Developer: Inti Creates Publisher: Inti Creates Release: 11/29/19 Genre: Action Platforms: Switch, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X
Blaster Master Zero was the unexpected surprise I did not know I wanted. There were many attempts to keep Blaster Master going over the years and most were bad. But despite that the series endured leading to the remake that not only respected the original but had plenty of new content and planted seeds for the future. It was excellent and the critics agreed. Dare I say it, I was legit excited for the future of this beloved NES franchise for once. For their encore performance Inti Creates take the shackles of the original off and introduce us to a massive universe full of adventure that is even better than the first game. Blaster Master Zero 2 shows that its predecessor was not a fluke.
Blaster Master Zero 2 continues from the true ending of the first game. Jason and Eve succeed in destroying the mutant overlord. But over the course of the battle he infects both Eve and Sophia III with his mutant cells forcing Jason to destroy the corrupt vehicle to save her. Months later Jason creates G-Sophia which is capable of space travel to search the universe for a cure to rid Eve of the remaining mutant cells in her body before it is too late.
We were offered a glimpse of the larger universe of the series in prior titles. Blaster Master Zero 2 shows you that Jason is a small cog in a larger wheel. This is a more story heavy adventure with characters that evolve over the length of the game. Throughout the course of your journey you will meet many Metal Attackers like yourself with their pilots and support droids, some friendly and others hostile. Not only do they add story and character to what is an otherwise lonely and somewhat solitary journey but also replay value as some become playable. I love the work that Inti Creates has done of expanding the series while respecting what came before. Blaster Master Zero 2 has just enough story to propel you forward without being obtrusive.
The general gameplay is near identical to the previous games. You control both Jason and the new G-Sophia in side-scrolling action with a series of new gadgets. The biggest addition is the counter system. In Sophia any falling impact will recharge SP energy. This system allows you to use the many new upgrades and weapons more frequently since you can recharge energy without capsules. As Jason you can perform a blast counter with the right timing. This uses counter point energy that regenerates over time. There are multiple different blast counter attacks that add depth to Jason’s combat. The beautiful thing is you can still play the game perfectly fine without using this system.
Mechanically while the gameplay is the same the structure of the journey has changed. Now that it is free of the shackles of the original game Blaster Master Zero 2 is an intergalactic adventure spanning multiple planets. The galaxy has many regions with multiple planets and star ships to explore, sometimes as many as four or five. These vary in size: some are nothing more than boss fights while others are a dungeon for Jason to explore. The many upgrades for Jason and Sophia reside in each and you decide which planets to explore. If you do not want to bother with these side adventures the game does an excellent job informing you which areas are mandatory to progress.
I was skeptical of its structure at first but Inti Creates has done an awesome job balancing the game. There is just enough freedom to make it feel like an open world game while keeping you focused. Spreading out upgrades over multiple worlds could have become tedious. Instead the non-story worlds are short enough that you will probably want to seek them out. Both because you will need them to lower the difficulty but also to get the good ending. They also vary in their challenges: one world is enshrouded in darkness and you must use the enemies to find the path for example. If you stick to the critical path the main story worlds are large enough in scope that the game still feels fulfilling. It has me looking forward to seeing what direction Blaster Master Zero 3 takes since this is so good.
The level design is fantastic and even better than the original. The maps are more complex and often present puzzles that require both Jason and Sophia to complete. The beginning planet Flosante has floating crystals you must activate in a specific order so that Jason can navigate the world without dying. Planet Stranga has plant life that will transport Sophia for you to access new areas. Probably the most interesting and frustrating is Divido. This world is split in half with dimensional distortions that spell instant death. Navigation requires traversing both halves in different ways before you open shortcuts. And these are just the main worlds. As I said before the side worlds are often just as creative. That the developers manage to make almost every world interesting is nothing less than astounding.
I would say the difficulty is higher than the previous titles. The game seems built around the counter mechanics and while you can succeed without them your life is harder. There are boss battles that have multiple phases and can be drawn out affairs. The bosses you face in Sophia are significantly easier than as Jason. That is because the selection of weapons this time are not as good in my opinion. I leaned on the counter system heavily to end these battles quickly. Despite the increased difficulty you have the tools to tackle it. Every upgrade you collect makes you that much more resilient and powerful. The late game is still pretty rough but the game is not remains fair about it.
In Closing
I love Blaster Master Zero 2. I cannot think of a single area that it does not improve on the seminal first game. The pacing is fantastic, the action is balanced, and it provides a good challenge. This is everything you could ask for in a sequel and a retro style classic. I do not know what more needs to be said, if you are reading this review play this game. We do not get many of this caliber often.
