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Zone of the Enders 2: The Second Runner

Everyone remembers Zone of the Enders because of the awesome Metal Gear Solid 2 demo. I didn’t even play the game until I finished with the demo first. Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner is a much different story. Everything from the Lock-on system to the graphics has been revamped. There are some very minor problems that they could have fixed but nothing is perfect.

Gameplay:
This is probably the best thing about ZOE:2. It’s the fastest paced mech game out. The game feels as though you were actually in it. The subweapons are a vital part of the story and add a whole lot of fun because they can do some cool things. The only problem that game has is the same thing the last had in the game play. This game can get old to some degree. While there are different enemies and some are way harder than others its still kind of gets old. I didn’t think it effected it enough that it ruined the game like the last one though. I don’t want to ruin the surprise but lets just say there is battles where there are multiple enemies.
The Gameplay Receives a 9

Control:
The controls are almost the exact same as the last one. At first it feels complicated, but the VR training can fix that. Controlling the mech is smooth and easy once you learn the basics. The grab feature is the only thing that let me beat the game so easy. It is the coolest way to destroy an enemy, mash the circle button as fast as you can then...”boom!” the enemy is hurtling towards a wall or another enemy. The subweapons and their menu are also superb. There is a subweapon that you will learn to love once you get it. I was very impressed with the menu which looks like the menu from Metal Gear Solid where if you press L1 then the game pause and a list pops out. It’s a good time for strategizing and taking a break as well.
The Control Receives an 8.5
Graphics:
This is the coolest cell shading I have ever seen. While it doesn’t look too much like cell shading, it feels like an anime TV show. The smoke and explosions are mind blowing. The bad part of the great graphics is the frame rate and it really does slow down in high enemies’ areas and boss battles.
The Graphics Receive an 8.5.

Story:
Wow! The story on this game is hundreds of times better than the last. No more whining children. Leo is back but luckily not a child anymore. The basic premise of the story is the dumbly named lead character Dingo finds Jehuty and then gets in and you can figure out the rest. It doesn’t have a corny ending like the last. Its one of the above average endings from a Hideo Kojima game, but its not the best.
The Story receives a 7.

Extras:
If you didn’t know there are tons of extras. They have the returning Verus mode, but you don’t have to beat the game to play it. They have a new feature, extra missions, where you play stuff from the game but timed. There is also an extra which tells backstory, it is very informative and actually funnier to watch then play the first game.
The Extras Receive an 8

Overall:
ZOE:2 is overall a solid game with tons of features and fun but repetitive gameplay. If you can mind fighting the same enemy over and over that’s great. There is not much that I can say but at least give this game a rent it deserves that much.

Zone of the Enders 2: the Second Runner receives an 8.9 out of 10

-BohlBERG