Zone of the Enders series

[Roufuss]

So I've realized that the only thing I've ever played that the man has produced is the Metal Gear Solid series. I'm wondering to myself, "Self, is Kojima a one trick pony?"

I realized I have both ZoE games on my shelf, and I've yet to play them (got them on the cheap). So I decide to answer my own question.

Zone of the Enders - Well... no wonder the series got off on the wrong foot. I blazed through the game on normal in 4 hours. It was very linear, even for an action game, and I found myself wanting to do more with the gameplay then it let me.

While I thought the gameplay was good but could be improved upon, everything else was quite shitty. No character development, only two decent characters (Viola and Noeman... and you barely see / hear Noeman" and a story that absolutely went nowhere.

I mean, stuff will happen to certain characters, and I'm supposed to feel sad for them, even though I have no clue what their relation is to anyone else. I'm talking about when Leo's friend Clavice or something gets shot, I didn't even understand her importence so the scene was just meh to me .

Not to mention a main character who is a whiny little brat, and every 5 minutes you have to hear "Nooo... I don't want to fight! I hate killing!"

The last boss fight is just staying away from the boss for 20 seconds, and then the game ends. It's really very anti cllmatic. However, the graphics are decent for it being an early early game, and the presentation is topnotch.

-----------------------------------------------------------

Zone of the Enders - The 2nd Runner

If it wasn't for DjRocca and MarkRyan always going off on this game, I honestly would have skipped it. But I'm glad I tried it out, as it's fantastic. The first 45 minutes of the game is better than the whole of ZoE 1.

you have an awesome main character, great supporting characters, the type of rich dialogue you'd expect from Kojima. The first game used 3d cutscenes, while ZoE 2 decides to go with anime cutscenes. I feel it's a better choice, and while I'm not a huge fan of anime, I find it works really well.

The graphics seems to be a mix of 3d and 2d (the explosions seem 2d to me, and the smoke), and they look absoulutely beautiful. The gameplay is improved on the first one, and things I had wanted to do initially (such as grab and swing, and use objects as attacks) are now added in. Plus all the existing moves are tweaked to all be useful, and the speed of the game is pretty good.

Not sure what else to add, as I think it's a 300% improvement over the first game, as it's style, gameplay, music (the music is excellent, btw), and graphics are exceptional.

The feeling I get from the boards is that alot of people were burned by ZoE 1, but you should definately give the second a chance if you see it lingering at EB / Gamestop. I'd say the first game sucks ass, while the second game is a definite 9. In fact, the second game even has a cinematic retelling of part 1, so you can skip that abomination in the first place.

Never played the GBA game, but I heard it was a strat game of sorts.

So yea, it's kind of a review, but it's kind of a discussion on the games at the same time, as I know two other people on the board love ZoE 2.

[Rocca]

I'm really glad that you're enjoying 2nd Runner. I was getting pissed off at how girly and lame FFX-2 was tonight and turned ZoE 2 back on for kicks. Two of my favorite levels in 2nd Runner would easily be the 5 minute Run against the Train and your rise in the silo while carrying Ken and her Frame up to safety. The music in both those levels, especially the latter one, are KICK.ASS. I played through ZoE 1 twice and 2nd Runner a good 13 or 14 times, but only 7 or 8 with Original Jehuty.

One thing I don't get is how hard this game is to find. I had to buy another copy recently after giving my other copy to a friend as a gift [...] and couldn't find it anywhere. I got lucky and found one recently but still. =S My fave action game this generation. It's fast, it's suave and it's got style. Oh, and it's also by Kojima, nothing but pros here. ^_^

[Roufuss]

I'm really glad that you're enjoying 2nd Runner. I was getting pissed off at how girly and lame FFX-2 was tonight and turned ZoE 2 back on for kicks. Two of my favorite levels in 2nd Runner would easily be the 5 minute Run against the Train and your rise in the silo while carrying Ken and her Frame up to safety. The music in both those levels, especially the latter one, are KICK.ASS. I played through ZoE 1 twice and 2nd Runner a good 13 or 14 times, but only 7 or 8 with Original Jehuty.

