HIVESWAP: ACT 2

HIVESWAP: ACT 2
N/A
Metacritic
88
Steam
81.319
xDR
Our rating is calculated based on the reviews and popularity of the game.
Price
$14.99
Release date
25 November 2020
Steam reviews score
Total
88 (852 votes)

Continue Joey and Xefros’s adventure through the dark and dangerous planet Alternia. Meet dozens of unique and memorable characters, some more helpful than others, as you navigate this volatile alien culture. Hurry up! There’s a train to catch.

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HIVESWAP: ACT 2 system requirements

Minimum:

  • OS: Windows XP/Vista/Windows 7/Windows 8/Windows 10
  • Processor: Dual core 2.2GHz+
  • Memory: 4 GB RAM
  • Graphics: 1 GB VRAM
  • Storage: 6 GB available space
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Mahr
Mahr

A lovingly drawn, well animated, buggy mess. The gameplay is pitiful and the puzzles/setpieces are just boring. As much as I love the homestuck writing style, it's not enough to carry me through such a buggy, sluggish experience. So many locations you just wander in, do nothing and wander out. It makes this already short game, painfully anemic. This is not worth the price at all, and killed all excitement I had for the series. I don't even know if I'll bother to get the next act if it ever comes out.

Lilac
Lilac

As always, it's a wonderful look into the world of Alternia. If you played the first act, or even just watched a playthrough, I'd highly recommend it. And hey, we recently received confirmation that Act 3 IS still in development and it WILL be releasing, so that's fun! What Pumpkin is just really, REALLY bad at marketing; I didn't even know Act 2 had come out until months after it released. The game builds up expectations just to pull the rug out from under you when you least expect it. The artwork is top-notch, the soundtrack is iconic, and the little hints to what may or may not be going on just beneath the surface are downright delicious. And of course, as always, you can use something in your inventory on almost anything in the game and get a unique line of dialogue. I can't imagine the sort of dedication that takes. You get a lot less of that nostalgia factor that was present in the first half of Act 1, but that'll likely be back if/when Hauntswitch finally releases. However, I have confidence that Hiveswap WILL be completed. Eventually. I thought to post this review because I'm about to play through Act 1 and Act 2 again! I'm achievement hunting (something I never cared to do in any other games I've owned, if that tells you how much I love these silly little visual novels), so wish me luck!

Whether you're new to the Homestuck franchise, a returning fan, or someone whose never heard of a troll, I couldn't recommend this game enough.

It just might be prudent to play or watch Act 1 before you do, as this is a direct continuation!

Kaz
Kaz

Originally I had left a positive review upon finishing the game for the first time. My first run was very positive, I somehow ignored all of the glaring, obvious flaws w/ the writing of the game and just had a really solid time. Even upon the replay, I still had a really good time despite how poorly written the game is. The writing doesn't seem to trust the player to be able to think for themselves about the flaws of Alternia and the blood caste. The poorly written stops at the end of every train car where Joey and Xefros break character and start talking about politics and world building don't work. We already know that systemic oppression is bad, we do not need to be explicitly told this because you have an entire game that demonstrates that the blood caste and systemic oppression that comes from it is awful. The last train cars are kind of just about how the higher bloods are pretty awful (Not necessarily as characters, besides Zebruh, but in how they're treated as better than everyone else and how their numbers start dwindling compared to the masses on the train who are forced into much worse conditions). It's quite evident that the writing took a massive hit in quality when Viz Media fired the entire Hiveswap Act 2 team, including lead writer Cohen Edenfield. W/out Edenfield's work, the quality for everything lowering is incredibly obvious that it's kind of unnecessary for me to point it out. There's plenty of other issues w/ this game, including how they have no new permanent items besides the garbage anime figure which you can avoid entirely on certain runs. There's very few interesting and fun new environmental pairings w/ items which is not something you could say about Act 1. There's so much love and fun in the writing w/ item pairings and environment/item pairings but here, most of the text is just repeat "This doesn't go here" kind of lines that it feels like you're being pushed away from playing the adventure game that this game is supposed to be. I want to make a short note about how they cut Zebede and Charun out of the game. Not much to say on that front, that just sucks.

