Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2
Now up to 4 players can not see where they are going
Tags: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2 Categories: Game Cube Reviews, Reviews
Posted by Daniel "monk" Pelfrey on Nov 23rd, 2004
| Title | Players | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2 (title page) | 1 - 4 | ||
| Developer | Publisher | Genre | Online |
| Action | No | ||
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To say that the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: Battle Nexus game is a disappointing follow-up would be a mistake. The problem with the game is that it feels like a rushed sequel in order to cash in on market timing (holiday shopping) rather than actually being a true sequel. You can’t fault Konami for wanting to capitalize on the time of year with what is a solid license. You can fault the publisher (and developer) for pushing a game out that doesn’t fix all the problems that were very evident in the first game.
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There is definite effort put forth to make this the game that should have been – it just wasn’t enough this time around. Unlike last time, up to 4 players can join in on the action, each taking control of a turtle. Each of theses mutants not only have their own special attacks, but a specific ability that will help to get through each level (such as floating a short distance over a gap to flip a switch, or bashing through a particularly tough door). When fewer than 4 players are present, the players that are there have the ability to switch out with the other turtles, giving full access to each ability.
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Actually seeing all 4 turtles, or even 2 can be a problem however, as the camera still sucks. No, it’s not bad, it sucks. It is cramped, awkward, immovable, and doesn’t help players at all. There are times, particularly when there are more than 2 turtles on the screen at once, when it is impossible to see enough of what is up ahead to prevent either falling over a ledge or getting hit by an enemy off-screen. Personally, I would have rather had a working camera than access to all 4 turtles.
The story is ripped directly from the latest series of cartoons – so much so that certain cutscenes utilize animation from the show. Something happened in the compression, and these portions of the game look somewhat fuzzy – like old VHS tapes.
In-game graphics however are good, with a cel-shaded style to them, lending further credence to the game’s story being ripped directly from the cartoon. Unlike the cartoon though, TMNT 2 isn’t very linear. While this would typically be a good thing, being able to vary the path and missions available isn’t a smart move when a continuity issue crops up like it does in the TMNT universe.
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The sound is good – the voice acting uses the cast, but lines are repeated far too often. Sound effects are decent, and the music is… well, it just is. Nothing to enhance the overall score or detract from it in this department.
The puzzles are at times inventive (or at least decent enough not to be annoying) but jump switches can’t work if the player is unable to view them. There are some nice changes (like snowboarding) but overall this is an area where less platform style shenanigans and more ninja butt-kicking would have come in handy.
Ah – the ninja style butt-kicking. That’s the real reason why anybody would like to get this, right? There is a wealth of action/fighting games starring ninjas, but how many of them are teenage mutants? Sadly, there doesn’t seem to be a lot in this department either. Perhaps because the game is skewing for a slightly younger audience with the platform style gameplay emphasis, but a slightly deeper fighting engine would have been seriously welcomed.
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There are a variety of items to unlock as play progresses: outfits, concept drawings, etc. The biggest unlockable however is the original TMNT arcade game. Sadly, this is perhaps the best reason to pick this title up, as the gameplay still holds up, and with the lousy camera (and inherent control issues that result) in the new offering, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2: Battle Nexus isn’t a good enough of a game on its own to be a recommended purchase, except by the most absolute die-hard of fans.
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Perhaps if the game was released a few months earlier as the cartoon’s latest season was premiering, or as the season ends (maybe with a little more work on the camera) then it would seem like a game that was trying to really work the license, rather than a game that was being shoehorned into an already crowded holiday calendar.
| What Works | Score |
|---|---|
|
+ It's the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, dude! + Original arcade game included + Good graphical style |
4.2 |
| What Doesn't | |
|
- Camera works against the players - Too many unlockables that don't feel worth the effort - No depth in the fighting - What happened to the clips from the show - ew |
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| Under the Shrink-wrap | |
| For serious turtle-heads only. | |
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Tags: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2
Posted by Daniel "monk" Pelfrey on Nov 23rd, 2004 and is filed under Game Cube Reviews, Reviews. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can post a comment, or trackback from your own site.
