A sequel to one of the most interesting puzzle games of last year has arrived, with an arresting makeover and just the right amount of extra spice. While the first game eventually wore thin by working its lonely gimmick to the bone, Open Doors 2 features compact puzzles with just the right number of new doors and mechanical gizmos. With a sparkling presentation and superb level design, this is one of the best puzzlers we've seen so far this year.
Your objective, as a pillowy square in a graph-work maze, is to reach the "X". You only need press the [arrow] keys to get there, but your path is complicated, naturally, by a whole lot of doors. Shove them closed from one side; open them by going the other way.
Your progress saves automatically, and if you are a completist, you'll come to appreciate that. There are two seperate medals to collect for time used and steps taken on each of the game's 36 levels. The difficulty caters to both puzzle-heads and more casual travelers. It's not too hard to beat the game (not all that easy, either), but collecting all the golds, especially for the time-based medals, will mess you up.
Analysis: Developer Ozzie Mercado has replaced the stylish but messy blueprints from the first Open Doors with a bright, almost glowing palette that makes it absolutely clear how to interact with things. I can't stress how important it is, no matter what "style" or "mood" a designer is reaching for, to entwine the look of game objects with their behavior, and that's exactly what the makeover here has accomplished. It also doesn't hurt to provide six different color schemes. Extra bravo for that.
Rather than overloading the game with new features, Mercado added just enough moving parts to keep things interesting for 36 levels. You have your levers, which react to your movement only along their primary axis. You have your floors that disappear after being used (always my least favorite part of any tile puzzle, these appear in blessedly few levels). You have your double doors, which act as traditional one-way obstacles.
Each level blends these elements together in exactly one unique way, and that means there is exactly one problem to solve at a time. When your brain starts to swim, just break it down in pieces. The previous Open Doors could be overwhelming once the levels got too large and complex, but here each puzzle is vigorous, asking assertive questions and rewarding you cleanly when you find the answer.
Top it off with a curious, folky soundtrack ("I'm going ho-o-o-oooome…") and you have something that could be the standard for casual games. A simple idea, an attractive approach, and an agreeable length. Good show.
Walkthrough Guide
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Open Doors 2 Walkthrough
Here is the complete walkthrough!
Level 00
Right arrow, down arrow twice, right arrow twice, up arrow, right arrow, up arrow, right arrow twice, down arrow, right arrow
Level 01
right arrow, up arrow twice, right arrow, up arrow, down arrow, left arrow
up arrow, right arrow twice, up arrow, down arrow, right arrow, up arrow, left arrow twice, down arrow
right arrow three times, down twice, right arrow, up arrow twice, left arrow, down twice, up twice, right arrow, down arrow twice, left arrow three, down arrow
Level 02
right arrow twice, up arrow, left arrow twice, down arrow, right arrow, left arrow, up arrow
right twice, down arrow, left arrow, up arrow, left arrow, down arrow, right arrow twice, up arrow, left arrow, up arrow
Level 03
up arrow twice, left arrow, down arrow, left arrow, down arrow, right arrow twice, up arrow twice
left arrow, down arrow, left arrow, right arrow, up arrow, right arrow, down arrow twice, left arrow twice, up arrow twice
Level 04
up arrow, left arrow twice, up arrow, right arrow, up arrow twice
right arrow, down arrow, left arrow, up arrow, right arrow, down arrow, up arrow
left arrow, down arrow, right arrow twice, down arrow twice, left arrow three times
up arrow, right arrow, up arrow twice, right arrow, down arrow, left arrow up arrow
right arrow, down arrow, up arrow, left arrow, down arrow, right arrow five times
down arrow twice, left arrow, up arrow three times, right arrow, down arrow
up arrow, left arrow, down arrow three times, right arrow, up arrow twice, right arrow
