Every self respecting PlayStation 2 gamer owns a copy of the original Zone of the Enders for one reason – it contained a playable demo of the highly-anticipated Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty. But aside from this massive incentive, the game was interesting because it carried Hideo Kojima's name (the creator of Metal Gear Solid). However, for all the copies sold, there were many people who were disappointed with the game, saying that it was repetitive and its story was convoluted.
Two years on, Konami has released Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner, the follow up to 2001's original combat title. Apparently, Konami has been listening to its fans, because Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner is better than its predecessor in almost every way, and if you've ever enjoyed action games or games with a distinct Japanese flavor, you shouldn't overlook this one.
One of the main complaints about the first game concerned its main character Leo Stenbuck, and, like the original Metal Gear Solid, its frustrating insistence on discussing the harsh realities of the battlefield, shoving lessons of morality and self worth down gamers throats. Thankfully, The 2nd Runner is a little less tedious in this respect, replacing Leo Stenbuck with the more likable Dingo Egret, a seasoned pilot with a mysterious agenda, having exiled himself from his mining job on one of Jupiter's moons.
One day, Dingo and his comrades are attacked by the imperialistic Bahram forces; the main enemy in the game. Killing many of his friends, the Bahram go after Dingo, at which point he stumbles upon an old storage facility. Inside lies the Orbital Frame named Jehuty from the original game, a combat mech' with unmatched abilities. Deciding to man the controls, Dingo goes on to battle the Bahram forces and seeks revenge for the killings at the beginning of the game.
The game features a multi lock-on system similar to the one found in Panzer Dragoon Orta for Xbox.
For those not familiar with the series, Zone of the Enders and its sequel focus on aerial anime-inspired mech' combat. That is to say, you'll be flying about large environments, doing battle with innumerable enemies in massive mechanical vehicles similar to the Zords in the tacky Power Rangers series. The 2nd Runner adds a great deal to 2001's game in terms of gameplay, and these additions really help to keep the title fresh and consistently entertaining.
There are a number of training sessions to play through when you first pick up the controller, and it's important to resist the urge to skip through these, because (despite initial appearances) The 2nd Runner isn't a game where you can just mash buttons. At a basic level, you can attack enemies with Jehuty's melee attack, which can be used to push enemies in any direction, depending on which button you press in conjunction with the melee attack at the end of a combo. Long range combat is also important, so you'll have to learn how to use Jehuty's projectile attacks if you're to survive the forces of Bahram for long. The main missile attack functions in a similar way to the missile attack in the recently released Panzer Dragoon Orta for Xbox – you simply hold down the target button, get as many enemies as you can in your sights, then release the button, firing missiles at every target you've locked onto. You also have the ability to charge up a massive energy ball to throw at your enemies, but this maneuver leaves you open to attack, so it's quite risky.
The gameplay is spiced up because, while an enemy has its shields up, it generally won't take damage from your missiles. This means that you'll have to attack it directly, and one of the best ways to do this is to pick up an enemy. This is made easier because enemies have restricted mobility when their shields are activated. Once an enemy is in your grasp, you can hurl them around, using them as a weapon, and you can even throw them at other enemies. On some occasions, enemies will be resistant to both melee and projectile attacks, in which case you have to be more imaginative. One level, for example, requires that you rip metal poles from a wall and use them to swing at your foe – this sort of interactivity and interesting combat keeps the action in The 2nd Runner from becoming stale and takes the game way beyond its predecessor.
In addition to these attacks, you can also use the game's secondary weapons. Jehuty's on-board computer, ADA, does a pretty good job of guiding you through the combat stages, recommending the best course of action as you go. But the great thing about The Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner is it's open-ended nature; you can use any combat strategy you want at any time during the game. The secondary weapons you can acquire throughout the course of the game include shield-piercing missiles, machine guns and an energy gun which incapacitates your foes.
The mission structure and level design in The 2nd Runner is diverse, which is certainly a point in the game's favour. Not only are the actual environments you'll be fighting in different, but the mission objectives vary from straight-out combat, to missions where you must protect allies and ensure that the least amount of damage possible occurs (these sorts of missions will be familiar for those who've played the first game). To top it off, The 2nd Runner also features a deathmatch versus mode for two players.
Although it improves on just about everything from the original game, there are still some problems with the camera. Sometimes if you're trying to target objects in front of you, the auto-targeting system will target enemies behind you because that's the way the camera is facing, just as the camera will occasionally get too close and obscure your view altogether. This isn't a major problem, but it's still worthy of mention.
The game's environments are detailed and colourful. The Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner looks terrific – it's highly stylized, and Hideo Kojima's influence shines through at every turn, from great cinematic direction to excellent use of story. The game's graphics are brilliant; the team at Konami Computer Entertainment Japan have opted for a very subtle cel shaded look, not as obvious as the techniques used in Jet Set Radio Future or Cel Damage. There are some terrific animation sequences in-game, and in addition to these, The 2nd Runner includes impressive animated anime sequences which tell the story, giving the game a truly epic feel. The game's explosions and particle effects look brilliant, also demonstrated by the fantastic weather effects found on some of the snow levels. The sound is terrific too; the music is enjoyably J Pop-ish, and the English voice acting is decent most of the time.
With an in-depth story mode which is enjoyable this time around, some of the best production values found on PlayStation 2 and compelling combat-oriented gameplay, The 2nd Runner is a very easy game to recommend. It's not without a handful of problems, but it improves on every aspect of the original, and we can't ask for much more than that.
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