Blaster Master Zero 2 is a triumph of the original. This sequel can be enjoyed by new players while still keeping fans interested in the series. The pacing of the game is excellent, as is its difficulty management and introduction of new mechanics that make for an engaging experience with variety throughout. Nevertheless there are some issues with clarity or frustrating sections which might hamper enjoyment for certain people with this game. What sets Blaster Master Zero 2 apart from other titles though is how well it combines old ideas alongside new ones so that anyone can have fun playing it!
I played this all the way through when it came out, and after replaying the first Zero game for the third time, I thought I'd try this one again for the second. Welp, I forgot most of it, because it's mostly forgettable and it can get incredibly frustrating quite often.
I love the idea of trying to replicate the thrill of an old NES game, but in reality, it's really hard to do right. The first Zero worked because it was just polish on what was already a competent game. Some things were streamlined as there were more buttons to use and greater processing power, but the maps, avatars, and creatures generally stayed the same. They moved at the same pace, they had the same behavior, and because it worked 35 years ago, it continues to work now.
But with Zero 2, they attempted to create new levels, new creatures, and new rules, but unfortunately didn't change the avatars enough to make the clashes work. Jason still moves like a turd, but some of the new creatures now move faster, or there will be an unfair number on the screen and they all can shoot, and they shoot often. So instead of having the space and ability to plan out how to react (because Jason can't run, you need that space), you have to mash the dodge button and hope you get enough parries off to clear enough of the screen away to get some breathing room.
The car just drives and jumps with that satisfying heft, but now you have to fight other cars, and they can shoot faster than you and hit harder than you. These battles turn into ones of attrition, as you repeat the same moves in a cycle, firing off shots conservatively, which isn't inherently bad, but this should last 3-5 cycles, not 20-30.
There's a neat story in here, where Jason and Eve meet other cars with drivers and robots, but it is reduced down to a handful. This one is a Japanese farmer swordsman, this one is a plant lady (with plant boobs), this one is a WWII soldier guy, and of course, none of them will listen to Jason until after a dumb fight.
It's exhausting and frustrating, and it really dampens the fun in the car exploration. I put this down in the second half of the split planet in favor of something else. I'm not sure if I'll ever pick it up again or if I'll pick up the third one or not.
It's not a wash, it's not terrible, it's mostly fun, but the parts that aren't fun are REALLY not fun. It's a bummer.
I love the idea of trying to replicate the thrill of an old NES game, but in reality, it's really hard to do right. The first Zero worked because it was just polish on what was already a competent game. Some things were streamlined as there were more buttons to use and greater processing power, but the maps, avatars, and creatures generally stayed the same. They moved at the same pace, they had the same behavior, and because it worked 35 years ago, it continues to work now.
But with Zero 2, they attempted to create new levels, new creatures, and new rules, but unfortunately didn't change the avatars enough to make the clashes work. Jason still moves like a turd, but some of the new creatures now move faster, or there will be an unfair number on the screen and they all can shoot, and they shoot often. So instead of having the space and ability to plan out how to react (because Jason can't run, you need that space), you have to mash the dodge button and hope you get enough parries off to clear enough of the screen away to get some breathing room.
The car just drives and jumps with that satisfying heft, but now you have to fight other cars, and they can shoot faster than you and hit harder than you. These battles turn into ones of attrition, as you repeat the same moves in a cycle, firing off shots conservatively, which isn't inherently bad, but this should last 3-5 cycles, not 20-30.
There's a neat story in here, where Jason and Eve meet other cars with drivers and robots, but it is reduced down to a handful. This one is a Japanese farmer swordsman, this one is a plant lady (with plant boobs), this one is a WWII soldier guy, and of course, none of them will listen to Jason until after a dumb fight.
It's exhausting and frustrating, and it really dampens the fun in the car exploration. I put this down in the second half of the split planet in favor of something else. I'm not sure if I'll ever pick it up again or if I'll pick up the third one or not.
It's not a wash, it's not terrible, it's mostly fun, but the parts that aren't fun are REALLY not fun. It's a bummer.
