Playability:
To start things off Alundra 2 had a
damn nice interface. All new games begin with a little tutorial on how
to control the games hero, Flint. He uses your basic walk slow, run
fast, slash, slide, and jump, which are conveniently explained with
little pop up windows as Flint needs to use each move. His inventory is
easy enough to access with a particular selected item of your choosing
is always at hand for quick and easy use. The game allows you to rotate
the environment in a complete 360-degree circle, which can be very
important to proceed to the next level. Sometimes necessary items are
hidden from plain site as well and being able to rotate your world
around brings the previously unseen goodies into plain view. During the
course of the game your character has is required to do many action
oriented things like climb, swim, fly, avoid projectiles, and jump
through obstacles.
It seemed obvious to me that a lot of the development resources went out
into the story. The bumbling pirates are a good comic relief with the
main antagonists always at hand. Many story clips are used and welcomed
when playing this game, my only real complaint is the linear story line.
Though the story is good, there was little else to decide besides
choosing my character's path.
Intertwined with the story are the mini games. These games ranged from
an RC car game, darts, and many arcade style selections. Most of the
games as you would expect in an Alundra world, involve puzzles to be
solved. Keeping in line with the first Alundra, at first they are very
simple to complete, but as you progress they become more complicated and
thought provoking (read: mind-numbing). The most frustrating part at
these times was finishing a mini game and battling a boss without a save
point in between. Get killed by the boss and you have to do the mini
game over again. Complete the sequence though and you can earn valuable
rare items.
The game had 10 bosses to kill off. Each executed a certain pattern. So
you had to bide time, observe, and strike. Killing each boss was
challenging and required different techniques. Along with the bosses
where many monsters including ravens, skeletons, transformed life forms,
and other freaks of nature. But survive these challenges and you are
rewarded from simple herbs and coins to magical amulets that let you
summon elementals.
Overall I found Alundra 2 to be a good overall experience. While I
wouldn't go as far to say that it exceeds the original, it does provide
enough challenge and adventure to satisfy most fans of the first title.
Game
Options:
This is a 1 disk game for 1 Player.
It is compatible with the standard (digital) joypad and the analog stick
controls of the dual shock joypad. Games can be saved via memory card (1
block per save). |
