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System:
PlayStation
Genre:
Platformer
Publisher:
Sony
Developer:
Naughty Sports
Players:
1
Release date/year:
11/05/1997
Other systems:
-
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- Crash Bandicoot 2
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1997 Naughty Dog - Sony - PSX
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This game is a definite improvement over the first game in this series, and that may be one of the hardest things that they had to do. For one the story isn’t corny anymore, and for two, the game is a lot more non-linear, and it allows you to go all over the place at will. These are pretty much the two things that I wanted when playing the original, and I guess it got through to the testers of the original Crash Bandicoot game or something, because Naughty Dog knew that needed to be done, and in this game it looks like that was in their minds the whole time they were making this game. I first played this game soon after I had played the first. Because I had gotten my PSX and The original Crash Bandicoot behind the other millions, so I picked them up just when this was coming out. As soon as I finished this I new I had to go and get this one. Boy am I happy I did. This game is almost like an update on the first. A very good plan to have. Here is what made it so good, here comes the review… 5… 4… 3… 2… 1…… GO!
- {~~Main Scores~~}
BREAKDOWN
Gameplay: 9
Graphics: 9
Sound: 9
Story: 8
Enjoyability: 10
- Gameplay
The gameplay in this game is great. It even is better than the original, and that was hard. This has all of the great aspects that the original game had. But you see, in this one, they fixed almost every little problem that was in it last time. Quite amazing how they picked up they picked up the sentiments of the gaming public, or at least the sentiments of this reviewer.
The first thing that was changed in a good way was the overall progression rate of the game. In other words, this game is a lot less linear. What that means in simple terms as that you can do a lot more on your own instead of being set in what has to be done. In the first one you were just going from level to level with little freedom, but in this game it is designed in a more innovative way. You start off in a circular room, with levels all around it. What you obviously must do is enter those levels and go through them. But with this you have different things to do in the level and you can even come back tot he levels to do it again, because once you beat it you are put back in that circular room. Then, once you get the requirements in every level, you enter the circular center of the room, and it levitates you up into a new area. But, before you go to the new area, you fight a boss. Every area ends with a boss before you go into the new area.
In this game you have different objective than in the first one as well. In this one you are looking for certain crystals. Each level has one crystal within the level somewhere, your objective is to collect that crystal, then finish the level without dying on the way. There are also other things you can do in the level as well, such as other crystals. Your main crystal is a long pink one. But there are other blue ones too, you collect these. I’m not quite sure what they are for because I never go t them all. They are very hard to get.
Overall, the gameplay was very well done. It took many of the original foundations from the first Crash Bandicoot game, and then added many more fin concepts. I liked how every one of my desires were looked in to, and I liked every bit of the overall gameplay.
- Graphics
The graphics in this one were well done. There wasn’t a huge improvement over the original though. The same basic concepts are still there though. Such ass the nice variety on things in the levels. Some of these things are the trees, the grass, and many of the other things you may find in whichever type of level you are in.
There are a few main types of levels in this game. These are the Forest levels in which you go through a amazon-like level with rainforest qualities like animals and greenery. Next there are the water levels. Some of these water levels are ones that you do platform jumping or running along much water, then some of them are ones where you use a ski-doo. The ski-doo ones are the most fun because they go fast, and are simply enjoyable to pilot. Another type of level is the ice level, where everything is frozen, and you have a lot of animals and things associated with ice and cold areas.
Overall the graphics were another of the good areas. The variety and detail put into every little thing in each level and character are good. The choppy graphics weren’t quite as good at times, but they were majorly improved from the last one.
- Sound
The sound in this game was exactly like the sound in the last one. This can be a good thing, or it can be a bad thing. I suppose, to me, it is a good thing, mainly because the original sound was good too. So, yes, the sound is good. But, because the sound is the same, the bad parts of the old sound come back too. The main one that comes to mind in this game is the fact that the sound doesn’t stick out much in this game. It is kind of in there, and doesn’t stick out as neither a good thing nor a bad thing. It’s just there, in it’s own mediocre, quiet way. The sound effects are too, they are just here, and don’t stick out that much. But with the sound effects, they do stick out a lot more than the sound, because of the background sound effects. Thee are things such as the babbling creek or the crashing waterfall, those stuck out to me as very good. As did the sound. Overall, good, not great, not bad, but good.
- Story
This was the other area that I mentioned above that was improved a lot. The story still isn’t great, but the story in the last game was so bad that most stories they could have come up with for this one would have been better. Unless it really flopped of course, but it didn’t.
Basically, out good (or bad rather) Dr. Cortex is back. But this time he has a new device to take over the world, and this time he is living in space after what happened to him in the last game. He has a device that can get revenge on Crash, and everyone at that. But, he is missing one very important component, the crystals, he needs them to complete the evil device. He devises an insane way to get them, he will use his old nemesis, Crash, to get them. HE uses a hologram of his face, slightly disguised to talk to Crash. He tells him that the world is in danger, and the only way to save it is to collect the crystals. Oddly, Crash totally believes him, despite objections from another Bandicoot friends. So, off Crash goes, a tool for Cortex, thinking he is saving the world. Boy is he wrong.
- Enjoyability
This game is very enjoyable. It is almost unexplainable. It is way more enjoyable that adding up all the other scores would make you think. It’s hard to determine the reason. Perhaps it is the fun gameplay, perhaps it is the very supportive graphics, perhaps it is something else. This reviewer believes that it is unexplainable. It is just the allure of the game. The less linear gameplay helps a lot. The time-consuming fun is a definite factor. But whatever it is, I really enjoyed this game.
- {~~Other Important Scores~~}
Replay Value: High
I think you will want to play this game again. Unlike the first where it varies from person to person ,this game is overall fun to play again. Perhaps it is the enjoyability that changes it from the last, perhaps it is something else. But, this is a game I would recommend playing many times again, although, you probably will without my recommendation anyway.
- Challenge: Slightly Above Average
The challenge in this game, much like many of the other area, is a lot like the first game. By that I mean, this game is fairly average in the difficulty area. It isn’t too hard, it isn’t too easy. But unlike the first game, this one is slightly harder. Some of the levels can become a little angering, but overall, a fairly perfect challenge.
- GOOD POINTS
-Good Gameplay
-Good Graphics
-Improved Story
-Nice Replay Value
-Fun Challenge
- BAD POINTS
-Mediocre Sound In Some Ways
-Perhaps Too much Like Crash 1
Again, much like the first, this game gets a Seifer Guarantee!
9/10
//Seifer psx
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