Lost Kingdoms II

"A terrific sequel for a great game"

The sequel to the first RPG on the Gamecube, Lost Kingdoms 2 brings more of the same, while improving the things that needed it most. You are Tara Grimface, Runestone owner and card user. The world is in danger. Guess who's got to set things right.

Graphics

I'm not a huge graphics fan, but I will say that the graphics have improved in the sequel. Everything's...smoother. One noticeable difference is the inclusion of full-motion video, though it's used sparingly. Honestly, I don't notice wall textures or light and shadow effects, so I can't speak much for the graphics of any game.

Sound

As the music goes, I can't say it's improved, but it hasn't worsened either. The tunes are decent enough to get you through the stages without tearing your hair out at annoying repeating themes, but I wouldn't buy the soundtrack, personally. Don't let me stop you from doing so, however.

Gameplay

This game largely improves on its predecessor, coming ever closer to my dream CCG. The game remains mission-based, but there are two huge improvements over the original. One, mission areas can be re-entered at any time after you beat them, and two...wait for it...NO RANDOM BATTLES! While I'm an RPG purist at heart and believe random battles will always have a place in the genre, the first game was hampered by the random battles. If the game was feeling cruel and dealt you too many, you wasted too many critical cards. Well, no more! Now, monsters are quite visible on the world map, and while some do respawn, they can be avoided quite easily.

The basic game mechanics were carried over intact. You carry no weapons save your cards, and can use them by pressing any of the four face buttons. Holding the Z button while using a card doubles its power, but at the cost of extra magic. The camera has been freed up slightly, giving you the option to swivel it 360 degrees rather than to four fixed compass points. The R button tosses a card from a given face button, returning it to the bottom of your deck and freeing up space for other cards. Cards that are used up can only be brought back by special cards, however. One major change is the capture function. Instead of simply holding L and using any given card to capture a monster, you must buy a special Capture Card, which becomes exponentially more expensive. Fortunately, it can only be used up if the capture is successful, meaning if you toss the card and miss, or if it doesn't deal the killing blow to a monster, you don't have to buy a new one.

The deck limit of thirty cards remains, so a modicum of strategy should be used when entering an area. Fortunately, the game gives you an indication of what type of monster will be in any given stage, so you can adjust your deck accordingly. The magic stones that replenished your magic meter in the previous game have a new function: when your magic meter is full, magic stones will be converted to gold which you can use to buy new cards.

One of my favorite new features is a staple of RPGs: experience points. Tara accumulates XP from defeated monsters, and increases in level. Not only that, but each of the six card types (fire, wood, earth, water, neutral, and mech) are given a specific level. Use a card type enough, and your proficiency will increase in level. Each card has a certain level that corresponds to this proficiency; if you use a card that has a higher level than your proficiency with that type, the magic cost is doubled.

Monsters retain the ability to gain XP as well, and this XP is once again used to copy or upgrade these monsters. This becomes more important in the sequel, as money has a much lower availability, thus buying extra cards is a bit more difficult.

Speaking of monsters, there's a new type of creature available, and I welcome it with open arms. Transforms. No, not the robots. You are now able to use cards to transform into beasties and use their powers, ranging from combat-specific abilities to flying around whatever stage you want as a birdman. These transform cards open up alternate paths in certain stages, which means you'll have to explore a bit to get the most out of the game.

Replay Value

The main quest is shorter than most, but the versus mode is highly entertaining, and a big draw for two card masters to battle it out. There are unlockables within the main quest as well, plus over 250 cards to collect, so even if you blow through the main game, you've still got some hours ahead of you.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 05/28/03, Updated 05/28/03