Anime [PS2]Zone of the Enders.

[Kz3r0]

A first attempt to create a playable anime, on the Playstation 2 nonetheless, features all the elements of the genre, Mecha, angsty kid, pseudophilosophy combined with metagaming Kojima style, that was the director of the project.
While the cutscenes live up to anime graphics the in-game engine shows barren landscapes and low polycounts, the norm on this console, especially the first titles.
The real novelty is the fact that the mission entail saving civilians and not only destroy enemies, particular attention is given to avoid collateral damages, watch where you shoot and where you throw your enemies, yes, you can grab them and use them as shield or throw them against pillars and walls to destroy them.
The levels and missions are varied enough and try to expand on all the three dimensions, this usually means that you have to use the lock-on target to hit enemies above you.
A note for people interested in this kind of things, the final boss battle can be 'won', meaning that you will lose by cutscene instead to get beaten down.
All in all an interesting game with some neat idea that reamins an unicum in its genre, truly recommended.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zone_of_the_Enders_(video_game)

The first game was successful enough to warrant a sequel, this time the graphics gets a noticeable improvement and the emofagottry gets toned down, there is less variety tho and the level design is slightly worse.
The real shining moment however is the skirmish between the two armies with tens of enemies an allies on screen without any drop in the framerate, what makes the battle interesting, Mecha factor aside, is the possibility to heal your allies by grabbing them and charging them, you can always focus on killing opponents if this is not your cup of tea.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zone_of_the_Enders:_The_2nd_Runner

Unfortunately seems that the series won't continue, a pity, more reason to play two games that are a rarity on their own.

 

[WhiskeyWolf]

Oh it will continue, as soon as Kojima stops milking MGS for all it's worth.

Can't exactly say I'm against it.

 

[Vaarna_Aarne]

2nd Runner remains the only game I played through from start to finish simply because I could not stop playing it but had to just see what comes next.

 

[deuxhero]

Oh it will continue, as soon as Kojima stops milking MGS for all it's worth.

Can't exactly say I'm against it.

Sad thing is Kojima goes back and forth between trying to kill Metal Gear so he doesn't have to make more of them, and trying to return the franchise to its former glory after the failed attempt at destroying it.

 

[Corporate_Jew_Master]

2nd Runner remains the only game I played through from start to finish simply because I could not stop playing it but had to just see what comes next.

It still remains as one my favorite games.

That fight against Viola on hard, man, what ball twister.

 

[stabby]

Question: Is this one of those cases where it's better to not pass go and go straight to 2nd Runner, or should I at least mosey through the first one as well?

I remember dabbling in them both long, long ago, but I usually hear people go on about the sequel with hardly a word on the other. Kind of like now actually.

 

[lightbane]

I remember there was a special edition of the 2nd Runner that summarized the first game. Get that one if you can, the first one is terribad/mediocre at best.

 

[WhiskeyWolf]

I remember there was a special edition of the 2nd Runner that summarized the first game. Get that one if you can, the first one is terribad/mediocre at best.

The European Version

 

[Drakron]

I remember there was a special edition of the 2nd Runner that summarized the first game. Get that one if you can, the first one is terribad/mediocre at best.

The European Version

That I own and it doesnt, its just the last Boss is actually hard instead of being easy as the NA version.

There is no reason to summarize as the game eventually goes over it, it does not seem much happened in ZoE anyway.

 

[Kz3r0]

Question: Is this one of those cases where it's better to not pass go and go straight to 2nd Runner, or should I at least mosey through the first one as well?

I remember dabbling in them both long, long ago, but I usually hear people go on about the sequel with hardly a word on the other. Kind of like now actually.

Story wise you don't lose much, there is barely any connection between the two games, mostly flavor.
Howver, the first game emphasize the whole save civilians and avoid collateral damages much more, tries to have more variety in missions but has also more boring areas and duller graphics, the second is more combat oriented and cuts on the fluff more, honestly I preferred the first even if technically was sub par, but that is a PS2 problem, the second Improved technically but cut off on ideas, they are practically more proof of concept that a fleshed out franchise.

 

[stabby]

Ah. Now that I thnk of it, I do seem to remember the first game starting out like the ol' Gundam with the innocent colony being the battleground. That may be the reason I didn't find myself going to far into it in the end (Where 2nd Runner was more a case of needing to kill a couple of hours in a local gameshop and being quite impressed).

Well, thanks for the info (if I'm a little late in replying), by the looks of it I need to give the European PS2 catalog a thorough sifting through to see if there's anything else I may enjoy.

 

[WhiskeyWolf]

I remember there was a special edition of the 2nd Runner that summarized the first game. Get that one if you can, the first one is terribad/mediocre at best.

The European Version

That I own and it doesnt, its just the last Boss is actually hard instead of being easy as the NA version.

You call me a lair, Sir?

I demand satisfaction.

 

[Corporate_Jew_Master]

Inbefore

DIIIIIIINGOOOOOOOOOOO

 

[Ezekiel]

Are the PC ports so buggy that one should opt for PS2 emulation? I forgot that I once wanted to play The 2nd Runner.

 

[flyingjohn]

Are the PC ports so buggy that one should opt for PS2 emulation? I forgot that I once wanted to play The 2nd Runner.

The zoe2 pc port is buggy(mostly audio) but not broken.
Pcsx2 only issue is that the games are resource intensive and the occasional ram and vram spike during save states.
The best option for hd is the ps3 hd collection running on rpcs3.