Post-Mortem: Zone Of the Enders: The 2nd Runner

Zone Of the Enders: The 2nd Runner
PS2, 2003

The first Zone Of the Enders game was one of the first titles available for the shiny new PS2. Directed by Hideo Kojima, the legend behind the Metal Gear Solid games, it was a solid enough mech action game, with fast-paced action, great visuals and spot-on controls. It also did pretty well commerically, although it's likely that the limited software library available for the PS2 at the time - and the fact that it came bundled with a demo of Metal Gear Solid 2 - had more to do with it's success than the game itself. In many respects, it was Kojima-san's "other" project, and suffered as a result - the ending was abrupt, the game short and borderline repetitive, and had little in the way of replay value. While I am a huge fan of anime and mecha, I must admit the game did leave me, in all honesty, feeling a little bit cheated.

So it's no bad thing The 2nd Runner is probably the epitome of the term "sequel". It takes the original and improves on pretty much everything. The story is more complete, the action is tighter, there is more variety. This is the game the first one should have been.

Set a few years after the first game, the story this time follows Dingo Egret, a war veteran now living as a miner on Callisto. He discovers a mysterious container abandoned on the surface. Inside is the Orbital Frame (giant robot) Jehuty, from the first game, which he promptly comandeers to protect his friends from the evil Bahram forces. From there the plot takes several twists and turns through a combination of anime cutscenes and conversations from the cockpit, which flesh out the various characters and make them that bit more human. Dingo, the soldier who's seen it all before, is seen to become attatched to those he would call "allies" through a series of loose bonds formed more through nessecity than anything else. Ken, the woman who "hires" Dingo, is not at all what she initially appears to be, and her motivations and feelings become clear as the game progresses. An older and marginally less whiny Leo makes a comeback from the first game, as does another - whos return is both a suprising and, thankfully, an reasonably explained one. Jehuty's AI, ADA, even becomes something of a thematic centrepiece to the story as it searches to define what "life" is, and whether or not ADA is in fact "alive". It's pretty engaging, and all the characters are well voiced - even if they do have to read some of the most laughable dialogue since Megaman started talking.

The actual gameplay is thick and fast, often with dozens of enemies to face at the same time. Jehuty is capable of a surprising number of maneuvers, all of which are easy to pull off thanks to an incredibly intuitive control system. You can fire single or multiple shots, launch a huge ball of energy or use one of a number of subweapons you gain access to as you progress through the game. Or you can close in and slash at the enemy with the sword attatched to it's arm. You can even pick up objects or grab enemies, and either use them as a weapon or shield, or throw them against other enemies or a nearby wall. The lock-on system is well implemented, and you can target and fire on dozens of enemies at the same time, while the camera follows the main target. Sometimes, though you can't seem to target the thing you want, or the camera can get a bit too close to Jehuty, especially in enclosed areas. On the whole though, it works well enough to only be a slight nusiance, and even then only an occasional one.

One of the problems with the first game was that it was all set on the same colony, and as a result the majority of areas were a variation on the urban theme, which began to blend together and feel a bit samey after a while. This, too, has been addressed. ZOE2 has a much broader set of locales, ranging from the ice-covered canyons of Callisto to the rocky red surface of Mars, while making stops inside massive battleships, in high in the sky, as well as the familiar cities. It all looks great though, with a vibrant graphical style that borders on cell-shading and a diverse pallete of colours. The animation is also top-notch, with fluid movement and surprisingly human characteristics to the orbital frames.

Acompanying the action is a soundtrack that always perfectly complements what's happening on screen. Although leaning towards a techno beat, there are a suprisingly diverese selection of other styles used. Frenzied melodies accompany boss fights, quiet piano pieces are played during emotional exchanges between characters, the J-pop theme song is redone as a bombastic arrangement during a mission to shoot down several massive battleships. There are even a few themes remixed from the original, as well as a theme from Gradius when you encounter the Vic Viper, the ship from that game. During battle, Dingo may pass the odd comment - and someone may even respond - but there are enough samples that they don't get repetitive or feel overused. It all works extremely well, and helps to solidify the feeling that you are in fact playing through a giant robot anime.

It's not without its faults, however. Somewhere along the line the idea of being able to choose which area to go to next was ditched in favour of a more linear approach. While this may suit the story a little better, I did miss feeling like I was the one controlling events, deciding whether or not to try and save some civlilians. The main campain is still rather short, with only around seven hours worth of play. Having said that, the fact that there are a ton of extra missions that can be unlocked by collecting items in the main campaign means there is ample reason to keep coming back.

When all is said and done, this is a fine action title that perfectly captures the feel of mecha anime. It has been announced that Kojima-san will not be working on the new MGS game, so I can't help finding myself hopeful that his new project will be a new ZOE game (wishful thinking, I know, but leave me alone). Now, if only Bandai could make a Gundam game like this...