Developer: BlueSky Software Publisher: Sega Release: 11/15/96 Genre: Action
Vectorman was the surprise hit on the Sega Genesis. At a time when the SNES was still impressing with games like Donkey Kong Country Vectorman was a technical showpiece that showed the Genesis could still compete. Considering developer BlueSky Software’s pedigree on the system it should not have been a surprise. But that was in 1995 when 16-bit still reigned supreme. By 1996 the PlayStation and Saturn were turning heads and the Nintendo 64 loomed large. While Vectorman 2 is a solid game it is still more of the same and not quite as impressive. However it is still worth breaking out the black box one last time.
After successfully stopping Warhead in the original Vectorman’s spaceship is targeted and destroyed while coming back to Earth. Once on the surface he discovers a mutant bug infestation spreading across the planet and ventures forth to stop it at its source. Even though Vectorman 2 takes place on Earth it largely avoids the ruined future setting for a more modern day setting. Whether that is a good or bad thing comes down to preference. Personally I liked the fantastical environments of the original. Vectorman 2 looks and feels a bit pedestrian in comparison.
Vectorman 2 plays the same as its predecessor. He controls identically and has the same mechanics. Rather than TVs you receive power-ups from power sacks throughout the levels. There are a variety of weapon power-ups such as laser beam, super energy shot, and overkill. The different transformations return and are level specific such as tank, helicopter, and roller skates. New to the game is animal assimilation. By killing certain enemies you take on their properties for a brief period. The scorpion allows you to walk on lava safely and attack with your tail. The tick punch gives you giant fists to bash enemies. Take down a rhino beetle and you gain a horn that you can use to skewer enemies while dashing. While cool in theory they do not feature heavily until near the end of the game and last so briefly you do not get to enjoy them.
The first game was a festival of play mechanics as it was not afraid to switch up gameplay from one level to the next. Vectorman 2 is not as adventurous and plays it straight for the most part. Whereas the original game featured levels that were completely based on a transformation they are few in number here. I miss them; while they did not always hit the mark I at least appreciated the attempt. The majority of Vectorman 2 is straight platforming action which it does well enough. The level design has taken a step back and is simpler in comparison. Most stages have one path and less hidden items. The few larger stages are annoying to navigate. Combined with the less interesting bug themed enemies and you have a game that while technically better is not as mechanically interesting.
The pacing is also off. At first the stages are medium sized and varied. Geronimo is more of a cool intro rather than a stage as you descend to Earth in helicopter form. The swamp stages present an interesting challenge with their low visibility as you chart your path. But from there the levels start to become massive and repetitive. The lava levels are my least favorite as their layout is confusing and they feature some of the most annoying enemies. This is followed up by three roller skating levels that are near identical as well as two dirt stages that are boring. By the end the levels are so huge that I wanted them to end rather than relished the joy in exploration. While the game is longer that works to its detriment. There is clearly filler here that drags the game down in the name of more “content’.
Vectorman 2 allows you to rack up extra lives quickly and with good reason. The game is surprisingly cheap with its enemy placement and unavoidable hits. Until you increase your life bar the cheap hits spell frequent and untimely deaths. Enemies tend to blend in to the background and hit you from off-screen as well. Bosses are bullet sponges with simple repetitive patterns that kill any sense of fun. You will appreciate that stock of 1-ups until you reach the middle portion of the game where it starts to get easier. Although it feels easier it becomes a bit of a slog due to the large maps. With a few less stages the curve would not be so odd and feel gradual. While it is a little hard it is not egregiously so.
In Closing
Vectorman 2 is a good title that while not at the level of its predecessor is probably the last great Genesis game officially released. You can tell it did not have the same development time as the original as it basically builds on that formula rather than expands on it. Even with that in mind it is a solid endeavor and allows the Sega Genesis to walk in to the sunset with its head held high.
