"Just about better than VC1."

After the success of the first game SEGA went and made a arcade sequel in 1995 which was then converted to the Saturn in 1996. It's practically the same as the first game with you having to shoot bad guys before they shoot you and avoid shooting the innocent but this has all new levels, bad guys, bosses and one new playable character called Janet. Quick reactions are a must to survive.

The Saturn version has less blocky graphics but they aren't quite as detailed. They are still fairly good for the hardware though and move very smoothly.

The sound is the same as the arcade and I quite like the sound track for the game, especially during the shoot out on the train in level 3 and the first car chase in level 1.

More effort has been put into the levels, such as car chases where you can shoot enemy cars and force them off the road or a shoot out on a moving train. This makes the levels more interesting than before.

There are 3 missions ranging from easy to hard. The first level is set in the streets and ends at a factory, the second one starts in a port and ends in a cruise liner, and the last stage starts in the subway and ends in the bad guy's base. Each level has loads of bad guys to shoot and a boss which ranges from a van throwing big guy to a tank controlling old man. Also just like in the first game each of these bosses has a embarrassingly cheesy line to say to you before you get to shoot them.

Complete all 3 of these missions and you go to the extra mission, which is just a final boss fight against Fang who was also the hidden final boss of the first Virtua Cop game.

To try and keep you playing the game there are extra options to unlock which can only be done by completing the game over and over again. These include the ability to choose any special weapon when you pause the game etc

The special weapons make a come back, and are all the same as before such as the magnum and shotgun. Shoot the weapon when it appears on screen to use it. It goes when you take a hit or it runs out of ammo.

Playing the game with a light gun is just like playing it in the arcade. The game is now actually playable with a pad, unlike in VC1, since you now only have to press the reload button once instead of twice.

Of course due to the game's repetitive nature you will only be playing this twice a month tops when you've completed it a fair few times. When you are playing it with a friend and you both have light guns it's a lot of fun though.

Virtua Cop 2 is just about better than the first game, but not by much. The car chases are great and the levels are better in this one in my opinion and thats what put it ahead for me. If it wasn't for House of the Dead this would be the est light gun game on the Saturn.

7/10

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 05/24/05