3 out of 10: Season 2 is available now as a free-to-play title on the Epic Games Store, bringing a second round of mayhem and mishaps to Shovelworks Studios and its ragtag group of employees. My first encounter with 3 out of 10 took place on the Nintendo Switch, which allowed me to watch each episode while on-the-go or while unwinding in bed after a long day. I was grateful for the chance to check out the second season of the series on PC, though, as it is a much more cinematic experience - as cinematic as it can be for an indie animation. 3 out of 10: Season 2 brings the same energy and humor from the first season, while feeling a bit more grounded with its characters and fleshed out in its goofy, over-the-top narrative.
When we last left Shovelworks, we learned that Midge, the studio’s newest employee, was acting as some kind double agent for the Parasol Agency, a shadowy corporation hellbent on preventing Shovelworks from earning a game review score higher than 3 out of 10 (even though the collective staff seems more than capable of achieving that goal all on their own). Season 2 picks up right after season one, featuring five brand-new episodes for you to sink your teeth into.
If you played through season one, season two will be immediately familiar to you. Most episodes take about 30-45 minutes to watch, primarily determined by how quickly you’re able to complete the handful of interactive mini-games that come with each episode. From platformers to car battles to rhythm games, Season 2 continues the trend of including a wide variety of genres with its mini-game - my personal favorite being the tabletop board game version of Shovelworks’ video game, Surfing with Sharks.
Given the satirical nature of the game, not to mention the “playable sitcom” description of the series, I understand why mini-games are included in the 3 out of 10 episodes. I just kind of wish they were an optional feature. Some parts can be skipped, but I couldn’t seem to skip any of the mini-games entirely. I don’t have any gripes about how successful or unsuccessful the mini-games are, and the completionist in me appreciates the fact that you can rewind your progress in real-time to get the highest score possible. It’s just that the mini-games take away from the sitcom stylings of the rest of the 3 out of 10 experience. During my first playthrough of each episode, I was mostly interested in watching the episode play out, rushing through each mini-game to just get it over with and continue on with the story.
Season 2 doesn’t miss a beat with its story, and feels like it’s more confident in its characters and plot than in the first game. Maybe it’s simply the fact that I’m more familiar with the characters in general, but they all seem stronger this time around, which ultimately helps drive the silly plot forward. Humor continues to drive the story, with laugh-out-loud moments that definitely had me feeling like 3 out of 10 would have worked just as well as a sitcom on a platform like Adult Swim.
That said, I definitely enjoyed watching the sitcom parts of Season 2 on PC more than Nintendo Switch. The mini-games seem easier on Switch, but watching the show elements of each episode on my large monitor is a lot better of an experience than on the Switch in handheld mode. Given the fact that Season 2 is free on the Epic Games Store, there’s really no reason not to check it out on PC right now, especially if you enjoyed season one.
I’d love to see a full-sitcom version of 3 out of 10 become available in some capacity. Even though I’m caught up on all of the episodes, it’s definitely a show that’s worthy of having on in the background (which is a compliment coming from me, and would join the ranks of other background-worthy animated shows such as The Simpsons, Bob’s Burgers, and King of the Hill). It’s good enough as it is though, especially if you enjoy one-off mini-games. 3 out of 10: Season 2 hits all the right notes again, building upon the success of the first season with quirky but loveable characters and a fun story.
A PC copy of 3 out of 10: Season 2 was provided to TheGamer for this review. 3 out of 10: Season 2 is available for free now on PC via the Epic Games Store.
