Joe Danger 2: The Movie
Score: 85% ESRB: Everyone Publisher: Microsoft Studios Developer: Hello Games Media: Download/1 Players: 1 - 4 (Local) Genre: Action/ Sports
Graphics & Sound: Technically and stylistically, Joe Danger 2: The Movie is almost indistinguishable from the original Joe Danger. It's colorful exuberance the whole way through. The game's movie-making theme carries the art direction to places it might not have gone otherwise, though it takes several detours into well-trodden areas. We've got snow levels, fire levels, robot levels, and everything in between. Luckily, Hello Games gives you more to play with this time around. As far as the ears go, Joe Danger 2: The Movie is pure cornball. The goofy organ background and 70s-era horn sections give the game a lot of character, even if it is completely anachronistic. The announcer is enthusiastic and campy, and he even adds some rhythm to the proceedings. "Duck!" and "Jump!" always come when they should, and it's so spot on that one could conceivably run through some of the earlier tracks with their eyes closed. Joe's whoops and hollers are contagious, and you'll be hard-pressed not to smile when he goes nuts.
Gameplay: Joe Danger 2: The Movie, like its predecessor, belongs to that peculiar subgenre of games that is populated by titles such as Trials and the old NES Excitebike. But there's more to it than that; it often feels like it has more in common with the early Tony Hawk games. You are set on a linear path (occasionally with divergent paths). At the base level, your job is to reach the end before the time runs out and do so with as much style as possible. By completing objectives and performing well, you earn stars, which can be used to unlock future events. What's particularly different about Joe Danger 2: The Movie is its theming. The first game mainly had you going through a series of bike tracks in time and score attacks. With Joe Danger 2: The Movie, there's a bit more context. Joe, being the best stuntman ever, is contracted to put in some heavy duty work on a number of action films. These films largely adhere to classic action movie tropes (cops, adventurers, spies, etc.) but Joe Danger 2: The Movie handles everything with enough charm to make everything feel fresh enough. And there are a ton of new rides this time around, though not all of them are as finely-tuned as the bike. Among the new ones are skis, jetpacks, mine carts, and a unicycle. The last of those is actually a terrible addition that you'll want to stay away from. Joe Danger 2: The Movie features local four player competitive multiplayer. It would have been nice to see some competitive stuff, but the local fare is adequate for those who can get three extra friends in the same room. Objectives range from simply staying alive and finishing first, to seeing who can pull off the longest wheelie combo, to a surprisingly physical Road Rash-esque mode.
Difficulty: At first, Joe Danger 2: The Movie seems to be Trials with baby teeth. The controls are initially easy to grasp and the game doesn't ask too much of you. The objectives are manageable and the different scenarios lend some welcome variety to the proceedings. But it doesn't stay that way for very long at all. The difficulty spikes and doesn't really let up once you reach a certain point. Objectives become much more demanding, obstacles become much more difficult to avoid, and you'll be scrambling to acquire and use as much boost as humanly possible. With these kinds of games, I'm usually the one who is careful about how wild I get. In SSX, I finish my trick combo a good half second before I'm supposed to land. Joe Danger 2 changes that. Every millisecond counts, and I often found myself frantically pulling off stunts and simply hoping that I would be right side up by the time I hit the ground. If you want a real challenge, try to accomplish all of the core objectives in one run. Granted, some of them are designed to the point where that would be borderline impossible, but it's oh-so-satisfying when you knock them all out in one fell swoop.
Game Mechanics: For a game of its type, Joe Danger 2: The Movie isn't particularly reliant on proper leaning or careful throttle control. It leaves all of that to Trials. And let's be fair, a game that allows you to change your vehicle's direction and momentum in midair isn't really taking the realistic approach. Mechanic-wise, Joe Danger 2: The Movie is quite simple, despite the large number of assorted rides you'll use over the course of your movie career. Joe is particularly good at getting airborne and pulling off wacky stunts. Landing stunts results in more boost, which you can then use to shave seconds off the clock and set up for even crazier tricks. The stunt system is very simple and makes good use of the bumpers. For most of the game, you only have control of Joe on two planes -- the x and y axis. Up, down, left, and right are your primary directions. However, at specific junctions, you'll have to change lanes. This feels a bit automated, and it would have been nice to see more freedom on the player's end. Joe Danger 2: The Movie is a charming and exciting downloadable title that has a great set of core mechanics and a great sense of humor. It also happens to be hugely challenging, so hardcore players should eat this one up. But really, I can't think of too many people who wouldn't enjoy this game.
-FenixDown, GameVortex Communications AKA Jon Carlos
Related Links: Official Website of Joe Danger 2: The Movie
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