The Final Word game review

Actraiser 2 -- Enix

Actraiser 2 is the side-scrolling action sequel to the original RPG/action title. Picking up exactly where the first game left off, players must save numerous villages and towns from hideous demons.

Ferrari Man
After the astonishing screen pictures I saw for this game I expected it to be the hit of the year. But unfortunately, when I actually got into playing the game I realized that it was not a sequel like the first, but instead a slasher "walk and hit" game. The game play was not fantastic, and the story was null. I am not impressed. I would have enjoyed this game had it been a stand-alone much more than having it attempt to be a sequel.

????
This game should have had the simulation in it, like the original. Actraiser 2 just isn't solid enough to stand on its own as an action game. The graphics were very good, however there was quite a bit of flickering. the music was as excellent as it was in its predecessor. Gameplay is where this game suffered. Your character was very hard to control, and to make things worse the collision counter was off. The general difficulty was very hard. The game became a chore very quickly. I believe Enix should stick to making RPG's and Action/RPG's.

Dr. Otto
I remember playing Actraiser back in '92 and loved all 6 hours of it. Somehow, Actraiser 2 falls short of my expectations for a sequel. While it is a bit more difficult and the graphics have been improved upon, I found it tough to get involved in this one. Perhaps it was the music, which was far subdued compared to the dynamic strains of it's precursor, or possibly the control which gave you lots of moves but felt a bit squishy. A good enough game on it's own, but not really sequel material. Worth a look to be sure, but I just didn't see enough to hold my interest for long.

Salamander
Actraiser 2 didn't really excite me. The artwork was good, but the play control was severely lacking. Lack of response left many of the scenes near BF impossible. Collision counters often seemed to be "squared off" and extened much beyond the shape of the enemy. I was anticipating a title more like the original, instead of just another generic action game.

>>>>> 70.5/100 <<<<<		Ferrari Man	????	Dr.Otto	Salamander
Graphics		4.5	4.5	4.5	4.5
Sound		4.0	4.0	4.0	5.0
Gameplay/Control		2.5	3.0	3.0	2.5
Longevity/Playability		2.5	2.0	4.0	2.5
Overall		3.5	3.0	4.0	3.0
Total		17.0	17.5	19.5	16.5

Originally appeared Vol 2, Iss 5 (11-12/94)