Virtual Villagers 2:
The Lost Children
The sequel to the hit real-time simulation game Virtual Villagers is upon us: Virtual Villagers 2: The Lost Children. The second installment continues the story and leaves everything intact that made the original game so good. Sixteen new secrets to uncover, new technologies, and a whole new beach to explore, Virtual Villagers 2 is the perfect sequel to an already captivating game.
After exploring their corner of Isola, the villagers from the first game uncovered a path hidden in a dark cavern. Two villagers followed this path and discovered a beach filled with hungry, dirty children fighting for survival. You must help them by teaching them the same farming and research skills you learned before.
Virtual Villagers is a simple and enjoyable strategy, simulation game with very straightforward game mechanics. Your goal is to keep the village thriving by ensuring everyone is well-fed, healthy and happy. In order to advance your technology and uncover the island's secrets, you must train the villagers to perform various tasks. Simply drag and drop any adult to the appropriate area to teach skills such as engineering, farming, healing, scientific research and more. Level-up these technologies to perform your daily duties more efficiently and unlock the hidden potential of the island.
One of the most interesting things about the Virtual Villagers games is they play out in real-time. There's only so much you can do in one sitting, so you have to play in short increments several times each day. Once you set the villagers to work, leave the game, have lunch, go to school or work, then come back later in the day to see how they've progressed. Although it limits the things you can do each time you play, it goes a long way for extending the game's life.
Analysis: Virtual Villagers 2 is a fantastic follow-up to the original game. Very little was changed for the sequel, but the first one got so many things right that Last Day of Work didn't need to re-invent the concept, just tweak it. Villager management is as easy as drag-and-drop, and the new mysterious are a joy to uncover. Virtual Villagers 2 feels a bit more polished than the original in a number of small ways, such as children resembling their parents.
- Like Virtual Villagers 2? Check out our review of the first Virtual Villagers game
- Virtual Villagers 3: The Secret City is now available! Read our review.
- Also be sure to check out Westward, a similar casual simulation game set in the old west.
There are a few minor bumps in the road to Virtual Villager perfection, however. For starters, the game doesn't offer much in the form of instant gratification. Once your village is running smoothly, you can leave them alone for days at a time without checking in. It comes in handy if you don't have time to play, but if you're itching for your Virtual Villagers fix, it can be frustrating. Random events seem a bit more common in the sequel, so that does help ease the separation anxiety.
Virtual Villagers 2: The Lost Children is an excellent title that defines modern casual gaming. You don't have to put in a lot of playtime to get the experience of a long, involving game.
Windows:
Download the demo
Order the full version
Mac OS X:
Download the demo
Order the full version
Virtual Villagers 2 is available to download from these affiliates:
Walkthrough Guide
ALL STEW RECIPES
It took me a long time but here they are. The best is in caps lock
Here are all the possible recipes for the stew. I abriviated the color of the plants and they are in order from top left going clockwise.
Br= Brwon bl=Blue P=Purple B= Black R=Red O=Orange
Br+bl+p=Spicy ster, clears nose and throught
Br+bl+b=Gets drink/ thirsty very thirsty
Br+bl+r=Nature is calling/ stew makes them go to the bathroom
Br+bl+o=Healthier
Br+P+B=Shakes Head/ tast nast, cant eat
Br+P+R=Gets drink/ thirsty very thirsty
Br+P+O=Healthier
Br+B+R=Shakes Head/ tast nast, cant eat
Br+B+O=Shakes Head/ tast nast, cant eat
Br+R+O=Dancing/ gives an energy boost
Br+Br+bl=Healthier
Br+Br+P=Healthier
Br+Br+B=Shakes Head/ tast nast, cant eat
Br+Br+R=Gets drink/ thirsty very thirsty
Br+Br+O=Gets drink/ thirsty very thirsty
Br+Br+Br=Healthier
bl+P+B=Spicy ster, clears nose and throught
bl+P+R=Healthier
bl+P+O=Healthier
bl+B+R=Shakes Head/ tast nast, cant eat
bl+B+O=Shakes Head/ tast nast, cant eat
