ZOE2

[Deepak]

I finished ZOE2 yesterday. It exceeded my expectations. It was slightly boring in begining, infact I didn't touch it for few months after I got stuck in the warehouse....where you identify the correct box. But yesterday I managed to pass it and then I finished the entire game till evening. Graphics, sound/track, fighting, explosions etc are topnotch. I ve seen many reviewers giving it less score bec'se it is a short game (I finished it in 5 hrs), but it don't think duration of a game should matter. Gameplay was good but I found one problem with the autolocking system. The system also autolocks on your friends so during a ferocious battle you also hit your friends. Then the camera was a problem at few places. About slowdown, it was very rare...in entire game there was slowdown for 3-4 seconds only, otherwise the game was a frantic 60 fps(?). The game was a welcome break from usual 3rd person stealth cum action cum puzzle solving cum mind boggling games.

 

[London Geezer]

I finished ZOE2 yesterday. It exceeded my expectations. It was slightly boring in begining, infact I didn't touch it for few months after I got stuck in the warehouse....where you identify the correct box. But yesterday I managed to pass it and then I finished the entire game till evening. Graphics, sound/track, fighting, explosions etc are topnotch. I ve seen many reviewers giving it less score bec'se it is a short game (I finished it in 5 hrs), but it don't think duration of a game should matter. Gameplay was good but I found one problem with the autolocking system. The system also autolocks on your friends so during a ferocious battle you also hit your friends. Then the camera was a problem at few places. About slowdown, it was very rare...in entire game there was slowdown for 3-4 seconds only, otherwise the game was a frantic 60 fps(?). The game was a welcome break from usual 3rd person stealth cum action cum puzzle solving cum mind boggling games.

Although it's kinda old now, i can safely say ZOE2 was the best game i've played this generation. Maybe tied with Ico. Which by the way i found out it means "Let's go!" in Japanese (although it's spelled iko).

But Zoe2's presentation and the way it used the hardware would push it ahead in my opinion.

 

[Phil]

I can only agree with that too london-boy. No other game wowed me as much and despite it being quite short, I still find myself going back to it at times just for a quick blast. A m a z i n g!

 

[Evil_Cloud]

The European 'extended' version is really good. I was extremely impressed by the sequence were you fight tons and tons and tons of enemies. And just when you think you've killed the most of them, they come in an even greater number. I was bashing like crazy, achieving an S-rank with 0 friendly kills in the process.

 

[ChryZ]

I was extremely impressed by the sequence were you fight tons and tons and tons of enemies. And just when you think you've killed the most of them, they come in an even greater number. I was bashing like crazy, achieving an S-rank with 0 friendly kills in the process.

Yeah! I love that "mission" too

 

[London Geezer]

Yep, and it's the only game together with Ico that i played over and over countless times.

The only irritating moment is when the girl's orbital frame is "possessed" by the Viola AI and you can't hurt her or she dies and you die too... Really frustrating especially when u're powerful enough to kill her off with a hit and a half... Timing must be perfect and it's hard with the camera angles. Takes some getting used to...

 

[Deepak]

My stats on easy setting :

Clear Time: 5:16:12
Enemy Destroyed: 2372
Max consective attacks: 289
Score: 522732
Continues: 37
Saves: 20
Vascilia Event: C
Melee Event: A

Overall Rating: C

 

[London Geezer]

My stats on easy setting :

Clear Time: 5:16:12
Enemy Destroyed: 2372
Max consective attacks: 289
Score: 522732
Continues: 37
Saves: 20
Vascilia Event: C
Melee Event: A

Overall Rating: C

C? U suck!

 

[zurich]

Lucky punks getting a souped up PAL version

As it's been discussed to death here, the NTSC version doesn't fare quite as well hehe (though the game still rocks!)

 

[Phil]

ohhhh be quiet!! Afterall, we're the ones that had to wait months to finally get our copies!!!! Suck it up, brother!

BTW; speaking PAL - since summer is nearly around the corner, I can't help to think about all the live gigs by european artists I'll be enjoying pretty soon..... hehe

 

[Evil_Cloud]

Lucky punks getting a souped up PAL version

As it's been discussed to death here, the NTSC version doesn't fare quite as well hehe (though the game still rocks!)

It surprised me how many elements were changed. It's like ZOE 2.2

 

[maskrider]

Japan has the ZOE Anubis Special edition that is

1. Cheaper than normal version
2. Has the same extras
3. The collector's edition has the sound track

I got rid of my original ZOE2 after I got the SE collector's pack. Ha ha !

 

[Deepak]

Should I get ZOE1? Is it good?

 

[VNZ]

I still regard the camera in ZOE1 as the best ever. Aside from that, and some marvellous bosses, it feels quite old now. If you find it dirt-cheap (and you probably will) it might be worth checking out anyway.

 

[London Geezer]

Zoe1 was fun, but don't expect anything as epic, as emotionally visual as the second one. I really find it hard to believe the 2 games were made by the same people. Zoe2 is so much better than the original in every aspect it's not even funny.

I also think that the camera system is pretty much the same in the 2 games. What is different is the level design.
Zoe1 has mainly very open areas where the camera "has it easy", it can move freely all over the place to follow the action. Zoe2 has many enclosed areas where the camera has problems keeping up with the action, since it can't "go through walls" so to speak. That's the problem it think.

 

[marconelly!]

Zoe1 was fun, but don't expect anything as epic, as emotionally visual as the second one. I really find it hard to believe the 2 games were made by the same people. Zoe2 is so much better than the original in every aspect it's not even funny.

They had a different director for ZOE2, much bigger involvement of Yoji Shinkawa (the art director), and a much improved engine. It paid off heftily when it comes to game's quality... if only the sales reflected that :\

 

[Deepak]

Did ZOE1 sell better than ZOE2?? Must be bec'se of MGS2 demo which came bundled with it.

 

[London Geezer]

Did ZOE1 sell better than ZOE2?? Must be bec'se of MGS2 demo which came bundled with it.

I wouldn't be surprised if it did, which would be a crime. But to be honest i haven't got the slightest idea...

 

[maskrider]

Did ZOE1 sell better than ZOE2?? Must be bec'se of MGS2 demo which came bundled with it.

I wouldn't be surprised if it did, which would be a crime. But to be honest i haven't got the slightest idea...

I had done my part supporting them, I bought ZOE, ZOE2 and ZOE2 SE when they were released. (but sold ZOE and ZOE2, only keeping ZOE2 SE, ha ha)

May be ZOE doesn't appeal to too many gamers. And I think the bundled MGS2 Demo on ZOE has definitely skewed the sales numbers as some people simply sold their ZOE without the MGS2 demo disc.

 

[rabidrabbit]

How did ZOE2 sell in Japan?
In Europe and usa, the robot mech games haven't been as popular, so it maybe it was expected that zoe's would not be a hot seller.
In western world, it seems you don't see many games in top charts that don't have a human main character(s).