Shadow of the Beast II

About

Shadow of the Beast II is a side-scrolling action game where you play Aarbron, a half-beast hero crossing Karamoon’s forests, deserts, and caverns. You battle enemies like Tree Pygmies and goblins using melee attacks and magic, while solving puzzles to progress. Collecting items like a bottle of booze lets you interact with characters, like bribing a goblin jailer to escape a cell. Combat and exploration blend with story beats, like seeking a spell to fight the dragon Zelek after rescuing a key NPC. The game stands out for its blend of platforming, puzzle-solving, and combat. Its 16-bit visuals and atmospheric settings were praised on systems like the Sega Mega Drive and Amiga. While not as widely discussed as later sequels, its mix of action and environmental interaction left a niche mark on early 90s action games. Released in 1990, it’s a sequel that expanded on the first game’s formula with more varied stages and character interactions.

Storyline

Shadow of the Beast II finds the hero in half-beast form, wandering the lands of Karamoon in search of his kidnapped sister. She had been taken away from her mother's cottage by the dragon-form of the Beast Mage, Zelek, servant to Maletoth. Along the way, Aarbron befriends the wise dragon Barloom and must defeat the evil dragon Ishran. Tree Pygmies in the forest and the goblins in the Crystal Caverns serve as interactive, complicated foes. For example, a bottle of booze picked up at the Karamoon oasis must be given to the goblin jailer to free Aarbron from his cell. Only after Aarbron gives the old man his ring and his parchment does he obtain a spell powerful enough to harm Zelek.