Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two

Box title	Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two
Row 1 title	Developer
Developer	Junction Point Studios
Row 2 title	Publisher
Publisher	Disney Interactive Studios Spike Chunsoft (Japan)
Row 3 title	Distributor
Distributor	Buena Vista
Row 4 title	Designer
Designer	Warren Spector
Row 5 title	Composer(s)
Composer(s)	James Dooley, Mike Himelstein
Row 6 title	Engine
Engine	Gamebryo
Row 7 title	Platform
Platform	Wii, Wii U, Mac OSX, Microsoft Windows, Playstation 3, Xbox 360,Playstation Vita
Row 8 title	Genre
Genre	Platformer, Action-Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy
Row 9 title	Release Date(s)
Release Date(s)	November 18, 2012 (NA) November 18, 2012 (Canada) November 23, 2012 (Europe) September 26, 2013 (Japan)
	No information

Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two is the sequel to the game Epic Mickey.

It was revealed on August 27, 2011, when Disney marketing polls were leaked and they revealed four potential covers and some working titles. The game features co-op, with Mickey and Oswald. The game was officially announced for a Fall 2012 release window on December 29, 2011 and appeared on multiple consoles including Wii U version. A separate Epic Mickey game for the Nintendo 3DS, Epic Mickey: Power of Illusion, has also been released by Dreamrift Studios instead of Junction Point. Unlike the first, Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two  features full voice-acting in addition to original songs written by Jim Dooley and Mark HImilstein. It is rated E with Cartoon Violence by the ESRB. Warren Spector announced a release date of November 18, 2012 in the US and September 26, 2012 in Europe as Epic Mickey: The Power of 2.

It was later shown that the game is downloadable for the PSVita with touch screen ability and wi-fi coop. Over 10 months later the game was also released in Japan, though was only available for the Wii. It was published by Spike Chunsoft.

The PC version was cancelled, however, it was later leaked on the internet.

Production

First Announcement

During an online marketing survey, two questions were asked.

"Now we would like to show you a few more packages for the Disney Epic Mickey 2 video game. Please indicate which package design makes you most interested in purchasing Disney Epic Mickey 2."

Shortly after asking this question, another question asked participants which title they preferred from the following list:

• Epic Mickey 2: Return of the Mad Doctor
• Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two
• Epic Mickey 2: Mystery on Mean Street
• Epic Mickey 2

"Secret Project"

At the end of the March 2012 issue of Nintendo Power Magazine, it was stated that in the next issue, they would feature a look at "a top-secret title that promises to make your head spin" (Referring to Oswald's "Helicopter Ears"). It was eventually revealed that Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two indeed was the "Secret" Project.

Confirmation

On March 21, 2012, the game and its official title was confirmed by Warren Spector and acclaimed IGN game unit. It was then confirmed that several characters such as Ortensia, Gremlin Gus, the Mad Doctor, Pete and Yen Sid would also reappear.

It was revealed during an interview, that not only was there to be new locations in the game (Warren Spector specifically brought up Frontierland) but old locations would return, but have been altered by earthquakes and other disasters.

• The camera issues were addressed during the interview, and apparently there have been over a thousand specific changes to the camera.

• It was also confirmed by Spector that the characters would have full-voice acting in this game as opposed to the first game where they only made noises and grunts. In addition, the game would also apparently be a musical.

• Songs and music would change based on whether gamers prompt Mickey to be well-mannered or mischievous. Oswald is "armed with a remote control that has the power to command electricity" and is either controlled by another player or running as an NPC.

Story

Ortensia And Gus using a Device to reach out to Mickey.

Mickey Wakes up after hearing a strange noise coming from his TV

The game is set some time after the original Epic Mickey. The Mad Doctor, whom Mickey defeated in the first game, mysteriously returns to the Wasteland, despite having been supposedly blown up in the first game. He claims to have realised the error of his ways and offers to work with Oswald the Lucky Rabbit and the other residents of Wasteland to repair the damage recently caused by earthquakes in order to make amends. Giving him the benefit of the doubt, Oswald agrees. However, not long after accepting the Mad Doctor's help, the Wasteland begins to suffer even more damage than before. Becoming suspicious that the Mad Doctor is not keeping his part of the bargain, Gremlin Gus, Oswald's friend and advisor, and Ortensia, Oswald's love interest, decide to contact Mickey Mouse, who saved the Wasteland in the first game, to ask for his help. They do so, and Mickey, climbing through the television screen to retrieve the magical paint-and-thinner-spraying paintbrush from Yen Sid's workshop after having it confiscated at the end of the first Epic Mickey. With Gus's help, Mickey returns to the Wasteland to assist in uncovering the truth behind the Mad Doctor's supposed reformation, teaming up with Oswald along the way.

