8-Aug-2001 There's no Lara, but Core's new action-adventure is still being eagerly awaited. STUART DREDGE tries to restrain his disappointment
You might think that Tomb Raider's immense, worldwide success is purely down to the gravity-defying assets of Lara Croft. You'd be partly right, too - think of the acres of mainstream coverage the last instalment has been getting in lads' mags recently. However, you don't get millions of sales merely from judicious helpings of tits'n'ass. When the first Tomb Raider came out, it was a genuinely innovative game, and its sequels have always been polished, even if the series seems now to be running out of steam.
Anyway, the point is that while there's still no sign of a Lara game on Dreamcast, the news that Core have developed a different third-person action/adventure for us is bound to get a lot of people quite excited. And the fact that Fighting Force 2's prequel sold more than a million copies on PlayStation also bodes well. By rights, FF2 should be fantastic. Unfortunately, it's not, but we'll get to just why later on.
First things first: Fighting Force 2 ain't much like its predecessor. The original was a side-scrolling two player beat 'em up, along the lines of Double Dragon, whereas FF2 is a third-person action adventure with no multiplayer mode. It's a bit like Tomb Raider, in fact, except skewed more towards the beat 'em up elements rather than puzzles and traps.
You play Hawk Manson, a rugged member of SI-COPS, a 21st-century pan-Continental police force that was set up to wage war on international corporate crime. Your mission is to delve into the heart of the sinister Nakamichi Corporation, which is illegally seeking to produce deadly cloned soldiers. Why? To take over the world, of course - what else do sinister international corporations do? As Hawk, it's down to you to stop them.
As far as gameplay goes, Fighting Force 2 is easy to get the hang of. You scoot around the levels using the analogue pad, eliminating any Nakamichi minions that you find on the way. You can either fight with your bare hands or with one of the many weapons you pick up - guns, knives, iron bars and so on.
When you get hold of the various guns, you can stroll around blasting foes away, or switch to a Goldeneye-esque sniper mode. The screen zooms in, and you direct your aim to pinpoint the bad guys. It's an advantage, but this isn't a game where you get unlimited ammo - concentrate on shooting, and you'll run out.
However, fighting hand-to-hand builds up your 'rage meter', which makes your attacks more powerful. It's not just a case of simple punches and kicks either - it's simple to execute spin kicks, overhead punches and forward rolls. With all the guns having limited ammo, you'll often find the need to be a bit handy with your fists to progress.
Seen it all before
But let's cut to the chase: In theory, Fighting Force 2 isn't fun to play. Or, to be even more blunt, it's just plain dull. With the puzzle-solving elements kept to a minimum, it really is just a case of yomping round the levels wasting enemies, collecting weapons and occasionally finding keys to get through locked doors. Okay, so that's pretty much the definition of an action adventure, but there's just not enough variety to keep you interested even short-term.
Then there are the enemies. They're supposed to be more intelligent than yer average game baddie. In fact, according to the publicity, as you play they're supposed to follow you round, take cover and change their fighting style according to yours. That's what they're supposed to do. The reality is somewhat different.
Often, even when you've just shot up a couple of bad guys and blown down a door, the enemies in the next room will stroll around ignoring you. It's only when you get close that they actually react. Often, it's possible to just hang around the doorway and pick them off with the sniper mode. It's true that enemies do sometimes try to hide, but only in the way that four year olds do when playing hide'n'seek - there's always a stray limb poking out.
SMASH IT ALL UP
There are good points - like the way you can destroy pretty much every piece of furniture in the levels. Rampaging around deserted offices smashing computer screens and totalling photocopiers is certainly a good laugh, and it helps you earn money to pay for extra continues too. That said, this is let down by the fact that when you use a continue, you start right back at the beginning of the stage.
Looks-wise, FF2 is okay. It does look better than the PlayStation version, but it still looks like a PlayStation game. The graphics are nice and sharp, but even though the levels are pretty varied, none of the screens are going to have your jaw hitting the ground. Technically, it's not terrible by any means, but it's definitely no showstopper.
Without wishing to be nasty, Fighting Force 2 is a real disappointment, particularly given Core's high-quality track record in this genre. But, if anything, FF2 just doesn't push Dreamcast's capabilities, and it's not fun to play. Even if you're desperately searching for a good Tomb Raider clone, you won't find one here. There are plenty of other third-person action adventures on the horizon and you'd really do better to wait for them.
// Overview
Verdict
DULL ACTION ADVENTURE THAT LEAVES YOU SNORING
Uppers
Smashing stuff is fun
Downers
Disappointing enemy AI Looks like a PlayStation game Monotonous gameplay
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Smashing stuff is fun
