Product description
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C Bandicoot 2 is bigger, bolder, and better than its
predecessor. The sequel to C Bandicoot features lush 3D
environments, more than 30 levels, challenging puzzles, and new
bonus rounds. The game is full of brand-new enemies and
characters--Kimodo Joe and Moe, Tiny, N. Gin, and C's younger
sister Coco. But don't worry--old foes like Ripper Roo and Dr. N.
Brio, are back for more fun and mischief. C's moves have also
been enhanced, so that he is able to super-jump, long jump,
crawl, slide, body slam, run, swing, surf on a jetboard, and fly
through the air with a jetpack.
Review
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Let me go on record and say that I was never a fan of the
original C Bandicoot. Even though C was disarmingly cute
and fuzzy, and even though the game's graphics were just about as
good as they got in those days, the frustrating design of the
game made playing it such a painful experience that I still have
flashbacks when I see small marsupials on the Discovery Channel.
But just one short year after his debut, C is back in a
sequel that is so far superior to the original that I'm willing
to forget the mistakes of the past.
The new storyline is simple: A very gullible C is corralled
into collecting crystals for the evil Dr. Cortex and gems for the
terrible N. Brio. There are 25 levels in all; each level contains
an easy-to-find crystal and hard-to-earn gems. Instead of being
forced to approach the game in a strictly linear fashion, you
progress through a series of five warp rooms. Each warp room
contains five levels, which you are free to tackle in any order.
After you have found the crystals in each level, you can progress
to the next warp room. This system of warp rooms is a great
innovation; it's clear how to progress in the game, and yet you
have the option of moving to a different level if you're
hopelessly frustrated with one area. Best of all, you can save
your game in the warp room at any time (a big improvement over
the original game's horrific save system).
A lot of variety is packed inside this game. You'll navigate
through simple run-and-jump areas, try to outrun a very mad polar
bear, work your way through sewer systems, and even fly around
with a jet pack. Within each level, the basic gameplay is similar
to the original C: Running, jumping, and spinning are still
the order of the day. Even though most levels are set in a
semi-3D environment, C Bandicoot 2 is a platform game, plain
and simple. The graphics are in a league of their own among
PlayStation games, and the music couldn't be better. Unlike the
original, C 2 is rarely frustrating enough to make you want
to throw your controller at the TV. In fact, some expert gamers
might find C to be a little on the easy side.
There are only two real problems with C Bandicoot 2. First,
the semi-3D setup is sometimes hard to navigate, and you'll find
yourself missing jumps because you're unable to judge distances
properly. Secondly, the game is just plain cheap at times; in
some areas you must sacrifice many lives until you memorize a
level's layout.
In any event, these problems are balanced out by the game's
excellent gameplay and intelligent design. C Bandicoot 2 is a
topnotch platform game. If you're a fan of the genre, you owe it
to yourself to check this title out. -- John Broady
--Copyright ©1999 GameSpot Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction
in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written
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- C Bandicoot 2 is bigger, bolder, and better than its predecessor. The sequel to C Bandicoot features lush 3D environments, more than 30 levels, challenging puzzles, and new bonus rounds. The game is full of brand-new enemies and characters--Kimodo Joe and Moe, Tiny, N. Gin, and C's younger sister Coco. But don't worry--old foes like Ripper Roo and Dr. N. Brio, are back for more fun and mischief. C's moves have also been enhanced, so that he is able to super-jump, long jump,.