Reloading for Duty
The game is slightly the same but there are some minor difference which I feel slightly improve on the first game.
The graphics are great as usual, Neo Geo always seems to have great animation in my book. I really like the detail of seeing the war torn enviorments. The music is also great and memorable it's the kind you'd hear in an action film, it would be cool if there were remixes of some of the music. And the gameplay is great, it's the usual move and shoot nothing wrong with that. There is more destruction and explossions than a Michael Bay movie, there is a great variety of enimies that just come at you from all sides like angry hornets, it's completely crazy so you better start blasting immediately. A decent variety of vehicles to drive to help you, as well as a very good variety of weapons to help you. The boss battle are very good, aren't hard to beat and are memorable, the one boss that is my favorate is a building. Yeah, I'm not kidding, this one might take a while to beat since it contains at least two stages of changes much like the transformation of Autobot city in "Transformers the Movie." but it's just a lot of fun and a gradifing feeling destroying an whole enemy base armed to the teath all by yourself (or with a friend).
You have only four characters not eight to pick from this time, let alone three character team function. Some might be a little put off by that but I didn't think it was that big of a deal but yeah that's to me the minor misfire the game has because the three character team function was one of the best things about the first game. But oh well, you still all the same have a soild selection of characters each have strengths and weaknesses. I personally like playing as Lulu since she's equipped with the spread shot gun, moves quickly and cute. And sometimes Toy since he is armed with a powerful lazer and is balanced in moving.
One of the other differences is that your characters can level up. There is a gauge at the bottom once you've aquirred enough of a certain power up it will grow and so will your firepower. When the gauge is full your almost unstoppable, and you can guess how much more damage and how quicker it will be to do it.
The levels are a little longer which is another improvement in the game, which also makes this game a little longer. And the game still has the replay value which is one of the best things about the first game, from choosing alternate routes and seeing the endings of which ever character you play.
Overall, I thought it was a very good sequel even if it doesn't fire the same calabur as the first, but still has enough bang. As I said before t's a shame despite having a sequel it wasn't enough to make this into a genuine franchise, I could see a 3, 4 or even 5th squad game. Or heck even have these characters in the next King of Fighters games since getting SNK characters is part of what the franchise is famous for.
Oh well, Shock Troopers Second Squad is worth a shot.