It's pretty clear that this Act was a rush job. Shame. Hopefully, Act 3 is better and brings back all of the fun stuff from Act 1 (Please hire Edenfield to be the lead writer again).

Original review: I love Xefros (I still love Xefros).

DeeGamez8
DeeGamez8

amazing game, lovely characters, have been dreaming about clown trolls ever since for some reason. 5/5

Raddish
Raddish

Not worth 18$ (CAN)

short, boring, riddled with plot holes, and lazily made. Lacks the charm of Hiveswap Act 1.

in lieu of animation, cutscenes are static drawings. The only detailed animations are reused countless times over the course of the game. To pad time the game requires you walk back and forth between train cars doing mindless fetch quests, the grand finale requires you to walk to the last train car, then to the first one and all the way back to the last car for no reason.

To finish the game you must complete a series of actions based on little to no reasoning, e.g. tap dance at a bobble-head, shine a flash light on it, throw a pigeon through a trap door, then toss dog treats at a robot.

Consistently disappointed by Whatpumpkin's insultingly low effort additions to Homestuck.

Lyral The Bee
Lyral The Bee

I am going to start by saying what I plan to say for my review of ACT 1 as well,
if you are not a fan of reading, this is not a game for you, but you probably figured that.
You also will probably struggle (or need a guide) if you're not that great with puzzle games, like myself. (The in game hints kinda just restate the obvious)
Very minor spoiler warning maybe?

I have a very mixed view on ACT 2. I think some of the gameplay was annoyingly tedious, especially the last train car. Having to go back and forth through the train cart on fetch quests (which the game even acknowledges) is fucking boring. On the flip side, I felt the trial section was really fucking fun to play. This game does struggle with the issue of throwing ALOT of characters at you, and I will not lie, I struggled to remember everyone's names. However, I also loved most of these characters, despite struggling to remember names. Nobody was truly forgettable, as one-dimensional as some of them were. The music is wonderful as is to be expected, and I love the art, although there are some issues with the art. For example, characters don't seem to have many if any proper transitions between animations while being talked to, which is very off-putting and I am not sure why this was let through. Another issue I have is the blatant lack of properly animated cutscenes, most the cutscenes in this one are instead slideshows at best, with few animations spread here and there. It feels like they put less effort into this one compared to the bang of love that ACT 1 had poured into it. The UI also has been changed, and I can't say I'm a fan of the way the textboxes look, although that is largely subjective.

The story was pretty fun, as is to be expected, and I genuinely felt hooked on finishing this game (ended up playing it all in one sitting). The writing does feel a little blander, however, especially with the flavour dialogue.

I will also take a moment to complain about the way they've gone about releasing Hiveswap. The episodic formula is not working. There is far too much time between episodes. That being said, I don't want them to try to rush the acts out, because that'll only make things worse. I think they should drop the episodic formula all together, as it is making the Hiveswap story feel massively disjointed, especially if each new act takes at least 2 years to come out. Not to mention pricing. Act 1 was about 2 hours long, from my experience, and was 8$. Act 2 was about 5 hours long, again from my experience, and was about 15$. 23$ for a game that has still a rather long way to go before the story ends, and if the prices keep stacking like this, I can see it quickly becoming a problem, however I strongly doubt it will roll that way with What Pumpkin.

actually, 0/10 where the fuck is Jude?

Here's to hoping we get ACT 3 soon, maybe.

spare_username
spare_username

good and very nice *thumbs up*

Monokuma-awoken
Monokuma-awoken

the game is really good, excited for act 3 which was recently was released, since hussie apparently left and all, hope it doesnt suck like homestuck 2

saul goodman
saul goodman

genuinely very boring did not like

Renora
Renora

Unpopular opinion but i liked the trial scene.

