While short, grabs you for those few hours and won't let go. The game is such an improvement over the first installment that those who didn't like the first game will probably like this one.
Just a perfect game. I loved it when it was released. Even if nowadays it's gameplay could be considered a bit repetitive, the RPG elements anemic at best, and the replayability close to zero, it was, for a while, one of the most visually stricking games available. The nostalgia factor might be at play here, not gonna lie.
One of the best games made by KJP and the best mecha game. Amazing gameplay, graphics, story, soundtrack, everything is perfect in this game, a masterpiece.
If you can accept the fact that the playtime is shorter than the running time of a Kevin Costner film, The 2nd Runner offers an explosive and highly fevered gameplay experience that will keep you on the edge of your seat. [May 2003, p.85]
Cel shading has never been as underplayed and better used in a PS2 game as in this one, and even the English dub and J-pop tunes fit like a glove with The 2nd Runner's anime-inspired universe.
It may not take long to beat, but there is a good amount of unlockable missions, time trials, and a fairly entertaining versus mode to be had once you do.
In action the game is undeniably pretty, as long as you can stomach the monstrous camera. But beyond ther anime-inspired visuals, the action turgidly limps along without ever really engaging or entertaining. [May 2003, p.94]
In one word: OUTSTANDING.
This IS a true classic game. I cannot find any flaw whatsoever. Story, Characters, Music (to this day I still listen to the opening song from time to time), battle mechanics, animation, character growth, robots, graphics, etc. Everything is just awesome.
if you haven't played this game, go and play it! It is highly addictive, it is fun. This is how games should be!
This is a great game with fantastic gameplay and good graphics for its time. It makes full use of all the PS2's hardware, utilizing the pressure sensitive buttons and rumble for the controller and pushing the system's GPU to it's limit. The anime style is well presented, and even manages to hold up fairly well against the test of time.
Iconic art direction, solid music score and the gameplay is alright. It has a lot of potential to be a really amazing game but the combat lacks depth and thus the level design often has to resort to various gimmicks to make up for it. It is a shame there isn't that many games like this which could take the formula further and expand upon it.
Zone Of The Enders is already a wild ride of mecha based anime goodness that honestly still doesn’t make the most sense, but it has some interesting lore behind it, and The 2nd Runner thankfully picks up where the original leave off. You start off as an entirely different pilot, and while you have no original attachment to Judity, the game makes it very clear that you two are stuck together. This makes for a nice dynamic of unrelenting hero with his robot girlfriend and big booba friend. Along the way you start to met more and more people from the original game, and it builds well as a **** game is just as cutesy and high octane action as ever, having the buildings scaled down like a train set; along with a bunch of new enemies coming out in full force to attack you. While the game still has some problems with controls, it’s not as bad as the first one, and both games are still quite manageable given enough time and energy. Sadly the game does have a few difficulty spikes that are just absolutely baffling, and one boss fight in particular just had me reset the whole game as when you pick a difficulty, you stick with it throughout. Thankfully the rest of the game is far more manageable after those initial difficulty spikes, but it certainly isn’t a push over, even on easy difficulty. 2nd Runner is longer than the first game, but not by much nor should it have been given the story they wanted to deliver, and how much filler it would have had if they did increase run time. That being said the game could use a few extra modes to make things a little spicier.Story is fairly standard revenge plot mixed together with callbacks to the first game. While it certainly won’t win any creative awards, they do at least add a good amount of flavor with returning characters, and it’s really a treat to play this game after playing the first one. The climax to the final boss is also a spectacle to behold, and would certainly have studio trigger have a run for it’s money as you deliver those final blows, but mostly I just remember the little train sets.2nd Runner is a good sequel to build on the first game, but it still suffers greatly from some very bad difficulty spikes and annoying puzzles. While I don’t think this should turn away anyone wanting to some mecha action; it certainly could have done a better job at pulling the casual crowd. Overall I enjoyed my time with this cult classic, and wish the game series all the best as I would love to see a follow up to this game.
Unfortunately this game doesn't hold up over time. Younger me rented Z.O.E. shortly after the PS2s release and thought it was fun with amazing graphics. A second look shows its flaws. The game is a confusing experience and a little repetitive. The controls aren't really fluid or easy to understand. The auto-lock on doesn't add anything. The camera and character movement are on the poor side. A second look at this game shows how old it is. The Armored Core series was better with more to do. There are some Gundam games that are also more fun. Don't bother with Z.O.E. anymore. Being a Kojima game didn't save it in the long run. This feels like a C grade game with pretty graphics, even though its somewhat playable.
SummaryFrom "Metal Gear Solid 2" producer Hideo Kojima, comes the sequel to the anime inspired mech combat game "Zone of the Enders." Take control of a lightning fast mechanized robot and fight an evil militaristic force with new weapons, maneuvers, and tactics. Conflicts and settings of ZOE2 take place in cityscapes, enemy fortresses, and even...