REVIEW: ‘Figment 2: Creed Valley’ Is A Wondrous Delight (PC)

Figment 2: Creed Valley is the sequel to 2017’s hit action-adventure game Figment from the team at Bedtime Digital Games. Players will delve into the depths of the mind in order to defeat the nightmares ravaging it.

Figment 2: Creed Valley stars Dusty, the personification of The Mind’s courage. The nightmares have destroyed the Moral Compass, leading Dusty and his partner Piper to travel to Creed Valley to restore peace. It’s quite an interesting premise, and I found myself drawn to Dusty’s mission. The idea of delving into the human mind is really intriguing, and it works perfectly with Bedtime Digital Games’ incredible art design.

The highlight of Figment 2: Creed Valley is how beautiful the world is. Every second shown on the screen presents incredibly detailed settings and unique characters. The nightmares associated with the different locations all have their own designs that look vastly different. They also have specific musical themes that help tell the story of how they arrived and their impact on The Mind. The sheer volume of creativity is impressive, and the fact that all of that creativity manages to be of high quality made my experience even more enjoyable.

The gameplay for Figment 2: Creed Valley is relatively straightforward. The action sequences consist of moving around to dodge attacks while using your own basic attacks to strike back. While that system may be simple, the execution is done quite well and is a formula that doesn’t need to be reinvented. It also helps players focus more on the world around them instead of trying to figure out complicated mechanics.

That said, Figment 2: Creed Valley does include a small variety of challenging puzzles to keep things from feeling stale. The two primary states of The Mind—Open-Minded and Closed-Minded—are used to explore variations of The Mind. These variations present new paths to take, and the constant switching between the two requires a good deal of thought to make sure the correct path is discovered and taken. I appreciate that the puzzles make sense in the context of the world and that they build on the story instead of existing outside it.

The world of Figment 2: Creed Valley is living and breathing, with each step unveiling new depths of storytelling that make every second feel magical. The taunting nightmares are intimidating villains, and The Mind and its characters have ever-changing personalities. As I defeated more nightmares, the world around me kept changing in ways that were genuinely nice to explore. I greatly appreciated the idea that the human mind is complex, but the message of hope shows that the darkness can always be beaten back.

Sure, the story can feel a little too optimistic at times, especially given the world around us, but it’s an approach I genuinely relished. There was no attempt to sugarcoat the existence of bad things, instead letting players know it’s ok to face nightmares and challenges. Even if told through an almost childlike lens, the idea that these can be overcome is refreshing when so much of the world feels bleak. I was rooting for Dusty the entire time but also realized my own mind shares so many parallels with The Mind, and my journey hasn’t been entirely dissimilar. I might not be fighting off two-headed clowns or comically large pigs, but the struggles they represent are ones everyone can relate to on some level.

Figment 2: Creed Valley never tries to get too philosophical or preachy, which is another thing I appreciated. Trying to tell a story of optimism and hope runs the risk of appearing fake at best, but I never once felt anything but authenticity. Stress, anxiety, and fear all play just as vital a role as hope and determination, and that balance is critical to making a game like this work so well. The surreal art direction helps bring those emotions to the forefront, and the music completes this perfect combination.

I was genuinely moved by my experience with Figment 2: Creed Valley in a way few games have ever moved me. I was expecting a cheesy, overly optimistic tale, but instead felt like I was diving deeper into my own mind. Figment 2: Creed Valley is well worth the time spent playing and is a serious contender for my Game of the Year.

Figment 2: Creed Valley releases March 9th on Steam, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, and Xbox.