Bisbint
Bisbint

i barely started the game but i have to say that Oh GOD the AMOUNT of DIALOGUE is just UNCANNY. please, if you play this, be prepared. its NOTHING compared to the first game. i wont say i dont recommend it though... it has some potential.

Strider413
Strider413

Homestuck started to decline in late act 5. This set a new record.

Considering what happened with the epilogues, and HS^2, this makes sense.

Pastel Paigey
Pastel Paigey

It was really fun to see the world of Alternia outside of the Homestuck webcomic! The puzzles are a bit tricky, but there are plenty of online tutorials to help you out. Overall great game!

Shade Meadows
Shade Meadows

Such an Amazin' Experience!
And you don't need to be into Homestuck to like it! (you do need to play Act 1 however)
It's too darn enjoyable and I always dreaded the next scene would end the Act...
Can't wait for Act 3!

Oli
Oli

I don't know if it is because I've grown older between part 1 and 2, but I grew quickly tired of the '13yr olds on discord'-like dialogue.

The Wyzard
The Wyzard

If you like Homestuck then this game will appeal to you. It has some worldbuilding!

If you do not like Homestuck, then, uhhh, I dunno what you're doing here. Maybe if you're absolutely fixated on P&C adventure games?

ReversalSun
ReversalSun

My goodness, Act 1 was a treat and Act 2 is a buffet full of deserts! As a follow up to the first entry, this game was all I hoped for and more. More fantastic character moments, more messed up Alternian society, more... ace attorney? Hiveswap seems to really be hitting its stride with this one, incorporating a wider variety of puzzles and characters and making some great strides in the narrative. So many moments in act 2 really stuck with me - especially everything in the tail end. I'm so excited for more - and I'm gonna be creating and consuming fanart and other fan creations until the next one arrives!

Sanddunezz
Sanddunezz

yes tizyas is very pre- nvm yes very good game + tizyas yes uhm play the game

Nano-Otaku
Nano-Otaku

Even if you know NOTHING about homestuck, i'd reccomend this game to you. Including act one, because of how great the characters are and thankfully because of Xefros everything is explained to you. I've been playing with my life partner and we're both very much enjoying it even if they know nothing about homestuck. Overrall, really enjoyable.

Magic Lynx
Magic Lynx

So here's my main problem with this game: It doesn't work on macs at all. It's not listed as being broken or un-runable on mac os so it seems like you could totally buy and play on a mac computer. In order to run and play this game I had to run a windows hard drive using my mac as a monitor and keyboard basically. The problem is that the very first cut scene breaks the game, freezing it up and causing it to become unresponsive. I tried EVERYTHING to get this to work, I even tried playing the game on a pre-catalina software version. Nothing works except a different operating system. It's really frustrating, I think the first Hiveswap game has similar problems too. There's nothing wrong with the game other than that, it just was so much work I had to put into it just to even play it that the entire experience is really kinda a bummer for me now. Even if you have a windows (as I'm sure most reasonable people do), I'm not sure this game is really worth it. Not anymore. Do with this what you will.

moofie || RIP TECHNOBLADE
moofie || RIP …

absolutely insane game with a great story and great works of art and if someone is looking for a game to work really hard on just so you can get to the end with shocking endings and death cut scenes lol i hate you lanque

Ecto Sludge
Ecto Sludge

Where's the Kickstarter money, Lebowski?

...
...

Honestly, Its fun, I like the story minus *one* part that got me irritated... more so because it took me a bit to figure out how to get to the next part- but otherwise Yeah! I recommend it, feel free to ask on anything if you have any questions at all!

jelatinagirl
jelatinagirl

I love the world and story, it can be a bit annoying the clicking and redoing everything but the dialogue and characters are awesome.

pareonapana
pareonapana

Joey Claire and Bronya my beloveds < 3

Kittenlove04
Kittenlove04

Hiveswap is super well made and i cant wait for the next act!

