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Game Night #16: Blaster Master Zero 2
Dec. 3rd, 2020 08:53 pmI picked up Blaster Master Zero 2 a few weeks back during a sale on PSN - also picked up Blaster Master Zero on PSN in the same sale although I already bought that one on Switch.
Blaster Master Zero 2 (BMZ2) continues on what the previous game accomplished by having the new character Eve (who wasn't in the original NES game) infected by the mutants. After modifying Sophia Zero for space travel they took off to return Eve to her home planet so they could heal the infection.
That sets the tone and purpose of the game and explains why the game isn't one huge connected world the way the first game was. Instead you'll be launching from and landing on new planets/ships that you'll navigate to on a simple 2d map. Just don't assume huge worlds on each of these planets. The vast majority of them will just be a tiny place where you land and do a quick challenge and at times a boss. Only the central/main planet on a star map will have larger world to explore - and most of the time that world won't be too much larger than a normal sized area of the original game.
You start the game without most of the skills of the previous game, as per usual. You officially have the Hover module and the Crusher cannon but Hover is damaged when you land on the first planet at the start of the game. Naturally the point of the first planet is to get the parts to repair the Hover module as it's the part of the system that enables planetary travel.
Additionally the SP system has been changed from the original Zero game. You can still collect power-ups to restore it on the fly, but otherwise a new system is in place that lets Sophia Zero to regain power from impacts - either with the ground or against enemies. Naturally the preferable way to do this is to fall from a high height as that won't damage you. Any fall done that's higher than you're ability to jump will qualify. This becomes an important gimmick for defeating one of the final bosses.
One thing about the new SP system however is that if your SP gauge completely runs out, it shuts down temporarily as it starts to recharge (flashing red/blue until it maxes out). During that time you can't use most special powers and your Crusher Cannon shuts down and you're left with a cannon comparable with the cannon you start the first game with. You can still try falling to speed up the SP refilling process.
Overall the game plays mostly the same way as the original Zero did except for the areas not all being connected directly. How important that was to you in the original game will probably determine how you feel about this game.
Throughout the game you will meet and need to fight other 'Metal Attacker' pilots. Pilots of vehicles like Sophia Zero are called Metal Attackers - I think that's a new term in this game, as I haven't seen it yet in the original Zero as I replay it... Either way, you'll end up having to fight them all in one way or another. You'll end up befriending them after whatever misunderstanding is cleared up. Be sure to visit them again afterwards to help them out.
I assume there's a good ending and a bad ending to this game similar to Zero. I haven't seen the bad ending however - looks like I picked everything up needed on my first run to get to the good ending.
Similar to Zero in the final leg of the game for the good ending they change up your vehicle and a few other things. You'll have to learn a few new things to get through all that and approach a few old bosses with new tactics.
Ultimately an enjoyable game although it felt a little short to me. It's probably because you don't have much in the way of backtracking to do with all the sections separated by simple 2d maps. There are both familiar and new powers gained throughout the game to keep it interesting.
During the final battle with the new vehicle I will say this - you'll need to make use of most of the special powers of the vehicle to damage it. Don't worry about it too much - just keep pushing on as the boss's HP gauge is a lie.
Blaster Master Zero 2 (BMZ2) continues on what the previous game accomplished by having the new character Eve (who wasn't in the original NES game) infected by the mutants. After modifying Sophia Zero for space travel they took off to return Eve to her home planet so they could heal the infection.
That sets the tone and purpose of the game and explains why the game isn't one huge connected world the way the first game was. Instead you'll be launching from and landing on new planets/ships that you'll navigate to on a simple 2d map. Just don't assume huge worlds on each of these planets. The vast majority of them will just be a tiny place where you land and do a quick challenge and at times a boss. Only the central/main planet on a star map will have larger world to explore - and most of the time that world won't be too much larger than a normal sized area of the original game.
You start the game without most of the skills of the previous game, as per usual. You officially have the Hover module and the Crusher cannon but Hover is damaged when you land on the first planet at the start of the game. Naturally the point of the first planet is to get the parts to repair the Hover module as it's the part of the system that enables planetary travel.
Additionally the SP system has been changed from the original Zero game. You can still collect power-ups to restore it on the fly, but otherwise a new system is in place that lets Sophia Zero to regain power from impacts - either with the ground or against enemies. Naturally the preferable way to do this is to fall from a high height as that won't damage you. Any fall done that's higher than you're ability to jump will qualify. This becomes an important gimmick for defeating one of the final bosses.
One thing about the new SP system however is that if your SP gauge completely runs out, it shuts down temporarily as it starts to recharge (flashing red/blue until it maxes out). During that time you can't use most special powers and your Crusher Cannon shuts down and you're left with a cannon comparable with the cannon you start the first game with. You can still try falling to speed up the SP refilling process.
Overall the game plays mostly the same way as the original Zero did except for the areas not all being connected directly. How important that was to you in the original game will probably determine how you feel about this game.
Throughout the game you will meet and need to fight other 'Metal Attacker' pilots. Pilots of vehicles like Sophia Zero are called Metal Attackers - I think that's a new term in this game, as I haven't seen it yet in the original Zero as I replay it... Either way, you'll end up having to fight them all in one way or another. You'll end up befriending them after whatever misunderstanding is cleared up. Be sure to visit them again afterwards to help them out.
I assume there's a good ending and a bad ending to this game similar to Zero. I haven't seen the bad ending however - looks like I picked everything up needed on my first run to get to the good ending.
Similar to Zero in the final leg of the game for the good ending they change up your vehicle and a few other things. You'll have to learn a few new things to get through all that and approach a few old bosses with new tactics.
Ultimately an enjoyable game although it felt a little short to me. It's probably because you don't have much in the way of backtracking to do with all the sections separated by simple 2d maps. There are both familiar and new powers gained throughout the game to keep it interesting.
During the final battle with the new vehicle I will say this - you'll need to make use of most of the special powers of the vehicle to damage it. Don't worry about it too much - just keep pushing on as the boss's HP gauge is a lie.
