Review: Eat, Drink, Be Merry

When Darwin described his theory of natural selection, he told us that it was survival of the fittest. With "Feeding Frenzy 2", it seems that it is rather survival of the fattest. With lush underwater environments and vibrantly colored sea life, this game follows the lunch-seeking adventures of Boris the Butterfly Fish. Swimming around the tropical waters of Shipwreck Strait, you eat, eat, and eat some more. The control scheme is incredibly intuitive -- you never need to even touch your keyboard at all, as Boris' movements are entirely dictated by your mouse -- making this title very easy to pick up and enjoy. There is virtually no learning curve, and as such, this title can be fun for everyone from 8 to 80. There are numerous stages to offer you new characters, new abilities, and -- frankly -- a whole lot of addictive fun.

Big Fish Eat Little Fish

The premise of this game is very simple: You must eat fish that are smaller you, while avoiding the aquatic life that is larger than you. In other words, munch on as much prey as you possibly can while steering clear of the predators. At the top left corner of the screen, you will see a meter keeping track of how much you've eaten. After you've gobbled up a certain amount, Boris will blow up to a larger size, thus opening up a new option for his "menu": You can now chomp on fish that were once out to eat you. There are three sizes in all, and when you fill all three meters, the stage is complete.

Guide Boris' movements with your mouse. A helpful hint is that you can receive a brief speed burst (or "dash") when you click on the left mouse button. This can not only be great for chasing after your meal, but also -- perhaps more importantly -- preventing you from becoming someone else's lunch. To eat a fish, you simply swim into them. It really can't get much easier. Later on in the game, you are taught a few other skills, including the ability to "suck in" large schools of fish by right-clicking.

Race Against the Clock...or Not

There are two game modes:

In the Main Game, you can take as long as you'd like to complete your goals. The more relaxed pace alleviates some of the pressure associated with staying alive in this vivid tropical adventure.

Alternatively, you can check out Time Attack. The gameplay mechanics are identical except you only have a set amount of time to finish your lunch. Munching at such a hurried pace can present quite an exciting dynamic.

Naturally, in both game modes, you will experience increasing difficulty as your adventure progresses. What this means is that prey will become sparser and predators more plentiful. In the Time Attack, you will find yourself becoming more and more pressed to complete your challenge in time. Along the way, you will also enjoy bonus stages wherein there are no predators.

Learn a Little Something

In between chomping sessions, you are offered several things (game tips, etc.), one of which is a "Fun Fact" about tropical fish. In this way, Feeding Frenzy 2 is not only entertaining, it can also be educational. This really is a complete package.