BOOGERBOY27
BOOGERBOY27

it's alright but kind of boring I had to force myself to play this game sometimes but I do like that there are so many options

liams husband
liams husband

i am a Xefros kinnie

edit 5/7/22 I am no longer a xefros kinnie

ExtraCrispyBoy
ExtraCrispyBoy

its good, i like all of the detail

Graveton
Graveton

I gave up on homestuck 1/8 through, and dont know too much about the universe, but the story of Hiveswap is so far still completely self contained, at least to the extent that you have no need of homestuck knowlegde to know what goes on. Joey serves as a perfect counterpart as she has no idea how anything on the alien planet works either.

Act 2 Continues its good story and introduces some stakes that we didnt have before.
We meet a ton of new charecters whom you can get to know better in the Hiveswap Friendsim games, but they are not necessary for any part of the story and in fact it might be more fun to not know the charecters ahead of time as you get to know them alongside Joey and Xefros.

Act 2 gets a lot more use out of the mechanic that allows you to switch between charecters as this is something you can do throughout the whole game, and it is fun to hear Joeys and Xefros' different takes on the same things, though unlike Act 1 we now have several "generic" interaction phrases like "that wont work" or "no that would be stupid" when you try to use one thing on something else. Of course, with the insane amount of areas and things/people to click on in this game + the huge amount of items youll be carrying around the whole game expecting that is unreasonable, but it is still sad to see it go as I personally got many hours of entertainment from reading all the game had to say about you attemting to combine or use items, with everything in the house and hive.

I am very much looking forward to the next Act, and hope it will be shown the same amount of love as Act 2 has.

brad
brad

CRU CRU CRUISIN DOWN THE STREET
WITH A FREAK
CHOPPA ON THE SEAT
AK WITH A BEAM
LET IT EAT
BUST IT ON REPEAT
BROTHA TALKIN TALK
BUT HE SWEET
HAD TO UP MY HEAT
I JUST WANT IT BUST DOWN MY NECK
VVS ON MY TEETH
PUT UP ON A BROTHA WITH A SCOPE
MAKE EM SHAKE HARD
97 BULLETS LEFT IN THIS AR
JUMP MAN JUMP MAN
23 PLAYHARD
SWEET AFF BROTHA
YOU BELONG IN A GAY BAR

reese
reese

suddenly i am sexually attracted to clowns

The Notorious C.H.U.F.F
The Notorious …

a very cute and funny puzzle game. you don't even need to know what homestuck is before playing (just play act:1 before act:2)

Daisy Le Nerd
Daisy Le Nerd

Ladies and gentlemen, finalmente aqui estamos, depois de 3 anos a continuação dessa serie linda finalmente chegou, e OH BOY COMO ESSE JOGO É MARAVILHOSO, Hiveswap act 1 é um dos meus jogos favoritos de todos os tempos e Act 2 não me desapontou de jeito nenhum, na verdade eu até acho esse jogo muito melhor que Act 1!! Hiveswap act 2 conseguiu melhorar e consertar todos os problemas que existia no Act 1 e simplesmente conseguiu criar uma experiencia maravilhosa e incrivel, mas antes que eu va muito longe vamos começar do começo

Hiveswap act 2 segue diretamente depois do primeiro jogo na historia, não vou explicar muito para não dar spoiler mas basicamente segue Joey e Xefros em sua aventura e dessa vez eles precisam se encontrar com um troll para Joey descobrir como escapar do planeta, a historia desse jogo não é tão complicada mas segue bem com o primeiro jogo e tem varios twists e surpresas interessantes voce vai adorar, agora vamos para o primeiro detalhe incrivel de Hiveswap, seus graficos, como hiveswap act 1 os graficos desse jogo são maravilhosos, toda animação é fluida, expressiva e muito bonitinha, e os designs de todos os trolls e personagems são muito boms e carismaticos, eu tenho certeza que voce vai amar cada personagem que conhecer, os artistas de Hiveswap estão simplesmente de parabens com esse jogo lindo

