Strider 2 (PS1, 2000)
Graphics-8.5 Sound-7.5 Control-8 Challenge-6* Story-? (JP ver.)
Level Design-7 Frustration-6.5* Fun-7.5 Originality-6
Overall Score-7.5
*Getting a good rank is much harder
+
Fast paced (run while attacking, running double jumps, fast rate of fire/swing)
Boost power
Slide move (slide through most enemies, you can now back flip out of a slide unlike in the prequel)
Better climbing and wall jumping controls
Mini-bosses
Some good bosses (chasing tank, ghost knight, chopper, the duke, transforming scientists, Hien)
Cool set pieces
Good variation (action sometimes zooms out for more tactical segments)
Upgradeable lifebar and sword (only one level for the latter though and it's lost when you're hit)
Hidden items
Some alternate paths
Somewhat comical (slapstick, quirky)
Good art direction and animation overall, Nice anime stills between stages where voice actors tell the story
Difficulty and control options (unfortunately doesn't affect enemy behavior or projectile speeds this time)
Choose your starting level (pick between three missions, more missions are unlocked as you play, the difficulty is adjusted according to which one is picked first)
Respawn on the spot
Ranking system (A-F?)
Unlockables (stage select, stage 0, Strider Hien - new rival character)
Auto-fire/swing (optional, makes the game easier)
Midi-Giri - spin slash in mid-air (down, up, attack - does good damage and provides short invincibility)
Includes Strider 1 arcade version with (optional) remixed music
+/-
Unlimited continues (affects rank when used though)
Plenty of in-game cutscenes (for mini-boss introductions mostly)
Huge arrows telling you where to go (sometimes helps when you're being chased, sometimes unnecessary)
Blends sprites and 3D models (looks pretty good for the most part)
Can't aim your swings (such as upwards like in Chakan, swings hit somewhat randomly to either side but can still hit stuff diagonally if it's nearby)
Time limits
Mission briefings (they look cool but are pretty much unnecessary)
Added HP doesn't carry over to the next mission
First stage theme sounds a lot like Talk Talk's "It's My Life"
-
Some control issues (sometimes sloppy hit detection (easily abused when close to the axe knights), boost sometimes reduces your rate of fire considerably, in-game cutscenes can't be skipped (mostly redundant/unexciting), run move is set to double tap (could've been mapped to its own button, somewhat easy to run by accident), can't steer in mid-air when doing a diving jump from a wall/ceiling)
Slowdown (even affects input responsiveness)
Uneven difficulty (the master is pretty easy here, mission 4 is unusually easy for the most part, easy minelayer mini-boss, some bosses take very long to kill)
Odd transitions (both between scenes and after some in-game cutscenes)
Much easier on default settings than the prequel (falling down a pit only takes away one HP for example)
Some trial & error (final boss super attack, some inconsistency about which walls can be climbed and how movement directions work in some rooms (anti-grav room boss), boss patterns, quick attacks, a few leaps of faith - can't look down)
Some re-used segments are worse than in the prequel (chase scene down a snowy slope for example)
Some sprites look a bit pixelated when the action is zoomed in
Hiryu's attack sound gets annoying after a while and is too loud
Missing the gun pods and robo-panther (?) from the prequel
Lack of alternate attacks besides the boost (shoots slow homing projectiles) and a spin attack mid-jump
A bit short (five missions)
Doesn't really take advantage of the fact that its backgrounds are in 3D that much (no multi-plane gameplay or attacks from/into the background (see Shinobi or Wario Virtual Land) - only one instance of the latter)
Notes:
-The arcade game is from 1999
Level Design-7 Frustration-6.5* Fun-7.5 Originality-6
Overall Score-7.5
*Getting a good rank is much harder
+
Fast paced (run while attacking, running double jumps, fast rate of fire/swing)
Boost power
Slide move (slide through most enemies, you can now back flip out of a slide unlike in the prequel)
Better climbing and wall jumping controls
Mini-bosses
Some good bosses (chasing tank, ghost knight, chopper, the duke, transforming scientists, Hien)
Cool set pieces
Good variation (action sometimes zooms out for more tactical segments)
Upgradeable lifebar and sword (only one level for the latter though and it's lost when you're hit)
Hidden items
Some alternate paths
Somewhat comical (slapstick, quirky)
Good art direction and animation overall, Nice anime stills between stages where voice actors tell the story
Difficulty and control options (unfortunately doesn't affect enemy behavior or projectile speeds this time)
Choose your starting level (pick between three missions, more missions are unlocked as you play, the difficulty is adjusted according to which one is picked first)
Respawn on the spot
Ranking system (A-F?)
Unlockables (stage select, stage 0, Strider Hien - new rival character)
Auto-fire/swing (optional, makes the game easier)
Midi-Giri - spin slash in mid-air (down, up, attack - does good damage and provides short invincibility)
Includes Strider 1 arcade version with (optional) remixed music
+/-
Unlimited continues (affects rank when used though)
Plenty of in-game cutscenes (for mini-boss introductions mostly)
Huge arrows telling you where to go (sometimes helps when you're being chased, sometimes unnecessary)
Blends sprites and 3D models (looks pretty good for the most part)
Can't aim your swings (such as upwards like in Chakan, swings hit somewhat randomly to either side but can still hit stuff diagonally if it's nearby)
Time limits
Mission briefings (they look cool but are pretty much unnecessary)
Added HP doesn't carry over to the next mission
First stage theme sounds a lot like Talk Talk's "It's My Life"
-
Some control issues (sometimes sloppy hit detection (easily abused when close to the axe knights), boost sometimes reduces your rate of fire considerably, in-game cutscenes can't be skipped (mostly redundant/unexciting), run move is set to double tap (could've been mapped to its own button, somewhat easy to run by accident), can't steer in mid-air when doing a diving jump from a wall/ceiling)
Slowdown (even affects input responsiveness)
Uneven difficulty (the master is pretty easy here, mission 4 is unusually easy for the most part, easy minelayer mini-boss, some bosses take very long to kill)
Odd transitions (both between scenes and after some in-game cutscenes)
Much easier on default settings than the prequel (falling down a pit only takes away one HP for example)
Some trial & error (final boss super attack, some inconsistency about which walls can be climbed and how movement directions work in some rooms (anti-grav room boss), boss patterns, quick attacks, a few leaps of faith - can't look down)
Some re-used segments are worse than in the prequel (chase scene down a snowy slope for example)
Some sprites look a bit pixelated when the action is zoomed in
Hiryu's attack sound gets annoying after a while and is too loud
Missing the gun pods and robo-panther (?) from the prequel
Lack of alternate attacks besides the boost (shoots slow homing projectiles) and a spin attack mid-jump
A bit short (five missions)
Doesn't really take advantage of the fact that its backgrounds are in 3D that much (no multi-plane gameplay or attacks from/into the background (see Shinobi or Wario Virtual Land) - only one instance of the latter)
Notes:
-The arcade game is from 1999