It took me just over 10 hours to complete Blaster Master Zero 2 including the true ending. I definitely enjoyed my time with it, even if this review pointed out all the negatives in Blaster Master Zero 2, I still absolutely loved it. It has become one of my new favorite Switch games and I’ll always recommend it to those looking for a game to play. Do I recommend Blaster Master Zero 2 to those who haven’t played the original or a Blaster Master game before? I very much do.
What you'd expect from a sequel: more of what made the first good, with refined systems, more expansive levels, a wider variety of stages, and greater use of the overworld map and the way the various pieces fit together.
They basically tried to do more with every part of the game: the action in the vehicle is more dynamic and varied, the top down sections have way more challenge and variety, and the on foot sections are more elaborate. I think they were all successful, though the on foot sections got rather frustrating. I also ran into a soft lock by saving while on foot in a place it turns out you can't get out of, so watch out.
Sill need to play #3, but if it's as good as this one, it should be a lot of fun.
They basically tried to do more with every part of the game: the action in the vehicle is more dynamic and varied, the top down sections have way more challenge and variety, and the on foot sections are more elaborate. I think they were all successful, though the on foot sections got rather frustrating. I also ran into a soft lock by saving while on foot in a place it turns out you can't get out of, so watch out.
Sill need to play #3, but if it's as good as this one, it should be a lot of fun.
Bit of the case of The Sequels with this one: Much more fleshed out, distinct, and interesting than the first game on one end, more bloated and annoying on the other.
First off, I like that the game moves away from being on a single planet and has you flying around the universe and going on different planets, it works well as a big sequel expansion type of move. Does genuinely make the game feel quite a bit bigger in scope and allows for lots of little smaller levels and challenges to populate the game. And it also makes backtracking less annoying, when it was definitely a bit of a pain in the first game when you had to go back for all the upgrades. (You at least don't have to do that for the good ending here, though there's definitely a fair amount of fetch quests involved.)
Also, considering how much this game relies on SP for weapons and movement, it was a smart decision to introduce the "large falls refill SP" system, which helps keep things moving and allows the level designers to lay things out in such a way where they can be confident that the player will have SP.
That said, my main gripe with this game is that there is quite an increase in really annoying and frustrating bits. The game is generally more difficult than the first one by a good margin, which does make a bit more engaging, but sometimes that crosses over into the game just being a bit too fiddly and annoying. (Fuck that planet that's just jumping across ladders. Or that goddamn planet boss fight just before the endgame that I swear took me half an hour to whittle down its health.) Also I'm not 100% sure on why but I just found Straga to be genuinely exhausting to navigate, somehow moreso than the planet that had instant kills everywhere and required you to literally cross the entire universe just to get to the other side of it.
Also, there's a real disappointing lack of bonus side modes in this game compared to the previous one. No hard mode, no new game plus, no boss rush, no weird-ass multiplayer versus mode...I think a lot of that was added in updates to the original, so I guess that's why, but still, it'd be nice if some of that carried over.
Still, whatever gripes I have with this game, it's not for nothing that I actually had things to say about it this time. After the first game all I could really muster was "well, that was pretty fun." Which I guess shows this is at least a more distinguished game. Even the plot's pretty decent and has some fun, weird little characters. There's even a Vegeta-esq dickhead character. Always a plus.
Oh, uh, also, why is this game so much hornier than the last one now? Eve just grows a giant pair of tits out of nowhere, and there's a character who LITERALLY has melons coming out of her chest. Kinda bizarre considering the first game wasn't like this and there weren't any new artists brought on or anything like with Xenoblade 2. This isn't a criticism or anything, just a bit weird and funny.
First off, I like that the game moves away from being on a single planet and has you flying around the universe and going on different planets, it works well as a big sequel expansion type of move. Does genuinely make the game feel quite a bit bigger in scope and allows for lots of little smaller levels and challenges to populate the game. And it also makes backtracking less annoying, when it was definitely a bit of a pain in the first game when you had to go back for all the upgrades. (You at least don't have to do that for the good ending here, though there's definitely a fair amount of fetch quests involved.)
