Drinkbox Studios’ pollo-infused Metroidvania Guacamelee! 2 enters the ring on August 21 for PC and PlayStation 4. It’s the anticipated followup to the indie studio’s 2013 title, Guacamelee!, and it promises just as much luchador flair as the first — this time with even more chickens, four-player co-op, and other new features.
Guacamelee! 2 builds on its precursor’s kaleidoscope world, which finds its roots in Mexican folklore and culture. Wrestler Juan Aguacate is yet again the hero of the story, coming out of retirement to save the universe and brawl his way across the colorful landscape. Drinkbox has added in a new system that enables Juan to upgrade his moves by completing challenges, and it cheekily teases at a “Chicken Illuminati” that can teach “ancient chicken abilities.”
Guacamelee! received strong scores from critics and it was nominated by the Independent Games Festival for the Excellence in Visual Art category in 2013. The studio released downloadable content with additional quests and cosmetic items for players as well as a limited-edition boxset in 2017, and the game sold over 4 million copies. Before embarking on another adventure in the world, Drinkbox took a break to release Severed, a body parts-collecting dungeon-crawler with a dark cartoon aesthetic, in 2016.