bl+R+O=Healthier
bl+bl+Br=Healthier
bl+bl+P=Healthier
bl+bl+B=Gets drink/ thirsty very thirsty
bl+bl+R=Healthier
bl+bl+O=Jumpy/ allergic to this stew
bl+bl+bl=Jumpy/ allergic to this stew
P+B+R=Shakes Head/ tast nast, cant eat
P+B+O=Shakes Head/ tast nast, cant eat
P+R+O=Stew gives of sweet smell
P+P+Br=Healthier
P+P+bl=Healthier
P+P+B=Shakes Head/ tast nast, cant eat
P+P+R=Healthier
P+P+O=COMPLETLY RESTORES VILLAGERS HEALTH
P+P+P=Healthier
B+R+O=Healthier
B+B+Br=Verry Ill
B+B+bl=Verry Ill
B+B+P=Verry Ill
B+B+R=Verry Ill
B+B+O=Verry Ill
B+B+B=It Burns/stew is verry harmfull
R+R+Br=Dancing/ gives an energy boost
R+R+bl=Relaxing/ Villager feels tired
R+R+P=Healthier
R+R+B=Shakes Head/ tast nast, cant eat
R+R+O=Exercising/ burst of energy, lift rocks
R+R+R=Exercising/ burst of energy, lift rocks
O+O+Br=Healthier
O+O+bl=Healthier
O+O+P=Healthier
O+O+B=Breath Deep/ no need to breath
O+O+R=Embracing
O+O+O=Stew gives of sweet smell
Posted by: Gabriel R | March 21, 2007 4:10 AM
You can safely browse these hints if you just need a gentle push in the right direction. Each puzzle is referred to by number. The puzzles are counted sequentially, with 1 being the leftmost puzzle in the top row, and 16 being the rightmost puzzle in the bottom row.
Puzzle 1
is something that will provide warmth, protection, and technological advantage to your tribe. It can be solved at the beginning of the game.
Puzzle 2
requires a certain level of technology and will allow your villagers to enjoy a regular, if limited, source of food.
Puzzle 3
requires the completion of Puzzle 2 and a skilled villager to fashion something that will protect one of the sources of food.
Puzzle 4
requires a certain level of technology and a highly skilled villager who will fashion something that your villagers will need in order to completely explore some areas of the village.
Puzzle 5
involves the flowers and herbs located in various parts of the village. This puzzle can be completed at the beginning of the game.
Puzzle 6
requires a villager with well-rounded skills.
Puzzle 7
will open up an unlimited food supply by restoring the ocean to its former condition. You will need to have highly skilled villagers and a certain level of technology.
Puzzle 8
reveals ancient writings. Your villagers will need a certain level of technology, as well as the completion of Puzzle 4.
Puzzle 9
requires the completion of Puzzle 1, a certain level of technology, a hidden item, and the flowers and herbs that your villagers can find in various parts of the village.
Puzzle 10
requires a certain level of two different technologies. Drag a villager to the southeast part of the village.
Puzzle 11
is a special building that requires a certain level of technology. You will see a foundation appear, which your villagers can work on.
Puzzle 12
is another special building that requires a certain level of technology. You will see a foundation appear, which your villagers can work on.
Puzzles 13-16
involve the recovery of pieces of the Gong of Wonder, which can be retrieved only after meeting the necessary requirements. Retrieving the pieces will variously involve teamwork among skilled villagers, purchasing of required levels of Village Tech, and completion of Puzzles 6, 9, and 10. Your villagers will reveal some clues as you try various things in the game, and there will be more specific clues that you can study when you complete Puzzle 8.
The following are detailed spoilers for all 16 puzzles:
Don't read these unless you want to know EXACTLY how to solve each of the puzzles.
Puzzle 1
involves building a fire in the fire pit. Drag one of your villagers to the pile of dry wood in the southwest part of the village to gather firewood. After the wood is placed in the fire pit, take a villager to the very dry grass that can be found to the west of the coconut trees. Once the firewood and dry grass have been placed in the fire pit, drag a villager there to light the fire. You will need to replenish the firewood periodically to keep the fire from going out.
Puzzle 2
is the construction of a dam that will divert water from the stream to an area that can be used for farming. After you purchase Level 2 of Engineering Tech, drag a villager to the rocks that are in the middle of the lower portion of the stream. You will see a message, "He/she could probably build a dam here."