Level 05
down arrow, left arrow, down arrow, right arrow, up arrow, left arrow
down arrow, up arrow, right arrow, down arrow, left arrow twice
down arrow, right arrow twice, up arrow twice, left arrow, down arrow, up arrow
right arrow, down arrow, left arrow twice, down arrow, up arrow, right arrow twice
down arrow, left arrow three times
Level 06
right arrow twice, down arrow, right arrow, up arrow, left arrow, down arrow
right arrow, up arrow, down arrow, left arrow, up arrow, right arrow three times
up arrow, right arrow twice, down arrow twice, left arrow twice, up arrow twice
right arrow twice, down arrow, up arrow, left arrow twice, down arrow twice, right arrow twice, up arrow, left arrow
Level 07
up arrow three times, right arrow twice, down arrow twice, right arrow
up arrow twice, down arrow twice, left arrow, up arrow three times, right arrow, down arrow
right arrow twice, down arrow twice, left arrow, right arrow, up arrow twice, left arrow twice
up arrow, left arrow, down arrow three times, right arrow twice, down arrow
Level 08
right arrow twice, down arrow, left arrow, down arrow, up arrow
right arrow, up arrow, left arrow twice, down arrow twice, right arrow three times
up arrow, left arrow twice, down arrow, left arrow, up arrow twice, right arrow twice
down arrow, left arrow, down arrow, up arrow, right arrow, up arrow, left arrow twice
down arrow twice, left arrow twice, down arrow, right arrow
Level 09
right arrow, up twice, right twice, down arrow, right arrow four times
down arrow twice, left arrow, right arrow, up arrow twice, left arrow four times
up arrow, left arrow twice, down arrow four times, right arrow twice, up arrow, right arrow three times
down arrow, right arrow twice, up arrow twice, right arrow
Level 10
up arrow twice, right arrow, down arrow, left arrow, up arrow
right arrow, down arrow, up arrow, left arrow, down arrow, right arrow twice
left arrow twice, up arrow, right arrow, down arrow, left arrow, up arrow, right arrow
left arrow, down arrow, right arrow, up arrow three times, left arrow
Level 11
right arrow twice, down arrow, right arrow, up arrow, down arrow
left arrow twice, up arrow, right arrow, left arrow, down arrow, right arrow, up arrow
right arrow five times, down arrow three times, left arrow twice, up arrow three times
right arrow twice, down arrow three times, up arrow three times, left arrow twice
down arrow four times, left arrow, up arrow, right arrow, up arrow three times, right arrow twice, down arrow three times, left arrow four times
up arrow, left arrow, down arrow, left arrow twice
Level 12
right arrow, up arrow, right arrow, up arrow, left arrow, down arrow twice
right arrow, up arrow, right arrow, left arrow, down arrow, left arrow, up arrow, right arrow
down arrow twice, right arrow, down arrow, right arrow twice, left arrow
up arrow twice, left arrow, up arrow left arrow, down arrow, left arrow
up arrow twice, right arrow, down arrow three times, right arrow, down arrow twice
Level 13
right arrow twice, down arrow, left arrow, up arrow three times
left arrow, right arrow, down arrow three times, right arrow, up arrow, left arrow four times
down arrow, right arrow, up arrow three times, right arrow, down arrow
Level 14
up arrow, left arrow, right arrow, down arrow twice, left arrow twice
up arrow twice, down arrow twice, right arrow twice, up arrow twice, left arrow three
times
down arrow twice, right arrow, up arrow twice, right arrow twice, down arrow twice
left arrow twice, up arrow twice, right arrow, up arrow, left arrow
Level 15
right arrow twice, left arrow, up arrow, right arrow, down arrow twice
right arrow, up arrow, left arrow, down arrow, right arrow, up arrow, right arrow, left arrow three times
right arrow five times, up arrow, right arrow, down arrow, left arrow, right arrow, up arrow
left arrow, down arrow, left arrow, down arrow three times, right arrow, up arrow
left arrow, down arrow, right arrow, left arrow, up arrow, left arrow, down arrow, right arrow twice
up arrow, left arrow, down arrow, left arrow twice
Level 16
right twice, down three times, right twice, down, right twice, up twice
left twice, up, down three times, right twice, left twice, up twice, right twice, up twice
