Tiny Lands 2 – A Cute, Casual Spot the Difference Challenge

“I’m so different. You’ve always respected that difference, and you’ve always trusted it. Trust me now. There’s a reason I am the way I am (…)” – Dean Koontz

Overview

Tiny Lands 2 is a relaxing sequel to the spot-the-difference game Tiny Lands from Hyper Three Studio, also the creators of The Shape of Things. Players must scour charming 3D dioramas and find the discrepancies.

Gameplay

Tiny Lands 2 presents the player with 50 levels, each consisting of two side-by-side dioramas with 5 differences. The player must rotate the scenes in order to get a full view and spot all the differences. These vary in difficulty, and can include things like items and characters in alternative positions, or of varying sizes and colours. Each level also contains a hidden puzzle piece makes up one of ten collectables that each requires five puzzle pieces to complete. Finishing a puzzle piece also rewards two stickers that can be used in the game’s new photo mode, along with various borders and simple editing tools.

Each level has a unique theme, such as tabletop games, dinosaurs, art, or disco. Players can progress through the levels via a board. As one level is completed, more paths to new levels become available. Stars are awarded after finishing a level, the number of which is based on that level’s completion rate. These stars are required to unlock further levels. However, if each level is fully completed, the player will have an abundance of stars with which to progress.

The game is fairly relaxing and casual; some differences can be quite tricky to find, but misclicks are not punished, and there is no timer. Tiny Lands 2 also features in-game achievements, adding incentive and increasing the overall satisfaction provided by the gameplay.

Styling

Tiny Lands 2 utilises a vibrant, low-poly, 3D art style with atmospheric lighting and colourful dioramas. Where the first game used more realistic locations, such as the mountain, the wild west, or under the sea, this new instalment features different scenes using lots of household or craft objects, which gives a more whimsical, playful feel. The effect, especially with the small characters, is as though a child has created them. The music is very calm and relaxing, consisting largely of gentle piano music. There is some variety amongst the tracks, but some have quite short loops and can get a little repetitive.

Summary

Tiny Lands 2 is a delightful and very casual gaming experience and a great sequel to the previous game. It offers charming 3D dioramas, a relaxing soundtrack, and low-pressure gameplay. It has a good amount of content and suits longer sessions of play as well as shorter dips into the game. Its intuitive mouse-only controls make it very accessible, and the content is very family-friendly, making it an ideal game for a wide audience of people. Despite the simple premise, Tiny Lands 2 is very enjoyable, and I definitely recommend it to fans of more casual gaming titles.

Looking for more casual gaming experiences? You may also enjoy these reviews:
Urban Jungle – Tiny Garden – ToriDori – Tiny Glade