Login to access exclusive gaming content, win competition prizes
and post on our forums. Don't have an account? Create one now!
Why should you join?
Click here for full benefits!
Follow our Twitter feedHeavy Rain review coming 5pm GMT...
SIGN IN/JOIN UP
GamesForumsCheatsStore
Red Dead Redemption gets pre-order bonuses | Demon's Souls 2 inbound? | New Animal Crossing download available | BioShock has "many stories" to be told, says 2K | Professor Layton dev working on Wii and PS3 games | Yakuza 3 premium edition revealed | Big names sign up for E3 2010 | Resident Evil 5 Gold: Series favs return | FFXIII 360 bundle headed to US | Blizzard shows off new Battle.net | 'Special' Nintendo reveal on Feb 24 | Fallout New Vegas lets you "shape the world" | Aliens vs. Predator close combat video | 3D Dot Game Heroes gets UK date | Battlefield "a better online game" than Modern Warfare 2 | Third Naughty Bear trailer arrives(!) | Diablo III Monk revealed | Uncharted 2 soundtrack released | Google launches Facebook rival | No Dead Space 2 on PC | Ghost Recon: Future Soldier trailer out | Lego Universe beta sign-up open | PixelJunk Shooter sequel looky-likey | Assassin's Creed goes to Rome | LA Noir release window confirmed
All|PC|PlayStation|Xbox|Nintendo|Download PC Games
Search CVG
Computer And Video Games - The latest gaming news, reviews, previews & movies
CVG Home » Reviews
PreviousReviews Index Spider-man DCNext

Fighting Force 2 Review

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
// Interactive
Share this article:  
Digg.comFacebookGoogle BookmarksN4GGamerblips
del.icio.usRedditSlashdot.orgStumbleUpon
 
No comments have been posted yet.Post a Comment
// Screenshots
PreviousNext4 / 4 Screenshots
// FEEL THE FORCE
At least Core have made an effort to ensure that each stage is different. Here's a quick intro to the first task of the game's first five levels.
Steel Mill. It produces prototype samples of a metal that can only be destroyed at 1000ûF and you must destroy it. Doh!
Bio Lab. It's a cover for the Nakamichi Corp, working on cloning technology. Destroy the mainframe and its records.
Tank Factory. This is heavily guarded. Break in through the ventilation shaft system then take out all its personnel.
Polar Base. Carsons Bay was a US weather outpost until 1964. Now the Nakamichi Corp mines there, under a bogus name.
Jungle Base. Here's where the evil corporation plan to launch their Skythunder satellite. You must stop it.
// Related Content
Reviews:
Previews:
More Related
// The Best ofCVG
Click here to subscribe to OXM magazine.
News | Reviews | Previews | Features | Interviews | Cheats | Hardware | Forums | Competitions | Blogs
Top Games: Pro Evolution Soccer | Pro Evolution Soccer 6 | Tomb Raider: Underworld | Metal Gear Solid 4 | Grand Theft Auto IV | Grand Theft Auto IV
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare | LittleBigPlanet | Burnout Paradise | Unreal Tournament III | Halo 3
Top Reviews: BioShock 2 | BioShock 2 | Dante's Inferno | God of War Collection | Assassin's Creed II: Battle of Forli | Mass Effect 2
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers | Dark Void | Army of Two: The 40th Day | PS3 Darksiders | Bayonetta
Copyright 2006 - 2009 Future Publishing Limited,
Beauford Court, 30 Monmouth Street, Bath, UK BA1 2BW
England and Wales company registration number 2008885