Tap Wizard 2, published by Ultimate Games, is a passive auto-clicker, a genre that is growing in popularity. If you have not played an auto-clicker before, it is a game you kinda, sort of, not play. It plays itself.
Even though it sounds strange, there is an addictive gameplay loop that offers casual, off-beat satisfaction throughout daily five-minute increments. Admittingly, it is an interesting concept but one that perhaps isn’t for everyone.
As a quick summary, Tap Wizard 2 is a top-down action game like Vampire Survivors but you don’t actually control the hero. Well, technically you can control the direction of the hero with the right stick but it isn’t necessary. Instead, the player monitors and maintains the dozens of upgrades, unlocks, and power-ups that slowly become available. With each death, which might only last a minute or two, your little wizard guy gets a tiny bit stronger. The more time that is spent, the more that becomes unlocked.
After about ten or so minutes of play, you hit a wall where it will take a long time to unlock that next batch of enhancements. This is where it is best to turn the game off and return in a day or so later. Thing is, the game basically plays itself when you are not playing, slowly earning resources overtime. So when you log in several hours later, you’ll probably have enough to unlock that next thing. Then rinse and repeat until the trickling power-ups and upgrades become unlocked, which allows the wizard to survive for a little while longer. In other words, this sounds confusing at first, but the learning curve is gentle since you are supposed to die quickly and repeatedly.
Presentation-wise, the game is designed with purposely blocky 8-bit style visuals and an energetic looping soundtrack that matches the intensity of the gameplay. Since the player needs to use the analog stick as a mouse, navigating the complex UI can be a little tricky since there are so many options to toggle and menus to press. The mouse pointer can also disappear at inopportune times, which can also add to the tedium a bit.
For a game you don’t play, I like it more than I thought I would. However, I have a couple of minor complaints that could potentially be patched in a future update. First, there is no option to turn off the controller’s rumble feature. Which so much constant action happening on screen, the controller’s rumble doesn’t deactivate with all the bumps and attacks. Not only does this drain the battery, but it is also annoying to hold the controller during this time. Also, since this game plays itself, it isn’t a bad idea to just boot it up, put the controller down, and go make dinner. Leaving it on a non-padded surface will create some unhealthy noise.
Secondly, it takes forever and a day to unlock a single Achievement so Gamerscore hunters beware. This game was specifically designed to be played over a very long period so don’t think you will be able to cheese the system within a game you don’t actually play.
Tap Wizard 2 isn’t the best game ever made but it sure is a curious one. While it has a lot in common with other auto-clickers, there is plenty here if playing a non-game game sounds interesting to you. If not, I am predicting this genre to explode over the next year or two just like how every game released recently is a rogue-like or some type of simulator.
Not As Good As: Grim Idle (free to download on Xbox)
Don’t Forget About: DPS Idle
Wait For It: more auto-playing games like this to be released over the next couple of years
By: Zachary Gasiorowski, Editor in Chief myGamer.com
X/Twitter: @ZackGaz
Please consider supporting me on Patreon or BuyMeACoffee.
RATING
OUR SCORE - 6
6
SCORE
Tap Wizard 2 is an action game like Vampire Survivors that you don’t actually play which sounds weird, and it is, but has an interesting and addictive gameplay loop for those with passive patience.