Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two

:D

It's better than the first one, at least. If you've got small kids with you, though, make sure they make the right choices throughout - if you mess up, the game gets significantly darker and potentially scary for kids under 8. Case in point: one section has you either painting in a bridge to allow another character to cross a river of lava. If you paint in the bridge, you'll be rewarded, but if you decide to go for the tempting treasure chest up on that nearby ledge, you'll accidentally break the rope the character's hanging from and drop him into the lava, causing all of the other NPCs in the area to shun you - there's no going back. Another example - whether one certain character actually becomes a villain later on the story is purely dependent on your gameplay choices. If they keep on the straight and narrow, though, you'll find a decent story and some gorgeously orchestrated classic-Disney-style musical numbers. If I have to complain, I'd say make sure you play with your kid as Oswald in co-op mode, as having the computer control him is not a good idea; the game often decides you'd rather watch Oswald throw himself off a cliff than shock a terminal you need in order to progress. Violence is limited to cartoon slapstick, though Oswald does basically carry a tazer (in the guise of a remote control) around with him which he uses to electrify machines, and, if the player chooses to do so, other people. The inkblot creatures and the robotic monsters that Mickey and Oswald fight seem scary at first, but a quick blast of paint turns them friendly. One more point: make sure your kid plays with someone who is good at interpreting unhelpful comments. There is many a moment when you're stuck in a maze room and all your gremlin helper, Gus, can offer as a hint is a vague "go over there" - this will undoubtedly leave many kids frustrated. As far as controls go, I'd opt for the Wii version purely because the Wiimote allows for better aiming when you're firing paint - the thumbsticks on the Wii U, PS3 and XBox 360 just don't cut it. Visually, the game's a joy - every inch is dripping with pure Disney magic, and the characters, who are now fully voiced, sound like they should and offer more depth to an otherwise somewhat boring experience. If you're prepared to overlook its shortcomings, though, you'll find something to enjoy in Epic Mickey 2 - just watch it with kids under 8, as there's some potentially disturbing stuff in here. Also, kudos to whoever decided to make this a musical - the songs are annoyingly catchy!