I think that if you want to jump into the Battle Network series, this is the game you should start with. The first game's not bad, but the battle system hadn't been ironed out, and the lack of variation in its Net overworld is confusing. That aside, on with the review!
In the not-so-distant future, everything is powered by the Internet. Everything. But as this supposed convenience abounds, so do dangerous viruses, who appear in the form of fight-able monsters. To fight viruses, people use PETs, or Personal Terminals, which contain characters called NetNavis who can fight this evil scourge. You control Lan Hikari, a youngster whose PET contains Mega Man (or MegaMan.exe, I guess), and eventually become involved in the latest evil plot by WWW. Go fight them!
The story in this game isn't bad. It flows a lot better than Battle Network 4's, in my opinion. There's nothing deep or thought-provoking in it, but it provides for some cool moments. Perhaps the real world locations are dull, but the Net design in BN2 is one of the most aesthetically pleasing in the series, and the final areas, both online and off, were just so cool. Also, the game has some very catchy tunes.
On to the ever-important gameplay! You fight viruses by using battlechips in round-based combat over a three-by-three grid. Battlechips can hurt opponents, heal you, or provide some other effect (invisibility, changing the panels on the battlefield, etc.). You can use up to five chips per turn, but at one time you can only use A) chips with the same code or B) chips with the same name. That's the basics of it. You can get more battlechips by defeating viruses, buying them, or even defeating another character's NetNavi, which often gives you an abnormally-powerful chip. The faster you beat an enemy, the more likely you are to get a battlechip. Mixing and matching chips in a battle folder to get the best combinations combined with a fun battle system gives the addictiveness a high rating. I have to add one thing, though: the game has a slow start because you'll mostly be fighting the same low-level viruses over and over again. But when the game picks up, it really gets rolling.
If you make a sufficiently-cheap folder, you can get through the main game relatively easily, so it's not too difficult. After you finish the game, there's a secret area to explore where you can fight the most powerful viruses and NetNavis, adding to the game's longevity.
I've got this game sitting around at home, and it's my favorite of the whole series (barring, maybe, BN3). The game feels so...COOL somehow, to me. Is it just because I grew up with it? This game is beyond solid, yo. It's recommended. I think that if you want to jump into the Battle Network series, this is the game you should start with. The first game's not bad, but the battle system hadn't been ironed out, and the lack of variation in its Net overworld is confusing. That aside, on with the review!
In the not-so-distant future, everything is powered by the Internet. Everything. But as this supposed convenience abounds, so do dangerous viruses, who appear in the form of fight-able monsters. To fight viruses, people use PETs, or Personal Terminals, which contain characters called NetNavis who can fight this evil scourge. You control Lan Hikari, a youngster whose PET contains Mega Man (or MegaMan.exe, I guess), and eventually become involved in the latest evil plot by WWW. Go fight them!
The story in this game isn't bad. It flows a lot better than Battle Network 4's, in my opinion. There's nothing deep or thought-provoking in it, but it provides for some cool moments. Perhaps the real world locations are dull, but the Net design in BN2 is one of the most aesthetically pleasing in the series, and the final areas, both online and off, were just so cool. Also, the game has some very catchy tunes.
On to the ever-important gameplay! You fight viruses by using battlechips in round-based combat over a three-by-three grid. Battlechips can hurt opponents, heal you, or provide some other effect (invisibility, changing the panels on the battlefield, etc.). You can use up to five chips per turn, but at one time you can only use A) chips with the same code or B) chips with the same name. That's the basics of it. You can get more battlechips by defeating viruses, buying them, or even defeating another character's NetNavi, which often gives you an abnormally-powerful chip. The faster you beat an enemy, the more likely you are to get a battlechip. Mixing and matching chips in a battle folder to get the best combinations combined with a fun battle system gives the addictiveness a high rating. I have to add one thing, though: the game has a slow start because you'll mostly be fighting the same low-level viruses over and over again. But when the game picks up, it really gets rolling.
If you make a sufficiently-cheap folder, you can get through the main game relatively easily, so it's not too difficult. After you finish the game, there's a secret area to explore where you can fight the most powerful viruses and NetNavis, adding to the game's longevity.
I've got this game sitting around at home, and it's my favorite of the whole series (barring, maybe, BN3). The game feels so...COOL somehow, to me. Is it just because I grew up with it? This game is beyond solid, yo. It's recommended. |