Vamos a outro ponto incrivel desse jogo, o gameplay, Hiveswap é um jogo point and click igual a aqueles classicos como Monkey island etc, um dos problemas do Act 1 era que os puzzles não eram muito boms e as vezes meio confusos, mas isso é totalmente resolvido no Act 2, a gameplay e puzzles nesse ato são muito mas muito melhores que o primeiro ato, tendo puzzles bem criativos e com dificuldade até que grande mas balanceada e legal de resolver, Act 2 não é so um jogo bonito mas tambem um jogo muito divertido, se voce gosta de point and click, vai adorar esse jogo, um outro fator que foi melhorado desde o primeiro jogo é sua duração, Act 1 era um pouco curto demais, agora esse ato completamente resolve isso, na verdade isso é ate uma critica que tenho com o jogo, as vezes algumas partes ou até o jogo em si podem ser meio longas demais, tipo a sequencia de julgamento no meio que pareceu ser a metade do jogo, mas ao mesmo tempo a duração muito mais longa desse jogo é um fato muito bom porque faz parecer ser uma aventura muito mais cheia, Act 2 tem gameplay o suficiente durante sua duração longa para voce adorar cada segundo dela, então talvez tome cuidado que hora for jogar esse jogo para ter certeza que vai ter tempo o suficiente, mas tenha certeza que vai adorar cada segundo

em conclusão, eu quero me casar com esse jogo lol, todos os jogos do Hiveswap são simplesmente experiencias incriveis e Act 2 não sei como mas conseguiu ser um jogo ainda melhor que o primeiro, mesmo levando 3 anos para completar esse jogo, eu acho que valeu muito a pena, incrivel

NOTAS:
Graficos: Muito lindos e bem desenhados, maravilhoso
Gameplay: Point and click muito divertido
Soms e Musica: Incrivel
Requisitos: Nada pesado, apenas um jogo 2D simples
Dificuldade: Puzzles um pouco dificeis mas muito boms e divertidos
Historia: Simples mas muito legal e cheia de surpresas

PROS:
Gameplay muito bem feita e divertida
Arte muito linda
Historia muito engajante e legal
Muito mais longo que o primeiro jogo

CONS:
Certas partes um pouco longas demais

NOTA FINAL: 10/10 fodaze

TheSpaceyProphet
TheSpaceyProphet

As someone who was really looking forward to this game, I can confidently say...it has it's issues. Especially if you put almost 16 hours into the visual novel before it like I had. A lot of content had to be cut, but hiveswap act 2 as it is is still...an experience! I'd suggest you play it if you like Homestuck/Hiveswap, as it does have it's moments, but I'm begging you to please look up a walk through for the trial. You'll know what I mean when you get to it.
(I'm very disappointed in the writers for this installment, as it feels like whoever was in charge really slipped when it came to consistent characterization, and the romantic relationships in this game feel really gross and like they misunderstood everyone in a fundamental way. Still, worth a playthrough for the amazing art, backgrounds, and music.)

banana zoo ooh baby
banana zoo ooh baby

We were this close to make homestuck a memorable thing.
But then 2019 happened.

We were this close to make hiveswap a memorable franchise.
But then 2020 happened.

Bahamut Zero
Bahamut Zero

Loved the game a ton, and still can't wait for Act 3

hodge-podge
hodge-podge

Of course they did silksong moment and just became radio silent

Pixel Lil
Pixel Lil

I love it so much but it is a bit like a fun visual novel / click to read. But its really fun and it dose have some gameplay. X:D

Skye
Skye

wish that every video game ever had NPC animations like this game does

Fredyx9
Fredyx9

Yeah this one seems pretty alright too

DazedAlpaca
DazedAlpaca

came here just to say how god damn fire the soundtrack is

cuckthulhu
cuckthulhu

hehehehhehheheheheheehhehehehe c,own tibbies

Mana the Soft Little GoatDroid
Mana the Soft …

It's..pretty meh, to be honest, it's not as good as the first act, it was pretty lackluster and underwhelming. I did, however, enjoy the Ace Attorney reference part of the game. I do hope HiveSwap doesn't end up just getting worse and worse with each act. It would be a shame because I actually do like the characters and how the game was introduced.

