I am fan of classic marble popper games and was excited at the release of Luxor 2 HD. Luxor Evolved, the previous release in this franchise, was a mind-blowing retro reinvention of the marble popper genre, and I was hoping that Luxor 2 HD would continue to build on the innovations in Luxor Evolved.

The Story of Luxor 2 HD

You won’t find cut-scenes or much of a plot with this game. You work your way up the caste system in Egypt by defeating stages and progress across a map of the Nile toward your goal.

The Graphics of Luxor 2 HD

The titles promise HD, and it delivers. Luxor 2 HD offers 88 richly rendered levels in widescreen. Sticking with the franchise’s overarching theme, the levels are set among the temples of ancient Egypt.

One new feature was the introduction of more realism for the backgrounds. Many of the levels feature quasi-photo-realistic Egyptian villages or interiors for the backdrop. While interesting and new, I didn’t much care for these levels. It wasn’t clear where the path of the marbles ended, so I wasn’t sure if I was in trouble or not. And while the backgrounds had perspective, the balls did not, so I think it took away from the realism. I preferred the traditional levels, which were full of depth, color, and detail.

The power-ups and visual effects were pretty standard, but a notch below Luxor Evolved, which often combined many effects together resulting in an exciting fireworks display. I didn’t quite get the same rush with Luxor 2 HD.

The Gameplay of Luxor 2 HD

The gameplay of Luxor 2 HD consists of your typical marble-popper mechanics.

The balls roll out. You shoot them.

It is familiar and pleasing in that sense. One feature they did keep from Luxor Evolved, which I appreciated, are special bonus levels that get unlocked as you collect jewels. Each bonus level has its own mechanic and mixes up the gameplay. However, I was looking forward to a “boss level,” which was added in Luxor Evolved, but apparently removed from this edition.

Overall Conclusion of Luxor 2 HD

Overall, this a strong game that marble popper enthusiasts will enjoy. If I didn’t have Luxor Evolved to compare it to, I would give it 5 stars, but  unfortunately there’s no going back once you evolve. Therefore, I have to proclaim this game as Luxor Devolved... but it's still fun to play.