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Developer: Koei
Publisher: Koei
Genre: Strategy
Region: NTSC
Format:
Release Date: 21 Mar 06
User Rating
8 (1 vote) -
- Relive those classic WWII naval battles with this sim, which provides overwhelming customization options with a dash of RTS and RPG elements.
Overview
One thing we don't see very often in video games is naval combat. This is one of the few genres that video game developers have yet to really tap into. Having played the original Warship Gunner, you could see the potential in the game, but you also could sense it needed some much retooling. So now Koei Games is back with another shot at sea battles in Warship Gunner 2 for the PS2. So can this at sea game handle the seas better then the first? Read our full review to find out!
Gameplay
When you think about developing a game like Warship Gunner 2, you can easily see why this would be a tall order. At least with many of the common genres like a WWII shooter, or a soccer game there are ways to see what has worked and what hasn't. With a game like Warship Gunner 2, you really don't see the developers having such luxury. There is a story involved in Warship Gunner 2 which is good, but nothing special that takes place during WWII. The story never takes things to deep but keeps you interested in the experience nonetheless.
To describe Warship Gunner 2 is to really describe a few different genres, which include action, real time strategy, and RPG. You will find that throughout the experience of this game you will navigate your vessels around the vast ocean to get into position to take out enemy vessels, and this process is a slow and at times tedious experience. Similar to many RPG's, there are just thousands of things you can customize on your vessel to improve you performance in the game that some may be turned away from this game because of this. The setup process is actually a very long one and it is one that requires a whole lot of patience.
This review could either be ten pages or I could sum everything up for you, but since most of you don't want to read every little detail, I will go with the latter of the two. The game has a bunch of missions to test your skills on, and most of them work in a trial and error fashion. The missions can take quite some time, and this is really one of those experiences that are going to thrill some people and bug the living daylights out of others.
In the end, I have to say that Warship Gunner 2 is just one of those games that require a lot of time and effort from the user. Whether it is customizing your vessel, setting up for attack, or actually diving into the action in the game, it is just one lengthy experience. With that being said, the developers did what they could in regards to creating a varied and entertaining experience for those who like this kind of extensive experience. A simple analogy for this would be a realistic and cumbersome Gran Turismo. You move around engaging enemies, and tweak your vessel to your hearts content in between missions. With that being said, there could have been some things done to help the experience, for example more varied mission objectives and even a bit less options. If you like an in-depth and complex game, then Warship Gunner 2 will be a good choice for you.
Graphics
An area in which Warship Gunner 2 struggles immensely is the visual category, which is just poor and not up to the standards of the console. I was just shocked to see the game just struggle to look even decent in almost every area of the game. First off, the vessel models and the environments just seem so bland and unrefined that it is just hard to bear them. The visuals remind me of the first few months of the PS2's life rather than nearing the end. I should also mention that just struggles to ever really stand out in any area visually. Unfortunately the developers really missed the boat on this area.
Fun Factor
I have to say that I have real mixed feelings about Warship Gunner 2, and if you couldn't already tell that from the review you will see why right now. I have to say that I liked a lot of the things the developers did in this game, with the story and some of the depth that they gave in terms of options and customizability. However on the other side of things, Warship Gunner 2 at times gives you to much to think about and so much time being spent dealing with the setup of your battle that a lot of times the battles can feel too overwhelming. So I have to say this all comes down to personal preference, and to me it just felt a little too drawn out.
Overall
Warship Gunner 2 is a game that I was hoping would turn out to be a success, but the final product just feels a little slim around the edges. The actual gameplay is extremely beefy, but when you take into account the visual style and the long startup process, the game just feels a bit to drawn out. If you like the extensive customization options available here, rent it out and give it a try.
- Gameplay
7.0 - Graphics
5.0 - Fun Factor
6.0 - Overall
6.0