left twice, down, left twice, down three times, left twice
Level 17
right twice, up, left, down, right, up, down, left, up, right twice, down
left, up, left, down, right, up, down, left, up, right twice, down, up, left twice, down
right four times, up twice, left, up, left, down three times, left twice, up, right twice, down
up, left twice, down, right five times, up, left, right, down, left, up twice, left three times
Level 18
right, down twice, right, left, up, right, down three times, right three times
up, left, down, right, up three times, down, right, up twice, right
Level 19
down twice, left, up, right, down, left, right, up, left, down twice
left, right, down, left, up three times, right twice, down, left, right, up, left
down four times, right twice, up, right, left, down, right, up twice, right, left
down, right, up three times, left
Level 20
right arrow three times, up, down, right, down three times, left, right four times
Level 21
right arrow, up twice, left arrow, up twice, right, left, down arrow twice
right arrow twice, up twice, right arrow twice, down twice, left twice, up, down, right three times
down twice, left twice, up twice, left, up twice, right twice, down twice, left, down twice, right three times
Level 22
down arrow twice, right, up, right three times, left, down arrow twice, left arrow
up arrow, left arrow, up arrow, right arrow three times, down arrow
Level 23
right arrow twice, up, left three times, down, right arrow three times, up three times
left three times, down, right three times, up twice, left three times, down two times
right, left, up two times, right, up, right
Level 24
left arrow twice, down arrow three times, right arrow four times
up arrow three times, left arrow four times, down arrow, right arrow twice, left arrow twice
up, right arrow four times, down arrow three times, left arrow four time, up arrow three times
right arrow four times, down arrow three times, left arrow, right arrow, up three times
left arrow four times, down arrow three times, right arrow three times, up twice, left, and down
Level 25
up, right, down, up twice, right, left, down, right, left twice, down
right twice, up arrow three times, left, right, up arrow, left arrow, down twice, right, left
down, right,left, down, left, up arrow, right, down arrow, up arrow, left arrow, down
right twice, up arrow three times, right arrow twice, up twice, right, down arrow, left arrow twice
down arrow, right arrow, up twice, right three times, up, right, down twice, left arrow
up arrow, right arrow, left arrow, up, right, down four times, right, left arrow, up, right arrow
down twice, left arrow four times, down arrow, right arrow, up arrow, left, down arrow
up arrow, right arrow, down arrow, left arrow twice
Level 26
up arrow twice, right arrow twice, left arrow four times, down arrow, up arrow,
right three times, down, left, up, left twice, down, right four times
Level 27
up twice, right twice, down twice, left twice, down twice, right twice
up twice, left twice, right twice, down, twice, left twice, up four times, down four times
right twice, up four times, left four times, down four times, right twice, up four times
right twice, down twice, left twice, right twice, down twice, left twice, up four times
down four times, right twice, up four times, left four times, down twice, up twice
right four times, down four times, left four times, up twice, left arrow
Level 28
right arrow, up arrow, right arrow, down arrow twice, left arrow, up arrow
right arrow, down arrow, up arrow, left arrow, down arrow, right arrow three times, down arrow twice
left arrow, up arrow, left arrow, up arrow, left arrow, up arrow, right arrow, down arrow
up arrow, left arrow, down arrow, right arrow three times, left arrow twice, down arrow
right arrow, down arrow, right arrow, up arrow three times, right arrow, up arrow
right arrow, down arrow, up arrow, left arrow, down arrow, left arrow, down arrow three times
left arrow, up arrow, left arrow, up arrow twice, right arrow, down arrow, up arrow, left arrow
down arrow twice, right arrow five times, up arrow, right arrow
Level 29
right arrow, down arrow twice, right arrow, up arrow, left arrow twice
up arrow, right arrow, down arrow four times, right arrow, down arrow, left arrow twice
