"Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner" Review #1 . When Konami first introduced the world to the ways of Zone of the Enders back in 2001, most gamers eyed it as little more than a curious diversion from their then-current Metal Gear Solid obsession. To its credit, ZOE provided fast mech-combat-gaming with solid controls, a great lock-on system, and excellent mech design. But as good as those things were, the game lacked variety in both enemy type and mission objectives, ultimately stranding gamers with one of the most anti-climactic endings ever. Teetering on the edge, the ZOE series was in danger of becoming little more than an interesting footnote, eclipsed by the shadow of Metal Gear Solid. It is, however, with considerable force that Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner crushes that notion. . In the two years since the original game's release, the busy band at KCEJ have taken the potential of the first game and made a superlative sequel. Showcasing a new graphic cel-shading technique that gives the game a more pronounced anime feel (which suits the subject matter), The 2nd Runner ramps up the visual onslaught even further by throwing dozens of enemies at you at every turn. Opponents of all shapes and sizes erupt like bees from a hive behind every canyon wall, down every subway tunnel, and beyond every lunar crater. Fortunately, Jehuty and it's new pilot, Dingo, are ready for action. While the controls remain largely intact from the first game, Jehuty can now lock on to dozens of enemies, unleashing an equivalent number of homing lasers. When homing lasers don't do the trick (some enemy drones wield barriers), Jehuty's arsenal of grab moves, blade attacks, and dash attacks should. Factor in a dozen subweapons like the enemy-paralyzing Geyser, or the over-the-top Vector Cannon, and you'll soon find that a thousand enemies are no match for a single Jehuty. . The storyline hits you with the formidable one-two punch of reintroducing characters of old while mixing them in to the current context, giving the series a depth it previously lacked. For example, it's a welcome sight to see Leo Stenbuck return, having grown older and presumably wiser, piloting, of all things, Gradius' Vic Viper. It's an inspired move by the development team to have included this classic Konami ship, and in the context of the storyline, it works incredibly well. Seeing Jehuty and Vic Viper fighting by side by side is truly electrifying. But the biggest improvement over the first game (besides the switch from CG animation to hand-drawn) is that the missions vary widely. Whether you're trying to sink huge warships, or pulling someone's fat out of the fire, or taking on hundreds of enemy drones, the 2nd Runner is never lacking in variety. . The 2nd Runner can be broken down into three distinct parts. The first third basically helps you get to grips with the game's expanded controls. This section also serves as an introduction to some of the game's main characters, like Ken Marinaris, Leo Stenbuck, and the Viola A.I. that constantly hounds you. The second third of the game is where the game offers the toughest challenges. While ZOE's excellent camera/lock-on system may have worked brilliantly in the first game's open spaces, the claustrophobic interior levels, the narrow canyon valleys and the swarming hordes of enemies in the 2nd Runner make targeting and evasion harder than it should be. If the game's only objectives were to seek and destroy, it would be okay. But with many missions requiring you to safely escort an ally out of trouble, or engage in evasive maneuvers while outmaneuvering the incoming hostiles, the camera often comes up short. Any frustration experienced in the claustrophobic confines of the middle levels, however, are nothing more than a distant memory by the time you reach the game's final few missions. Towards the finale of the 2nd Runner, where Jehuty breaks free into the open sky en route to a showdown with five massive battle cruisers (each accompanied by swarms of Mummyheads and Raptors), are among the most exhilarating moments in a video game. This battle, among others, offers the gamer the true feeling of 360 degrees of freedom, while the air buzzes white-hot with gunfire, and the atmosphere buzzes with the urgency only dozens of heavily-armed droids could create. To say that the payoff that awaits gamers at the end of the 2nd Runner is worth the price of admission is understatement. The wealth of secret missions and multiplayer characters only makes the game that much sweeter. . In the end, while Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner isn't perfect, it does manage to make you, the gamer, feel like a part of some bigger, galactic event. With a peerless visual palette, an involving storyline, a challenging (but fair) learning curve, and, most importantly, a greater vision at work, Hideo Kojima's team of wiry bandits have built upon the foundation laid by the first Zone of the Enders and created something unforgettable. Caught in the shadow of Metal Gear no longer, the 2nd Runner states its case with authority. "GMR" Reviews Editor - James Mielke - PREV