Also, considering how much this game relies on SP for weapons and movement, it was a smart decision to introduce the "large falls refill SP" system, which helps keep things moving and allows the level designers to lay things out in such a way where they can be confident that the player will have SP.
That said, my main gripe with this game is that there is quite an increase in really annoying and frustrating bits. The game is generally more difficult than the first one by a good margin, which does make a bit more engaging, but sometimes that crosses over into the game just being a bit too fiddly and annoying. (Fuck that planet that's just jumping across ladders. Or that goddamn planet boss fight just before the endgame that I swear took me half an hour to whittle down its health.) Also I'm not 100% sure on why but I just found Straga to be genuinely exhausting to navigate, somehow moreso than the planet that had instant kills everywhere and required you to literally cross the entire universe just to get to the other side of it.
Also, there's a real disappointing lack of bonus side modes in this game compared to the previous one. No hard mode, no new game plus, no boss rush, no weird-ass multiplayer versus mode...I think a lot of that was added in updates to the original, so I guess that's why, but still, it'd be nice if some of that carried over.
Still, whatever gripes I have with this game, it's not for nothing that I actually had things to say about it this time. After the first game all I could really muster was "well, that was pretty fun." Which I guess shows this is at least a more distinguished game. Even the plot's pretty decent and has some fun, weird little characters. There's even a Vegeta-esq dickhead character. Always a plus.
Oh, uh, also, why is this game so much hornier than the last one now? Eve just grows a giant pair of tits out of nowhere, and there's a character who LITERALLY has melons coming out of her chest. Kinda bizarre considering the first game wasn't like this and there weren't any new artists brought on or anything like with Xenoblade 2. This isn't a criticism or anything, just a bit weird and funny.
This sequel has a much stronger quality in level design, since the areas are divided into condensed levels with their own gimmicks and characters to make each section of the game feel more special. There are also some gameplay improvements, but the parts where you have to walk out of the tank in the open are still as annoying as ever. On the other hand, the top-down sections are way better now. I also really like the boss battles, since they don't die as quickly and are way more fun than in the previous title.
While going from planet to planet seems cool at first, it quickly becomes a little tiresome, as you're just watching the same skippable cutscene of going through the wormholes over and over. There's a screen that you need to come from the other side and you must go through all the other areas, from one wormhole to another, until you eventually get to the one that's linked to the same screen as before, which makes me scream in my head "why do they have to make me lose my time like this??". To give it credit, this essentially gets rid of the backtracking problem in most metroidvanias, but in a sort of a cheap way. I just wish there was a menu level selector or something. Maybe it'd betray the "classic NES" feel of the game, though.
Gameplay-wise, this is undoubtely the most enjoyable entry in the series, as far as I'm concerned. I'm so glad they decided to bring back Blaster Master and then give us such a great follow-up. This proves that, sometimes, making sequels for old stuff can be a good thing.
Gameplay: A
Level design: A
Visuals: A
Music: A
Difficulty: Medium
While going from planet to planet seems cool at first, it quickly becomes a little tiresome, as you're just watching the same skippable cutscene of going through the wormholes over and over. There's a screen that you need to come from the other side and you must go through all the other areas, from one wormhole to another, until you eventually get to the one that's linked to the same screen as before, which makes me scream in my head "why do they have to make me lose my time like this??". To give it credit, this essentially gets rid of the backtracking problem in most metroidvanias, but in a sort of a cheap way. I just wish there was a menu level selector or something. Maybe it'd betray the "classic NES" feel of the game, though.
Gameplay-wise, this is undoubtely the most enjoyable entry in the series, as far as I'm concerned. I'm so glad they decided to bring back Blaster Master and then give us such a great follow-up. This proves that, sometimes, making sequels for old stuff can be a good thing.
Gameplay: A
Level design: A
Visuals: A
Music: A
Difficulty: Medium
All the design subtlety of a LEGO Duplo set. "Ooooh lookout for the icky square - don't touch it you'll take damage!" Some telegraphing is fine but sheesh -- when you can play the entire screen in your head at first glance, what's the point in going through the motions?
