spills from its spout with very little force however, so it is up to gravity, and a selection of well-placed tools, to ensure the fluid reaches its goal.

Initially, this funneling process is fairly straightforward. By placing items such as small walls and pumps around the stage, you can propel the oil from point A to point B, a task made all the more intuitive by the responsive controls.

It doesn't take long for the complexity of the levels to build, however. This occurs quite slowly at first, with the game gradually introducing more challenging routes to the target, before throwing in switches, gates, and even filters to navigate.

Much of this will feel more than a little familiar to fans of the first game, but it's Feed Me Oil 2's water element which flips the script.

In real life, oil released into water immediately fights its way to the surface. It's the same in Feed Me Oil 2, with water effectively reversing the in-game gravity. This mechanic is instantly understandable, but is the source of a great deal of head-scratching in later levels.

While new puzzles may prove to be the draw for series fans, the most striking change to the original comes in the form of its aesthetic. The monstrous cartoony animals that previously had to be fed are gone, replaced by a collection of charming Pythonesque steampunk creatures.

In the end, both the water physics and the game's new look do a lot to make Feed Me Oil 2 feel fresh. Though some of the puzzle solutions can be a bit hit and miss in their execution and consistency, overall the game provived another tight and satisfying puzzle experience.

Screenshots

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