Drawful 2 Review

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Jackbox Games have been rocking the party game scene for a number of years now, each and every autumn treating us to a fresh new collection of five phone-controlled experiences. We’ve seen a number of standouts including the lie-filled Fibbage, the hilarious Quiplash, the brain-bending Murder Trivia Party and the sketch focused Drawful. With four (five by the end of the year) packs out in the wild, Drawful 2 makes for the first Jackbox Games release to hit the Nintendo Switch as a standalone purchase. Does this sequel offer enough?

Just like previous Jackbox Games releases before it, Drawful 2 is playable for up to eight players (with more able to join as the audience) using your smartphone, tablet or even a browser on your computer. No need to download anything, simply visit the Jackbox site, enter your name and room code and you’re off. Even numerous games in, this still remains a fantastic way to get big groups involved without the need to pay hundreds on extra controls. Making use of a technology that let’s face we’re very rarely without (just ask my wife) was and still is the best move for these types of games.

Drawful 2 Review Screenshot 1

So how do you play Drawful 2? In a case of “if it ain’t broke, why fix it”, the rules here remain identical to that of the first game. Things kick off with each player being secretly sent an object or phrase to their phone that they must then attempt to draw. I say attempt since all you have at your disposal are the most basic of drawing tools – a duo of colours and just your finger. Each drawing is then thrown up on the TV or Switch screen one by one with the players who aren’t responsible for the mess then writing their own convincing interpretations of what it might be. All suggestions collected, players must then guess the actual correct answer as they appear on screen with the real answer. Points are then awarded to those that manage to decipher the real from the fake while further points are also handed out if any incorrect players get fooled into choosing your bogus answer. This then continues until everyone’s drawings have had their turn.

What makes Drawful 2 so unpredictable is the sheer silliness and randomness of the prompts you are assigned to scribble down. Not only are some of them just plain funny, but they often make it tougher on players to pick out the correct answer amongst the lies. Things like “evil twin” and “stinky bra” are some of the more doable drawings that may pop up but also thrown in are some real curve balls such as “sorry, wrong number”. It’s important to remember that no matter how bizarre a potential answer might seem, it could very well be the correct one.

The rules may be the same as the original and the visuals even sport the same scribbled style complete with mouth-made sound effects but for those practised in the art of Drawful, the sequel does include a few new features. First off, you are now allowed to draw using two colours instead of just the one. Hardly a game changer, but it at least allows you to try to draw with a little more detail. One of the biggest new features is the ability for players to create their own set of prompts to play or share with others. It’s a great addition and one that essentially means you’ll never run out of content.

Drawful 2 Review Screenshot 2

The game will need an Internet connection to play, a requirement that does hinder its portability. To be fair though, this isn’t the sort of game you’ll likely want to play on the go, but instead, one that benefits from having a big group of people shouting and laughing in front of a large TV.

Drawful 2 is a safe but fun sequel that adds in just enough new features for even those that have played the original. Gather a group of friends and Drawful 2 is an absolute blast and thanks to the addition of user-created content there’s no end to the drawing antics you’ll get up to.

Version Tested: Nintendo Switch
Review copy provided by Jackbox Games

8/10
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