Yeahimthatguyyouknowwhatimean.
Yeahimthatguyy…

its fine aside from that wholw ace attorney part of the game

jazz
jazz

it's enjoyable, but definitely a downgrade from Act 1 in a few ways. the gameplay can be pretty boring as you go from train car to train car, with some cars being more enjoyable than others. the ace attorney part of the game was pretty fun, although you will find yourself reloading saves quite often as its pretty convoluted. all said though, it's pretty good, just not as great as hiveswap act 1.

i'd say pick this up if you really enjoyed hiveswap act 1 and want to see where the narrative goes or are a fan of homestuck

oxbunnehxo
oxbunnehxo

I LOVE MARVUS SO MUCH OH MY GLOB!!!!

hellomyword430
hellomyword430

this game needs a lot of patience but the lore and story line is worth it. every character is very unique and detailed. i'm still waiting for act 3.

Worm On a String
Worm On a String

asbkhfd I played this the day it came out and thought I already posted a review but HIVESWAP ACT 2 FINALLY ARRIVED with SO MUCH CONTENT!! Thank you for the food fr :weary:

STB_Complete
STB_Complete

Actually amazing! Can't wait for Act 3!

MartiniqueFrost
MartiniqueFrost

Listen of course I'm gonna rate this game well, if I don't the voices get louder... and louder... and louder. Run. Run away. Run as far as you can.

Unless you like Homestuck. This game is essentially an interactive crash course of Alternian culture, and it's genuinely very interesting, while also having a pretty neat story to follow, it's especially fun for someone like me who has a special interest in alien languages and cultures.

shaz
shaz

the bit at the end with the conductor was really fun too bad that's like the only real puzzle in the game

other than that the characters and writing and art and music are all pretty great thou
(also marvus is the best character because he talks like yung venuz from nuclear throne)

Yeetables
Yeetables

Surprised Hussie made it this far into a franchise without killing off half the cast

tochtli
tochtli

This game brought me back to the nostalgia I have had so long about Homestuck. Definitely recommend for anyone who has ever been a fan of Homestuck.

heyoitsmr
heyoitsmr

joey is awful, but marvus is great :0)

JimmyToeMan
JimmyToeMan

I would like to say before hand that Andrew Hussie is a big stupid head and I don't support it dumb decisions.

Okay, now that I said that, the game is good. The puzzles may be pretty basic fetch quest like stuff and the cut scenes might not be as good as the first act, and the trial is really long, but overall I enjoyed. (And the trial didn't feel that bad since I play a lot of Ace Attorney and Danganronpa.)

I really enjoyed the characters, story. and athmosphere, the music is made by James Roach and Toby Fox so of course it's good.

TLDR: Pretty good with some flaws. Hopefully ACT 3 actually happens.

Poisonous Soybean
Poisonous Soybean

extremely gay, queer propaganda designed to turn your kids gay and non-binary
10/10 would recommend

royalrosewood
royalrosewood

haha i love those troll guys they type so crazy like haha!

Mananta
Mananta

Jokes aside I've had a lot of fun playing that game

caconymTacker
caconymTacker

Despite it all, I think Hiveswap act 2 is a very good experience... The art style is great, the characters are (somewhat) great, mostly Xefros and Joey, and it really does make getting into the world of Homestuck so much easier for those who have never touched it. The games first two acts took ages to come out, but I think it turned out better than it could have, considering it could of been 3D and crap. Please give this game a try, it's very enjoyable if you like stupid trolls and Homestuck crap. Or if you just enjoy point and click style games with a cute artstyle!