Gameplay

In Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two, Mickey will be able to use his Paintbrush from the first game, and can still use paint and thinner. Oswald is armed with his Remote control that has the power to command electricity. Oswald's other powers are the use of his ears as a helicopter to float and to remove his arm and use it as a boomerang to get items or hit things. The player can also has some abilities using both Mickey and Oswald: revive each other (Mickey paints Oswald and Oswald shocks Mickey's paintbrush to paint him) and combine Mickey's paint or thinner with Oswald's electric beam to create a force field to can be launched as an attack (serves mostly for Beetleworx). The game will be like a musical in which songs and music will change based on whether gamers prompt Mickey to be well-mannered or mischievous. Oswald is controlled by either another player or running around as an AI controlled character. Certain times where the player has to deal with choice and consequence are shown at the end of the game. During the game players can find and win costumes that change Mickey & Oswald's abilities, and at the Hat Shop on Mean Street you can purchase costumes. The player can also look for signs with a picture of a camera, walk on them you and go into photo mode where you can take photos of your "adventure" in Wasteland. Inkwells are also introduced turning either Mickey or Oswald Invisible or Invincible after being stepped in.

Reception

Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two received mixed to positive reviews, with most complaints being the game not fixing issues that were present in the original. Many reviewers also commented that the game had a lot of potential which it failed to live up to. Some reviewers as well as fans also criticized Oswald's transition to hero, believing him to be a more interesting character with his jealous streak. Aggregating review websites GameRankings and Metacritics gave the Wii version 67.60% and 64/100, the Xbox 360 version 60.80% and 59/100 the PlayStation 3 version 57.83% and 59/100, the Wii U version 55.42% and 57/100, and the PlayStation Vita version 51.50% and 57/100.

The PSVita version was criticized particularly harshly for being released 7 months later (even though it was a port of the original) yet somehow being considered worse than the original. IGN described the new controls as a 'hit-and-miss affair'.

Sales

By the end of 2012, Epic Mickey 2 sold 529,000 copies in the United States. By the end of 2010, its predecessor had sold at least 1.3 million. In a recent interview, Warren Spector stated that he was 'in doubt' about the future of the series. Despite heavy advertising and due to gameplay criticism, the game barely sold a quarter of the copies the original did, making it a commercial bomb (its sales were scoped at around 2 million), despite being available on multiple platforms. Following these financial losses, Disney made an official statement on January 29, 2013 that Junction Point Studios was to be closed in order to direct resources to other projects. It is revealed that Disney still owns the Epic Mickey IP, but has no plan for the series.

Soundtrack

The Game's soundtrack was released on 13th November 2013. The songs on the tracklist are:

1. Yen Sid's Lab
2. Help Me, Help You - Sung by The Mad Doctor
3. Mean Street
4. Building a Building
5. Floats
6. Meet Daisy
7. Disney Gulch
8. Music Land
9. I'm Falling Apart - Sung by The Mad Doctor
10. Skeleton Dance
11. Blot Dragon
12. Prescott and The Pumps
13. Floatyard
14. Intro to Blot Alley
15. The Mad Doctor Isn't Mad - Sung by the Mad Doctor and Oswald
16. Dioramas
17. Prescott's Machine
18. Fall of Prescott - Sung by The Mad Doctor, Gremlin Prescott, Big Bad Pete, and Daisy
19. Ventureland Combat
20. Autopia Exploration
21. The Mad Doctor's Plan - Sung by The Mad Doctor
22. The Mad Doctor's Attic
23. That's What Heroes Do - The Mad Doctor, Oswald, and Mickey
24. A Hero's Second Chance - Cole Plante (Bonus Track)

Potential Titles

• Epic Mickey 2: Return of the Mad Doctor
• Epic Mickey 2: Mystery on Mean Street
• Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two (selected)
• Epic Mickey 2

Trvia

• Many of the Gremlins in the game are no longer named individually, but instead named after their color of clothing (Ie. Green Gremlin, Blue Gremlin, etc.). Similarly, some of the residences of Mean Street no longer have unique names either.
• Even though the PC version of the game was cancelled, it was leaked onto the internet regardless. However, it is unplayable as the game requires a code which has yet to be cracked.

Gallery

For more pictures and screenshots of Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two, click here

Videos

For more Videos of Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two, click here

External links

• Disney sketches sequel to 'Epic Mickey' video game
• Epic Mickey Sequel To Address The “Mistakes” Of The First
• Official Epic Mickey website
• Japanese Epic Mickey 2 website