One thing I don't get is how hard this game is to find. I had to buy another copy recently after giving my other copy to a friend as a gift [...] and couldn't find it anywhere. I got lucky and found one recently but still. =S My fave action game this generation. It's fast, it's suave and it's got style. Oh, and it's also by Kojima, nothing but pros here. ^_^

I managed to find mine in a pawn shop of all places, after scouring the local EB and Gamestop for who knows how long.

Almost passed it over, until it caught my eye right before I walked away.

The first game didn't feel like Kojima at all, but the second one definately does. Espically the convo's between the pilots on the mech screen, it definately reminds me of the "codec conversations".

And these cutscenes are divine.

[MechDeus]

In ZOE2: Up against the air fleet. One of the greatest levels of all time.

[Survival Kid]

MGS is ok. ZOE is some good shit. Still have to play the second. Did the Tokimeki Memorial guy work on ZOE2 as well, or just the first?

[salmonax]

The English dialogue for ZOE2 sounds like something a retard would write in the snow with his urine. Other than that, I love this game. The graphics, the variety of gameplay, the boss fights, and the story (despite the shit translation) are all excellent.

The GBA ZOE game was lousy. It was a turn-based strategy game with a reticle lock-on minigame you had to play when attacking/evading. Although, if you're interested in the ZOE anime series, the GBA game does does do a okay job of fleshing out the story. But I totally lost interest before they got to any of the good stuff.

[MarkRyan]

I actually think the first Zone of the Enders is a very solid game. The combat was still excellent, and instantly hooked me, and the boss fights were pretty great as well. The level design, however, was seriously lacking, and your goals are often not very clear. Still, before playing ZOE2 it was one of my--if not the--favorite PS2 games.

And while I tend to disagree with most in saying that the first ZOE is still a good game, I completely agree that ZOE2 is about a million times more amazing. The production values got ramped up considerably, conveying a much more compelling story with solid characters and motives. I was actually surprised with how much they improved the combat in ZOE2--grappling was turned into a highly effective and versatile tool and the sub-weapons gained a huge boost in usability (the change to energy-based weapons that charge up instead of functioning on ammo stocks was also much appreciated).

Most importantly, ZOE2's awesome level design puts you in some incredible scenes and circumstances. As already mentioned, the train chase and armada scenes were both incredible, and I also really love the battlefield scene where you fight alongside another frame and an army of lesser LEV robots. The scope and awesomeness of the game and the world it's in are magnified exponentially, which just leaves you feeling great when you finally destroy everything in sight. The boss fights are also much improved, with all the variety in style that you get from Metal Gear Solid games.

The game is amazing. Easily my favorite game this generation, and possibly my favorite of all time.

[salmonax]

MGS is ok. ZOE is some good shit. Still have to play the second. Did the Tokimeki Memorial guy work on ZOE2 as well, or just the first?

Noriaki Okamura? The Policenauts writer? No, he didn't write ZOE2, IICR. The guy who directed ZOE2 co-wrote the story with Kojima (he also worked on the MGS3 story).

[George]

The original ZOE has a great duel multiplayer mode. The campaign is tedious though.

ZOE 2 has an AMAZING campaign (The air fleet level comes to mind) and AMAZING music (Beyond the Bounds) not to mention epic gameplay. However, the multiplayer is entirely unbalanced and no fun at all.

Long live the Vic Viper.

[Rocca]

I was just playing the level where it's your fleet of LEV's with Leo against a bunch of BAHRAM units in the desert. I never got an S ranking, but I just got an A, which is pretty stellar imo.

MarkRyan was right about the production values being ante'd up. Just the opening theme song is kickass. Weird that I started playing this again the night Roufuss makes a thread on the same series.