PixelJunk Eden 2

PixelJunk Eden 2 is the third PixelJunk Eden game, released for Nintendo Switch exclusively. It is a puzzle platformer where you control microscopic creatures called Grimps, and traverse gardens to collect Spectra. The mastermind behind the game's unique aesthetics is Baiyon, an independent artist from Kyoto, Japan.

The game is a remake of Eden Obscura, a mobile-exclusive Eden game.

## Gameplay

The gameplay of Eden is quite simple. You can't walk around, rather you jump around to navigate levels. Jumping onto a object, usually a rock or plant, will make you cling onto it to jump onto another object. Plants allow you to swing around them using silk.

It is mandatory to grow your own plants to progress. To grow a plant of your own, you must first find a seed. Seeds are uncharged at the beginning of levels, and can only be charged with Pollen. Pollen pops out of Pollen Prowlers when they are defeated. Collect Pollen to charge the seed, then jump into it when it is fully charged to sprout the seed. Do this to progress further.

The main goal of the game is to collect Spectra. There is one hiding in each level, and its position depends on which version of the level you're playing. There are five versions of one level, each with its own unique color palette and Spectra position, marked as Alpha (

α

{\displaystyle \alpha}

), Beta (

B

{\displaystyle \mathrm{B}}

), Gamma (

γ

{\displaystyle \gamma}

), Epsilon (

E

{\displaystyle \Epsilon}

) and Omega (

Ω

{\displaystyle \Omega}

).

You can find little Crystals hiding around the levels. Every 100 Crystals you collect wins you a random Spice. Every 100 seeds you pop wins you a Spice Bag, which contains a lot more Spices. Crystals can pop out of seeds, out of Pollen Prowlers if they defeat multiple in one jump, or out of lone Grimps when they are spoken to in a level.

Crystals are no longer used for time, but that doesn't mean the timer was scrapped. The player can start over from where they left off if they hit a Checkpoint. To add time to the timer, the player can use Spices with a time ability, a Grimp with a time-related ability, or hit a Checkpoint which restores all time.

Instead of a hub world, Eden 2 opts for a queue based level system. The queue is randomized and the player must traverse all the levels in the queue in whatever order they choose, with a specific Grimp. When all levels are cleared, the queue is randomized again and the player gets a new Grimp. The player will also level up doing so. After all Grimps are unlocked, the Grimp selector is randomized along with the level queue. Also, every time the player collects all the Spectra in the queue, a slot machine is rolled for a random Spice Bag.

When the player unlocks a new level, it appears in the Garden Collection, which is unlocked at a certain level. Here, there is no timer, and their only goal is to pop all the seeds, get a 20 Prowler multiplier, and collect all 5 Spectra in a similar manner to PixelJunk Eden 1.

## Levels (Gardens)

Each level, or Garden, is named and modeled after a song. Or could it be that the level was made first, then the song was shaped around it? Either way, each Garden has its own unique music track, background and dominant color palette depending on the version of the level.

1. New eyes
2. 167 ghianda
3. Vent blanc
4. RGBtoHSL
5. Ocaso en cenote
6. Capricious frog
7. Schatten im licht
8. Vista of a desert bird
9. Snip snip clang clang
10. ~HSL()

## Physical Releases

1/3
As a collaboration with Limited Run Games, three physical pieces of Eden 2 memorabilia were made. These were the basic Physical Edition, Collector's Edition and 2-Disc Vinyl. These were available until 7/4/21.

The Physical Edition included a physical copy of the game and a book containing the hexadecimal color codes of every garden in the game. It went for $29.99.

The Collector's Edition included the above, AND a holographic collector’s box, holographic display sleeve, an art book, the complete PixelJunk Eden series 3-disc soundtrack, lithographic prints, "Grimp Silk," and diffraction glasses. It went for $84.99.

The 2-Disc Vinyl is exactly what it says, 2 vinyls containing the soundtrack to the game. It went for $39.99.

## External links

PixelJunk Eden 2 on Nintendo's official site: https://www.nintendo.com/games/detail/pixeljunk-eden-2-switch/