Helios
Helios

I’m not all too much of a fan although my pal @Michael Allon Patton (REAL) is a huge fan.

arcane
arcane

great game, art is nice and the story is cool, but god fucking damn whats with that lawyering segment

Catmints
Catmints

As I watch the funny clown fall to a violent and bloody death I remember. hiveswap isn't a kids game.

dyne
dyne

Absolutely love this game. Very fun with lots of great and funky little guys (characters). Cannot wait to see what happens next :D

Tethered Goat
Tethered Goat

Left mouse button clicking simulator. I enjoyed the first act but I found the second act didn't push the story forward that much at all. There are barely any puzzles and the length of time for you to complete the game is mostly based on how quickly you can click through the conversations. If you could get this game on sale then sure but full price is a bit steep for a low effort production.

Eldave
Eldave

very nice and entertaining, loved the clowns.

Tin
Tin

The scenery and the background music are beautiful, and the characters and dialogue are really fun. The game is great for even those who aren't familiar with homestuck as the key concepts are explained along the way. The story builds real intrigue about what's in store for our protagonists and whether they can truly trust the people around them. I really hope this series is able to continue!

ana
ana

game is really good. i don't really have faith that they're going to make another one but in my heart i will always wish for it.

TrashBag
TrashBag

HIVESWAP: Act 2

Around two years ago, Hiveswap Act 2 released. Fans of this series had to wait a while for this game to be released. As someone who remembers seeing the trailer for this game before it came out, I was excited to meet a variety of Trolls, each with a unique personality. However, at the time, I didn't have access to the DLC packs of Hiveswap Friendism Simulator. Even today, I have not played Friendism Simulator quite yet so keep this in mind when I explain my thoughts about this game and the mixed bag of an experience it is.

Characters

If there is one thing that helps Act 2 be enjoyable, it is the characters. We are introduced to a bunch of new Trolls, ranging from across the Hemospectrum (a way to describe the twelve blood colours). From rustbloods like Marsti to high ranking purplebloods, like Marvus. All of the Trolls feel unique to each other and fit in with some of the aspects associated with some of the Troll blood colours (Tealbloods are typically law abiding and Jadebloods are typically nuns and female). The differences between the Troll Blood Castes helps players understand some of the views towards certain Blood Castes. If there is one thing about the characters that is slightly annoying, it is that you only really interact heavily with some of them, with some Blood Castes (like Olivebloods, Indigobloods and Bronzebloods) don't get much attention. This is mainly due to the fact that a substantial portion of the game takes place in the cart of Jadebloods and Tealbloods. Still, the game does help those not familiar with Homestuck understand Trolls and their society.

Gameplay

The gameplay of Act 2 is quite similar to Act 1. However, there is a lot more branching paths, leading to more achievements taking longer to complete. One aspect of gameplay that is unique to Act 2 is a trial, in a very similar format to the Ace Attorney franchise. Apart from that however, there is a lot of backtracking when on the train, which can be annoying when it takes a while to travel to places.

Story

Act 2 immediately takes place after Act 1, where Joey and Xefros escape from the Empress' forces. After helping disguise Joey as a Troll, the two of them get some tickets (mainly through the help of some of the Trolls) and catch the train. Joey, however, receives an alarming message from a Troll named Fiamet. She has only 11 days to travel back through the portal she arrived in before Alternia (the Troll planet) and Earth are destroyed. Joey and Xefros have to find a way to get to Jeevik Week in order to get help from Cridea Jeevik, the one hosting the event. If they want to get there quickly, they are going to need to get to the front of the train to speed things up. Overall, I'd say the story for Act 2 is quite straightforward. But, things are still left unexplained. Hopefully, these things are explained in the next Act or else there is going to be a lot of questions needing answers.