The first Zero retained some of the mystery and opaqueness of the original Blaster Master to its benefit. That's entirely gone here.
Pointless dialogue, weird side-characters, unmemorable music, and unintuitive tools.
The first Zero retained some of the mystery and opaqueness of the original Blaster Master to its benefit. That's entirely gone here.
Pointless dialogue, weird side-characters, unmemorable music, and unintuitive tools.
Corrupted Eve, my beloved
Definitely the most all-around good game in the trilogy. Aside from some asinine level design decisions here and there, the game flows so much better than the first and just generally feels smoother to play. The top down sections are also way better too so props for that.
Eve is poisoned, so there's less conversation with her. Boo.
Otherwise, I thought this was a good sequel that built upon the previous game nicely, gameplaywise.
Otherwise, I thought this was a good sequel that built upon the previous game nicely, gameplaywise.
This feels like the first game with a lot more polish and care taken into it. Happy to be able to give this series a chance. Here's hoping the third game is even better.
I liked how they expanded from the first game, but I didn’t care much for the story. The real ending can be a little tedious and the final boss battle is kind of underwhelming.
Still this is better than the first one, i like inti creates
Still this is better than the first one, i like inti creates
Oh shit.
It’s always nice when you can tell a studio learned from the shortcomings of an earlier game in the series
Plant Lady boobs
Un excellent petit jeu indé.
Zero 2 is an excellent example of a sequel. It's not content to be an improved version of the first, instead adding so many changes to the gameplay and structure that it feels entirely new.
Starting with the sidescrolling action, the controls feel a bit tighter. But the biggest change is that the environments are far more varied in the obstacles they present, and have some very clever use of hopping in and out of the tank.
Top-Down action is far improved as well. The new counter option makes combat more dynamic, and one of the counters is a dash move that makes moving around more fun. This added on top of improved weapons, far better boss fights, and more interesting gimmicks makes these a huge highlight compared to the slightly dull sections present in the original.
The structure is now about flying through space to different planets, which results in a much faster pace and greater variety. It's about the same length as the original, but feels twice as long thanks to how much more stuff happens here.
The story has seen an uptick as well. The stakes and goals are more clearly defined, and the new characters are a fun addition. Jason and Eve's dynamic gets a lot more time to shine, and they stay a very likable protagonist duo.
Music and visuals are improved, although a bit less obviously. Jason's sprites are much better, and his new design features a cape that gives his movement a bit more visual interest. Some sequences, especially near the end, are given a lot of visual flourish that really sells it.
All in all, a shining example of a great sequel. Taking the solid base of the original and cranking up the speed and complexity makes this one of Inti Create's best.
Starting with the sidescrolling action, the controls feel a bit tighter. But the biggest change is that the environments are far more varied in the obstacles they present, and have some very clever use of hopping in and out of the tank.
Top-Down action is far improved as well. The new counter option makes combat more dynamic, and one of the counters is a dash move that makes moving around more fun. This added on top of improved weapons, far better boss fights, and more interesting gimmicks makes these a huge highlight compared to the slightly dull sections present in the original.
The structure is now about flying through space to different planets, which results in a much faster pace and greater variety. It's about the same length as the original, but feels twice as long thanks to how much more stuff happens here.
The story has seen an uptick as well. The stakes and goals are more clearly defined, and the new characters are a fun addition. Jason and Eve's dynamic gets a lot more time to shine, and they stay a very likable protagonist duo.
Music and visuals are improved, although a bit less obviously. Jason's sprites are much better, and his new design features a cape that gives his movement a bit more visual interest. Some sequences, especially near the end, are given a lot of visual flourish that really sells it.
All in all, a shining example of a great sequel. Taking the solid base of the original and cranking up the speed and complexity makes this one of Inti Create's best.
Better than the first, though not by much. The story in these games are so bad, but it's by Inti, so that's a given. Love the art and the tank gameplay.