Vigilante 8: 2nd Offense

"The Hydrogen Bomb of sequels"

The first Vigilante 8 game was a masterpiece , and although it didn't have the greatest stability (The game would freeze at times , or the graphics would meld) you have to admit it was one of the greatest games out there . Now the plot has changed and the bad guys (Coyotes) have gone back in time to defeat the good guys (Vigilantes) . The game involves an RPG aspect in that you collect items from destroyed vehicles to upgrade your automobile . One of the weirdest aspects is that since this is future cars in a past world , the designers got to go nuts . Motorcycles that look like bugs , a prison bus , hell you can even make the cars fly or swim . The plot is much like an involved Aero Fighters plot . There are no animations in cut scenes , and the story is very dusty (Although clearer than Aero Fighters) . In the end , it all comes down to blowing stuff up or protecting stuff . Of course there is the almighty multi player game , which is four times the fun . A truly excellent game .

Graphics 8/10

The smooth , clear vehicles and landscapes in this game are a lot like the first V8 game , although you may get a few mix ups in the pure pixels , and stuff that breaks does so very un-random , you'll enjoy the clear view and detailed weapons .

Sound/ Music 8/10

The sounds in this game are great , ranging from the beautiful noise of your mosquito machine guns to the crack of the falling buildings to the flare of a missile firing . The music sounds nice as well , and upbeat mix of things to make you want to shoot everything in sight (Of course , you don't always want to do that . Covering the legal stuff .)

Fun Factor 10/10

Everyone , at heart , wants to blow up cars and buildings in a complete war zone . Blast Corps is an example of this fine art . While the story adds something to the game , it all comes down to smashing everything in sight .

Re-playability 9/10

This reflects the fun factor , even if you beat the game there are different difficulties to face and the multi player is always there to terrorize your friends . The game is so good you may even want to play the story mode again and again !

Story 7/10

While the story is a little off the wall , it doesn't really make a difference unless you play a lot of Dungeons & Dragons . The lack of story involvement is more than made up for by the fun factor and gameplay .

Overall 8/10

This game is definite buy . However , the queerness of the plot makes it a little too much for some gamers . Even if you don't like the plot , you are sure to enjoy a destruction derby with machine guns , also known as Vigilante 8: Second Offense .

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 11/28/01, Updated 11/28/01