up arrow, right arrow, down arrow twice, right arrow, up arrow twice, left arrow twice
down arrow, right arrow five times, down arrow, right arrow, left arrow, up arrow
left arrow three times, up arrow, down arrow, left arrow twice, up arrow, right arrow
up arrow four times, left arrow, down arrow, right arrow twice, down arrow, left arrow up arrow twice
left arrow, down arrow, right arrow six times, down arrow, left arrow, up arrow, right arrow twice
down arrow, left arrow, right arrow, up arrow, left arrow twice, down arrow, right arrow
down arrow twice, right arrow, down arrow twice, left arrow, up arrow
Level 30
left arrow, down arrow, right arrow, left arrow, up arrow, right arrow
down arrow twice, right arrow, down arrow twice, up arrow twice, left arrow twice
up arrow, right arrow, up arrow, left arrow, down arrow, right arrow, left arrow, up arrow
right arrow, down arrow twice, left arrow, right arrow, up arrow twice, left arrow, down arrow three times
left arrow, down arrow, right arrow five times, up arrow, right arrow, down arrow, left arrow
up arrow, right arrow, left arrow, down arrow right arrow, up arrow twice, right arrow twice
down arrow, right arrow, down arrow, left arrow four times, up arrow, right arrow, left arrow
down arrow, right arrow, up arrow twice, right arrow, left arrow, down arrow twice, right arrow twice
up arrow twice, left arrow, up arrow, right arrow, down arrow three times, left arrow twice
up arrow twice, right twice, down, right, down, left four times, up, right, left, down
right, up twice, right, left, down twice, right twice, up twice, left, up twice
Level 31
left arrow twice, up arrow, left arrow twice, up arrow, right arrow, down arrow twice
right arrow, up arrow four times, right arrow four times, down arrow twice, up arrow twice
left arrow twice, down arrow four times, left arrow twice, up arrow, left arrow, up arrow
left arrow, down arrow twice, right arrow twice, up arrow twice, right arrow twice, up arrow twice
left arrow twice, down arrow four times, right arrow twice, up arrow twice, right arrow four times, up arrow
Level 32
right arrow twice, down arrow three times, right arrow three times, up arrow four times
right arrow, down arrow, up arrow, left arrow four times, down arrow three times, left arrow
down arrow, right arrow four times, up arrow, down arrow, right arrow, up arrow, left arrow
up arrow twice, right arrow twice, down arrow twice
Level 33
down arrow, left arrow, up arrow twice, left arrow, down arrow, up arrow
right, down twice, right, up, right twice, up twice, right twice, down three times
left, down, left three times, up, left, up twice, left, down, up, right, down twice, right
up, right, up, right, up, right twice, down, right, down, left, up, right, down, left, right
up, left, down twice, left, right, up three times, left twice, down twice, left twice, down twice
right three times, up twice
Level 34
up arrow, right arrow, up arrow, left arrow, down arrow, right arrow twice
down arrow, right arrow, down arrow twice, left twice, up twice, left to flip switch
up, right, down three times, right five times, up four times, left three times, down four
times
left twice, up three times, left, down, right flipping switch, down twice, right three times
up twice, left, up twice, right three times flipping switch, down four times, left twice
up four times, right twice, down twice, right
Level 35
up arrow, right six times, down twice, left three times, down twice, left twice
up twice, right flipping switch, left flipping switch, down twice, right twice, up twice flipping switch
left, up twice, right twice, down twice flipping switch, right twice flipping switch, up twice
left four times, down twice, right three times, left three times, up twice, right four times
down twice, left, down twice,left twice, up twice, right three times flipping switch
up twice, left four times, down twice, right three times, left three times, up twice, right four times
down twice, left flipping switch, down twice, up twice, right, up twice, left four times
down twice, right, down twice, right four times, up
A big thanks to Boopbug for writing this walkthrough!
Posted by: Pam
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April 6, 2009 1:50 PM