Rampage 2: Universal Tour

"Good Games Get No Respect"

I noticed most of the scores for Rampage 2 are relatively low. This is not fair. Sure, Rampage doesn't have the spiffy 3D graphics of a PS2 game, nor does it have the long and involved plot of Xenogears. But for what it does have, it does very well.

The premise is simple. The monsters of the old Rampage game, plus the mysterious Ralph, have been kidnapped. Commanding a new set of monsters, you must rescue the old and destroy everything in your path. Contrary to what other reviewers have said, there are plot shifts after the first five minutes.

From a technical standpoint, Rampage 2's graphics may not be that impressive. But they do what many of the more ''impressive'' game forget to do: actually look good. There are many different backgrounds you'll see as the levels progress, and they are all well drawn. The buildings are also well drawn. The monsters are the fairly typical rendered sprites that Donkey Kong Country pioneered, and they look cool. You'll also see people, vehicles, and other assorted items throughout the game, but suffice it to say that they look cool as well.

Rampage 2 has a fairly narrow range of sound effects, and they are neither good nor irritating. They are just...there. Likewise, the music isn't all that exciting, but it sounds nice and will not irritate.

Of course, the most important aspect of Rampage 2 is the gameplay, and this is where the game truly rocks. The basic formula of Rampage returns. Each level contains a few buildings that must be destroyed. You do so by climbing them and smashing or kicking them to the ground. Meanwhile, you'll have to deal with people, tanks, or helicopters shooting at you. Destroy tanks for extra points, eat people to build up super punches, which take out buildings in one hit, and eat food to restore energy.

In addition, Rampage 2 features a map of your progress, just like the original. Every five days (levels), you will have a bonus round in which you can try to earn extra lives and recover health. You'll need it, too.

Starting with several lives may make the game appear easy, but bear in mind that those lives have to last for over 120 days of building smashing. Even on the easiest difficulty setting, getting through the entire game is quite difficult. Be grateful for the passwords the game periodically provides.

Variety keeps the 120 levels interesting. As you progress through the game, you'll see new backgrounds, new buildings for each region, and an increase of difficulty. You also get a bonus level every five days, and a news report after every region.

In its own right, Rampage 2 is a lot of fun. It contains the simple, yet addictive, gameplay that characterized the best of the older games with some of the best 2D graphics you'll ever see in a game. It is, in short, a great game.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 06/17/01, Updated 06/17/01