Beyond Dream, Beyond Logic: Troublemaker 2 is the Beautifully Bonkers Indie Yakuza-Lite We Didn't Know We Needed
AI Gaming News Author · Rock Paper Shotgun ·
Troublemaker 2: Beyond Dream is a gloriously janky, open-world Indonesian brawler that channels *Like A Dragon*'s chaos with an indie budget and its own unique, often absurd, sense of humour – including a memorable segment where you play as a critically thinking, rampaging cow.
Alright, gaming mates, buckle up! I've been tinkering with some news, and let me tell you, it's wilder than a rogue spell cast at a wizard's tea party. We're diving into a game that just dropped, *Troublemaker 2: Beyond Dream*, and honestly, I'm not entirely convinced it's one of those 'critically acclaimed masterpieces' everyone bangs on about. But bloody hell, it might just be something even better: an absolute riot of chaotic fun.
My initial dip into the demo felt a bit like stumbling into a parallel universe's version of a *Like A Dragon* or *Yakuza* game. You know the vibe – open-world, brawling, a touch of the absurd – but this one’s clearly cooked up with a fraction of the budget and a whole lot of heart by Gamecom Team. We're talking a 'fictionalised' Indonesian setting, which, even in its demo form, feels vibrant and alive, like someone’s actual neighbourhood got turned into a playground for digital mayhem. It's a beat 'em up, sure, but it's got a whole pantry of other genres haphazardly stirred in, like a mad chef throwing everything at the wall just to see what sticks.
Now, my first thought, much like the original scribe's (Edwin Evans-Thirlwell over at Rock Paper Shotgun, who's been bravely navigating this digital landscape), was to compare it to the likes of Rockstar or Saints Row. But hold your horses, because that comparison wears thin quicker than a wizard's cloak after a dragon fight. For one, this is very much an on-foot experience – no joyriding through the streets here. And you can't just go punching random blokes; oh no, this game has standards! You've got designated gangs of hooligans, and you apparently have to wait for *them* to 'Make Trouble' first. It’s almost… polite, for a brawler. Almost. Which, frankly, makes the eventual chaos all the more delightful.
And speaking of delightful chaos, let's talk about the name. *Troublemaker*. Brilliant, isn't it? It's got that cheeky, Beano-comic energy that just screams for schoolyard antics and playground brawls. The previous *Troublemaker* from 2023 apparently nailed the high school setting, and I reckon a city is just a bigger, more dangerous school, isn't it? With 'cars' being the ultimate delinquent students that'll flatten you on contact. My curious brain is already wondering: where next can we 'Make Trouble'? A moon base? An ancient alien ruin? The possibilities are as endless as a poorly coded infinite loop!
What truly grabbed me, beyond the button-mashy combat (which, fair warning, won't be winning any awards for depth, but it gets the job done), is the setting. The demo map itself is this glorious, believable jumble of spaces. It's got that film grain and pop-up aesthetic that amplifies the wonderfully chaotic disorder. Imagine neon sculpture trails, pavements teeming with scooters, quiet courtyards where lonely broom pushers do their thing, half-built concert stages just waiting for a virtual gig, and noisy backstreets where... well, where random chaps are standing on crates doing what looks suspiciously like twerking. Could be a bug, could be art. Who knows? It genuinely feels like a heartfelt celebration of someone's real neighbourhood, and that authenticity shines through, even if you can't pop into every shop to coo over the local brands of instant noodles. (Don't worry, mate, I know I sound like a proper tourist, but I've only ever visited Indonesia through the magic of videogames!)
Now, for a bit of Jeff's gentle skepticism: the humour. It's an early hurdle, alright. Sometimes it feels innately awful, other times just poorly localised, and sometimes, perhaps, a charming mix of both. Take, for instance, my encounter with a fisherman. Barely a 'how-do-you-do?' before his wife charges in, castigating him about his 'pole' and threatening to withhold 'our nightly spicy time' if he doesn't get back to work. I was left alone on that bridge, clutching my own digital fishing rod, with nothing but questions. And a pole. The jokes do improve as the demo progresses, mind you, but that initial awkwardness definitely sets a tone.
But then... *then* I met the cow. Oh, the magnificent, critically-thinking bovine! Slumped on a corner, surrounded by onlookers, this cow (apparently 'gifted by God with critical thinking') informed me that my sympathetic 'mooing' was rubbish. This poor, philosophical beast's fate? To be butchered and cooked into rendang. Naturally, I asked its final wishes. Did it want world peace? An end to global warming? Nah, mate. It wanted me to pass laws punishing corrupt government officials stealing money meant for 5G towers. (I strongly suspect a local political joke flew right over my head there, despite the game's start-up disclaimer putting the word 'fiction' in air quotes.) Unable to legislate, I did the next best thing: helped it go on a rampage! And yes, there's a minigame where *you become the cow*, barging through cars that burst like soap bubbles. Utter catharsis!
That tragic cow encounter wasn't just for kicks, either. It provided crucial background for a later side quest – a trivia quiz where I had to name the ingredients of rendang. Aha! That cow was complaining about it earlier! I somehow aced the quiz (or at least, the NPCs told me I did). What better way to celebrate than by getting into some 'lumbering and disconnected' brawls with mysteriously hostile blokes in vests? Light attacks, heavy attacks, parries if I could be bothered. Pure elegance, I tell you.
Even though the demo ended a bit abruptly after my bovine rampage, *Troublemaker 2* isn't trying to be *Yakuza Zero*. It knows what it is: a joyfully ungainly, glitter-and-gags 'Xmas panto' of a game. It's got that same sense of abandon and generosity, a willingness to be silly and heartfelt, even with its wonky stage punches. The fact that Gamecom Team started as a high school project back in 2014, making mobile *Troublemaker* games, just adds to the charm. It's the human story, the passion project, that makes the jank feel like part of its unique character.
So, while I've probably Made enough Trouble for one day, I'm absolutely rooting for these folks. *Troublemaker 2: Beyond Dream* is proof that an indie studio with a vision (and maybe a slightly chaotic sense of humour) can conjure up something truly memorable, even if it does involve rampaging as a dying, philosophical cow. And honestly, isn't that what we're all looking for in games these days? A bit of genuine, unadulterated, brilliantly bonkers fun.
Tags: Indie Games, Open World, Beat 'em Up, Comedy, Yakuza-like
Original article: Rock Paper Shotgun