Geek Review: Youtubers Life 2

With the boom of content creators taking over the world, it would make perfect sense for the video gaming world to take advantage of that to provide players with a similar experience. Following the success of the first game, U-Play Online and Raiser Games are back with Youtubers Life 2 for one more bite at living the public life through an online presence.

With five years having passed since the original, there is certainly more to live up for the developers this time around. Starting off where the first game concluded, the commitment to the meta nature of Youtubers Life 2 is evident, with your avatar receiving an invitation to become a true Youtuber in NewTube City after finishing an in-game version of Youtubers Life. Talk about layers, and now is your chance to become one of your heroes.

The game does feature a varied customisation system, where players are free to choose how they want to look as well as the overall design of their apartments. The visual style of the game does lend itself well to the proceedings, with everything being vibrant and bright.

The main difference lies between the two games is the fact that Youtubers Life 2 has a more open world, challenging players to create content outside of their homes. Compared to the more focused nature previously, this is an entirely new experience that can be daunting for returning players and newcomers alike.

This requires players to constantly be on the lookout for trending topics so they can take advantage. See that #dancing tag getting good numbers? Better get your dancing shoes on. Then it is time to create some content using your trusty camera drone, get some interviews or streaming done, and start editing.

Once your content starts getting traction and you start rolling in the dough outside of your side hustles like endorsements or social media posts, the game tracks your progression through upgrades. These can apply to your editing software, the drone, or the good old gaming setup. The better your equipment, the higher the quality of your creations, and the more money you can earn.

That said, the game falters in a sense that it is constantly forcing players to chase the trend, instead of letting them focus on what they want to do. Even if your dream is to be a game streaming star and build your channel, Youtubers Life 2 will have you doing other less interesting stuff just to keep up.

Not even the weaving in of real-life YouTube celebrities such as PewDiePie, Rubius, InoxTag, GermanLetsPlay, and more distract from the main gameplay failings of Youtubers Life 2. Although the storylines involving these individuals are distinct and fresh, it only lasts for so long before you are back into the grind.

Perhaps all of this is reflective of the true life of a YouTuber, and not the glamour of the few who have successfully carved out a niche for themselves. But in a game that is supposed to be entertaining, that is not how anyone would want to spend their afternoon as a form of escapism.

Aside from all that, Youtubers Life 2 is not exactly a product without quality issues either. Audio bugs can occur from time to time, while the UI can certainly benefit from being clearer and more well organised. There have also been reports of losing mouse input in the game, preventing players from doing more and potentially losing the day’s progress. It can almost feel like too much work at times.

Certainly, Youtubers Life 2 will appeal to a certain group of players who want to explore that space without necessarily putting in the work in real-life. However, its gameplay loop will shatter that illusion quickly, and will frustrate those expecting a more refined experience from the first game. Just like creating content, the path is not smooth, but maybe one day, Youtubers Life 2 will make it all worthwhile.

Youtubers Life 2 is available on Steam for $45.99.