Conclusion

Hiveswap Act 2 improves upon Act 1 but still has it's issues. Thankfully, players can legitimately obtain all of the achievements. But note that many of them are rewarded for going down alternate paths. Players would need to do a minimum of two playthroughs. One of them is where the player obtains all of the Game overs. To do this, when you receive a game over, click on the screen and wait for it to load with where you were before the game over. Do not load up a save previously before the game over as that will not count. The other playthrough is achieved through not dying at all. It is also important to note that you will need a save from Act 1 with the batteries still in the inventory. These are essential to get some of the achievements. Overall, if you liked the first game and want to know more about the Trolls, you will like this game. For new players, however, I'd heavily recommend playing Act 1 first.

Rating - 7/10 (The game improves on Act 1 but die hard fans will be left with a brutal cliffhanger. It is also important to note that the future of Hiveswap and the potential game Hauntswitch are left ambiguous due to What Pumpkin not exactly being the greatest of companies and any details about Hiveswap development are not told until a few weeks before a release)

alilgoofygamer
alilgoofygamer

can't wait for the next one, if this series ever gets out of development hell

bathbomb eater
bathbomb eater

i lve this gam sm music so cool and aweso

Crystal58
Crystal58

i was going to write a review for this ages ago, but i hoped there'd be some changes made or something. anything. but nope, it continues to be a huge disappointment.

Peabbles
Peabbles

i would never recommend homestuck to anyone also its not like act 3 is ever coming out. on a genuine note the hints system is weirdly passive aggressive

candleWick
candleWick

>What Pumpkin: Release ACT THREE.

Vessel
Vessel

damn those characters are cool

RADICAL
RADICAL

After waiting around 5 years (an additional two for personal reasons) to be able to play Act 2 of Hiveswap, I think it is safe to say, that it is well worth it, this time they really went all in and showing the full extent of troll culture, the puzzles were honestly kind of clever, but I did find the fetch quests rather daunting and just a tad annoying at times. Overall though, this was a really solid experience, hope to be able to see Act 3 soon!

Ch0rys
Ch0rys

omg please i wanted to play a funny point n click game not an ace attorney parody this is horrible
please i am too stupid for this and i dont care i just want this garbage to be over

CloverMite™ (Lunar)
CloverMite™ (Lunar)

This is probably one of my favourite story games of all time, not only because it's homestuck but also because it's story is genuinely fenomenal. The fetch quests at first glance may seem very tedious and I wont deny they are at times but they are completely worth it when you make it to the end of the game and see the shocking story begin to unfold. I highly suggest playing this without spoilers and possibly even playing with a friend to share the voices with, it's not something you have to do to enjoy the game but it certainly made my experience more enjoyable playing it through for the first time with my best friend and seeing how we could give each character their own unique charm with the voices we gave them. Either way, good game, would highly recommend to those who enjoy a good character based story. ^-^

Wiiuski
Wiiuski

the one secret swear word easter egg in the first game doesnt have as much impact now that this ones rated M instead of E

helpineedittt
helpineedittt

The trial scene was so BORING AND UNNECESSARY i had to get an auto clicker to skip it all and i wasn't even punished for skipping so much text. Other then that i liked this game

demonicTonic
demonicTonic

I really loved this game I cannot wait for act three to never release ever

AliceIsInSpace
AliceIsInSpace

I have mixed feelings about this game. It was still a good experience, which is why I recommend it. But if you're not already a fan of this franchise, eeeh...
Compared to Act1, the writing is still great and funny, and the music is absolutely amazing. But the actual gameplay disapointed me. The puzzles are linear fetch quests that rarely make sense. And a huge portion of the game is a very confusing trial minigame a la Ace Attorney. I ended up using an online guide juste to progress trough the story, because the puzzles either got boring or too frustrating.
I hope the next installment will be better.

Funnymouth
Funnymouth

we're never gonna see the end of this story are we?

insert better username
insert better …

Its good for homestuck fans and good for not homestuck fans

so its just good i guess

this one is slower then the first one though