Gekibo 2

*NOTE* Gekibo 2 is also known as Polaroid Pete in Europe

Gekibo 2 is the sequel to the insane photography based PC Engine classic that featured many near copyright infringing parodies. It was later released on the Sony Playstation as part of the Simple 1500 series under the name of The Cameraman. Neither version saw a US release likely due to the parodies which could have been considered as copyright infringement by the stricter US courts. Everything from the "Terminator" to "Back to the Future" was parodied. Even the King of Pop makes an appearance. Long story short, the game was infamous among many gamers thanks to the ever growing popularity of the Internet. It's widespread (as far as import PC Engine games go that is) infamy was earned not so much for it's gameplay, rather for the humor. Enough talk about the original, let's get to the Ps2 sequel.

The look has been updated to take advantage of the Ps2 hardware. Rather than shift to full 3D the developers opted to go 2.5D so the core gameplay could remain the same. The 2.5D look really suits Gekibo 2 and I actually prefer it to the original. With the added depth there is now more room for wacky events. You now have a foreground and a background for potential pictures. Like most 2.5D games, you are still moving only left to right while the environment around you moves and rotates giving you a false sense of 3D. It's like a 3D game on rails. The background graphics are 3D but all of the characters are 2D sprites. This makes for a weird, but fun style. I really like the look of the game and find it much more appealing than the original. All of the levels are fleshed out with many things going on at once. Gekibo 2 may not live up to the high standards set by many games on Ps2, but that doesn't stop it from having a look all it's own.

If you've played the first game, you can skip this portion of the review. Continue on to the next paragraph. Still here? Good. Gekibo 2, like the original, is a forced scrolling game where you are given the job of a photographer. What I mean by forced scrolling is that the game moves from the beginning to the end at a steady pace, whether or not you are touching the controller. As the screen scrolls various events go on around you. You can move your character left and right and you have the ability to jump. No matter what though, the screen still scrolls to the right at a steadfast tread. There is no way to go back and get a shot of something you may have missed as can be expected. All you have to do is maneuver your aiming receptacle over the various events and take pictures while avoiding the many obstacles along your way. You start out with a set amount of film and the level ends when you run out or reach the end. You earn points for any leftover film you may have been holding at the end of the level.

However, the gameplay has not remained completely the same as the first, so even if you've played the first game you should continue reading now. There are three additions that I feel should be addressed. Addition number one is the zoom feature. To compliment the more fleshed out environment you now have the option to zoom in. This allows you to get clear pictures and find hidden events. Certain events in the background only occur if you zoom in on them. This adds a bit of strategy to the game as well as some replay value. You'll want to go back through the game to zoom in on things looking for an event you may have missed the first time through. Addition number two are flash bulbs. Throughout your journey many obstacles will get in your way. Items such as balls, skateboards and bowling pins will come flying at you. If they hit you your character will become dazed for a few seconds and you will drop some film. In the previous game you only had two ways of avoiding these hazards. You could jump over them or you could take a picture of them making them poof into nonexistence. Gekibo 2 adds a third technique, the aforementioned flash bulb. Throughout the game you collect these flash bulbs, they act as a sort of smart bomb such as those that you see in many shooters. When used, the screen is cleared of all obstacles. While this does subtract from the difficulty, it evens out when you are going for score. Just as with the first game you must reach a set score to pass a stage. You get no points for the obstacles you destroy with the flash bulb. Whereas snapping pictures of them nets you a small amount. The flash bulb should only be used in an absolute emergency since it can eat potential points. The third addition to the game are goals to the stages. In the first game it was all about points. If you didn't reach a set number of points, you failed the stage. While points are still just as important in Gekibo 2, you've now got something new to worry about. In each level you're out to get a shot of a certain object or event. If you fail to snag a shot of this main event, you fail the stage regardless of your score. Some of these can be difficult to find, especially when you don't know what you are looking for. It can be a real pain going through the level over and over until you find this main event, which is usually the craziest thing in the level. In spite of this, I still enjoy this addition and feel that it adds to the overall gameplay. It also extends the somewhat short experience.

There are eleven normal stages and two bonus stages, many of which are hidden. Each stage takes place in a different environment, ranging from a circus to a graveyard. Oh, and let's not forget the Japanese Bath House. Don't get too excited, you are on the men's side. Though you can get a peek of the women's side if you jump high enough, but why would you want to do that. *Wink Wink* All of the stages look great and are packed to the brim with hilarious happenings and strange occurrences. I was skeptical that this game could live up to it's predecessor in the humor department, but in my opinion it is just as good if not better. Gekibo 2 surely put a smile on my face. Before I stray too far off topic, I guess I should talk about the hidden stages. Hidden throughout some of the levels are events that you must capture on film to unlock a secret stage. For example, taking a picture of a sign on a skyscraper in the background of the first level unlocks a downtown level. It can be quite fun searching out these hidden levels.

The stages are rather short, and with the somewhat small amount this all leads to a brief experience. That's the game's biggest drawback; it's all over too soon. Just as you are getting into it the credits roll. Looking for the hidden stages and events you may have missed can be fun, but it still does not increase the game's playtime all that much. If you like to completely beat a game, there is something that will have you wanting to play after you've beaten the game; the album. You have a photo album that gets filled up as you take pictures of various goings on throughout the game. This follows the "gotta catch 'em all" philosophy made popular by Pocket Monsters. If trying to get a picture of every event in the game for your album doesn't interest you, than be prepared for a game that's over all too quickly.

The game can appeal to the high score junkie inside all of us, though it's not enough to make up for the length. Your photos are graded based on how well you centered the event. Grades range from Fine to cool. Cool, obviously, nets you the most points. The game does keep track of your high score and the amount of Cool ratings you received, so if going for high scores is your thing, you may enjoy Gekibo 2. To be honest with you though, I never really felt compelled to break my past high scores. I can't put my finger on why exactly, I just never had the urge to return to a level with breaking my previous record in mind. I guess it's because I find this game to be a tour through a wacky virtual world. It's fun going through a few times just to see all the sites, but after that it fails to remain exciting. After all, seeing a guy slip and fall can only remain funny for so long.

Overall, I'd recommend taking a look at Gekibo 2 if the short length doesn't scare you off. It is humorous and fun while it lasts. It's just a shame that it only lasts a short amount of time. If you think filling up your album with pictures sound fun I wouldn't worry too much about the length. Some pictures are very tough to get and you'll be spending a lot of time looking for that last photo you need to complete a level's album. As much as I like this game though, I find it hard to recommend. It just feels more like a rental than a purchase. If long length is important to you I'll have to say that it's best if you pass on this. It's not a bad game by any means, just rather short. Apart from the length however, it is one of my favorite Japanese Ps2 releases. If you like the original, by all means pick this up. In my opinion it is much improved and an altogether better game. In addition to the humor, Gekibo 2 is actually a fun game. It should be noted that if the concept of the game sounds stupid to you, you likely won't enjoy it. I can definitely see some gamers finding Gekibo 2 boring and repetitive.

If you couldn't tell by that last paragraph, I really want to recommend Gekibo 2. I had a great time playing it and although it was short, I am still very much happy with my purchase. The game is an acquired taste to be sure and it's short length doesn't help when trying to recommend it. This is one of those games that some gamers will absolutely hate while others will love it with each group thinking the other is insane. I think I'll end this by stating the following: Gekibo 2 is a fun, humorous and all too brief romp featuring some of the craziest occurrences I've ever seen in a game. If this sounds good to you, grab it.

©2002 Ed Finnegan

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