The evolutionary element available in the second game is certainly where it shines, and I found myself purposely taking hits so that I could regress back to a previous stage in the hope that next time I would evolve down a different pathway just to see what new abilities I might unlock. Where at times the first game became repetitive as you used the same attacks over and over again the second engages the player and encourages them to think about what would be the best way to defeat certain enemies and how they can evolve to become their desired creature.
In the original game health is gained by collecting energy orbs dropped by defeated enemies which can be either collected straight away, or more interestingly you can try to merge multiple orbs into one larger shape which gives a bonus. However if the player dies then all the orbs currently in play die with you so it is a choice between gathering straight away or risking it on a larger bonus which will benefit you in the long run. In the sequel, the health aspect is completely revamped and rather than losing a life every time you are attacked instead you drop down a stage on the evolutionary tree until you reach the bottom at which point you are no more. Of course, as mentioned above, this in itself become a strategy for the player as, for example, you may decided your current creature with its close-ranged attacks isn’t well suited to defeating a certain enemy and instead you preferred something you were playing as earlier, so you purposely take a few hits so as to regress back through your evolutions to reach the desired stage. I even sometimes found that accidentally being hit and devolving back made me attempt new and more successful strategies as my abilities changed, with those microbes who attacked me initially surely regretting their decision!
Overall, this two-pack bundle really is just one game which is worth the price tag plus another that basically serves as an introduction thrown in for good measure, and once you start playing the sequel it is unlikely you will go back and play through the original, you will be much more immersed in the second, retrying levels with different strategies and ideas, moulding your game experience as you go.