Puzzle 3
is a scarecrow that an adept farmer can construct in order to protect the crops from the birds. Drag an adept or master farmer to the twisted pieces of wood and vines that are located in the northern portion of the village. The scarecrow requires two trips to complete, so make sure that you finish the construction, or your crops will not be protected.
Puzzle 4
is the fashioning of special cutting tools that will be needed to cut away vegetation in some parts of the village. After purchasing Level 2 of Exploration Tech, drag a master scientist to the northern part of the village where he will see something among the rocks near the twisted pieces of wood and vines. Your scientist will need to make a second trip to finish the tools, so take him to the twisted wood and vines to get the necessary materials.
Puzzle 5
is completed when your villagers learn mastery of six special plants located in various parts of the village. Drag a villager to each of them and watch for the message that each has been mastered. The plants are (beginning in the northwest part of the village and moving clockwise): the odd-looking plant immediately to the left of the very dry grass, the blue flower between the thorns and the rocks, the small lavender flower at the northern edge of the graveyard, the black flowers near the waterfall, the bright reddish flowers south of the dam site, and the large orange-red flower at the south edge of the village.
Puzzle 6
is completed when you have sufficiently trained a villager to become master in three skills. That villager will become an Esteemed Elder, and a totem will be created to commemorate their new status in the village.
Puzzle 7
is the elimination of the algae in the ocean that was caused by over fishing. After purchasing Level 3 of Farming Tech, take a master farmer or master scientist to the pond, where they will collect algae-eating fish that they can use to repopulate the ocean. Once sufficient fish have been placed in the ocean, the algae will once again be under control and the villagers will have unrestricted fishing.
Puzzle 8
is the removal of the vines that cover the wall on the east side of the village. After you purchase Level 3 of Culture Tech and have completed Puzzle 4, drag a villager to the vine-covered wall and they will begin cutting away the vines.
Puzzle 9
is the ability to make various stews for your villagers. To make stew, you will need to have purchased Level 2 of Exploration Tech, retrieved the cauldron from the wood pile, mastered at least one of the special plants, and started a fire in the fire pit. The steps to make a stew are: 1) Drop a villager on the cauldron to put the cauldron on the fire 2) Drop a villager on the cauldron again, and he or she will go get water for the stew 3) Drop a villager on any of the mastered plants, and the villager will gather herbs for the stew. Each stew requires a total of 3 herbs, in any combination. 4) Drop a villager on the cauldron again, and he or she will go get food to add to the stew. When the stew is complete, the villager will move the cauldron off the fire. Some stews are good, some are bad, and some make your villagers do interesting things. Experiment and have fun with them. You can also find different "recipe books" that have been created for the game that contain all of the stew combinations.
Puzzle 10
requires Level 3 of both Engineering Tech and Exploration Tech. Drag a villager to the ancient covered floor in the southeast part of the village and they will begin uncovering the site.
Puzzle 11
is the construction of a hospital. After you purchase both Level 3 of Engineering Tech and Medicine Tech, a foundation will appear that your villagers can work on.
Puzzle 12
is the construction of a sewing hut, which will allow you to change the clothing that your villagers are wearing. After you purchase Level 2 of Culture Tech, a foundation will appear that your villagers can work on.
Puzzles 13-16
are the pieces of the Gong of Wonder. The four pieces can be retrieved in the following ways:
A team of 3 Master Builders can open the crate on the beach, where one of the pieces has been hidden.
After purchasing Level 2 of Exploration, your villagers can clear the thorns blocking access to the gong encasement, which will also reveal a piece of the gong.
Prepare a magic stew that will allow one of your villagers to dive for the sunken gong piece in the pond. The herbs needed for that magic stew are: one of the black flower near the waterfall and two of the red-orange flower on the south side of the village. The pictures of the required herbs can be seen in the drawings on the wall once the vines have been removed.
After finishing Puzzles 6 and 10, drop a totem in the center of the uncovered mosaic to reveal a piece of the gong. Once the gong is assembled you can experiment with the effects that it has on your village. You can bang the gong once every 24 hours.
Posted by: someone | May 18, 2007 6:17 PM