Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two preview - what's new?

Coloring the world

The first Disney Epic Mickey may have explored the dark side of Mickey Mouse, but the sequel is looking to be visually brighter. While the game is coming out on all three platforms, the Wii is still the lead platform and sister studio Blitz Games are the ones working on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions.

Wii screen

Here's a screenshot from the Wii build as a comparison.

Gremlins

We're told that Gremlins will also play a bigger role in the game and they're introducing a new enemy, known as the Blotworx, a blend of beetleworx and blotlings.

Two is better than one

Puzzles will require a bit of teamwork but players can drop-in and drop-out because the AI will take over.

Camera

So how does the camera work? Warren Spector said that his team has made more than 1000 specific changes to the camera since shipping the first game. In the sequel, if you're playing along the main storyline, the camera will follow you so you should never have to touch it. However, if you decide to wander off the beaten path, you'll have to take over and make some adjustments but from what we've played, the camera does do a much better job at giving you the best view possible.

The platforming controls feel the same, and if you're playing on the 360 or PS3, you're using the L2/R2 or LT/RT buttons to spray paint. There's some auto-assist in aiming, but it takes a bit of effort to get the reticle in the right place.

The demo build we played on still had a ways to go, but it looks like the sequel will continue to delve into the Disney vault of lost goodies. Once again the art design and the world that has been created is loaded with personality and Disney magic. James Dooley returns as the composer and is working with Mike Himelstein on the songs.

Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two is set to be released later this fall.