Frederic - Evil Strikes Back Review
Price: $3.99
Version Reviewed: 1.1
App Reviewed on: iPad 2
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While the halcyon days of the music-based rhythm game may have ridden off into the sunset on a horse made of discarded plastic instruments, every now and then something comes along to remind us how much fun these experiences can still be. 2012 saw such a concept in the form of Frederic: Resurrection of Music, a game where the spirit of classical Polish composer Frederic Chopin returns to the modern day to battle foes with the power of the piano. Now Forever Entertainment (themselves fellow Poles) have returned with a sequel - Frederic: Evil Strikes Back. But is the concept worth revisiting? Or are they retreading the same well-worn ground once more?
The first game found Frederic dueling enemies with modernized versions of his classical compositions, but this time around he's confronting parodies of well known musical icons and playing tunes that bear striking similarities to their well-known hits. Nods to "Radio Ga-Ga" are hard to miss during the battle with a mustachioed, royal crooner who's also named Fred. Similarly, a showdown with a certain moonwalking smooth criminal will leave players wondering if Annie is indeed okay.
Still, the game is quite fun, the music catchy, and the story playful. Thankfully Forever manages to mostly avoid the more egregiously questionable and insensitive ethnic/racial caricatures of the first game. I also feel Chopin's character felt a bit more hollow this time around, but Forever's love for their fellow countryman is still apparent, down to the storyline's nods to the fate of Chopin's heart after his death.
The concept's novelty hasn't worn off just yet and the direction Frederic: Evil Strikes Back takes shows that they could possibly squeeze another chapter or two out of Frederic Chopin's saga before letting him gracefully return to rest.