• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

IGN Pikmin 2 review

G

Goreomedy

Console Market Analyst
http://cube.ign.com/articles/540/540864p1.html

10.0 Presentation
Absolutely phenomenal. Slick, stylized menu work, gorgeous CG cut-scenes, a wide number of gameplay modes and Piklopedia and Treasures collections areas that'll knock your socks off.

9.0 Graphics
Gorgeous. Though environmental textures blur up close, the locales look great panned back. Meanwhile, everything from lighting and water effects to particles and creature models is beautiful.

8.0 Sound
Runs in Dolby Pro Logic II. Crisp sound effects echo and reverb in caves. Cute, cuddly character calls and subdued, but interesting music. More orchestrated music would be nice.

9.0 Gameplay
A great formula made better. Amazingly fun to play, despite a couple flaws. And the inclusion of two new Pikmin types, another hero character, more play modes, and cooperative and versus battles.

10.0 Lasting Appeal
A huge single-player mode -- 30 or so hours. Plus deep multiplayer modes to boot. Gamers will be busy for a long, long time, and loving every minute. Some will spend hours with the Piklopedia alone.

9.3 OVERALL
 
H

Hitman

Edmonton's milkshake attracts no boys.
HOLY SHIT! 30 hours of single player aciton. That's awesome.

My most anticipated game this generation me thinks.
 
C

Culex

Banned
Awesome! The first one was a no-brainer purchase; it's good to know the sequal really did deliver in spades.
 
G

Grubdog

Banned
Deku Tree said:
Echoes + Pikmin 2 + Paper Mario 2... how about Mario Tennis?
Click to expand...
Mario Tennis will be GOTY of whatever year it is released in.

And DAMN Pikmin 2 sounds awesome. I want it so badly now! :D
 
Alex

Alex

Member
Pikmin was fun and novel, but ultimately flawed rental fodder. Although I did purchase it, and didn't regret it too much.

Pikmin 2 sounds absolutely sick though, it's not just the additional ammount of meat to the main portion though which would've been enough really it sounds. But reading the previews has really sold me on it. The sheer ammount of little mechanial tweaks, underground dungeons, reworked challenge mode with co-op, all the little goodies, etc.

The original Pikmin I'd akin to Ico with a much more cool concept, of course, in that it was fun for what it was, it looked good, and I enjoyed it, but it really suffered from lack of challenge, length, and simply didn't feel fleshed out enough. That and both are overrated to hell and back by their fans. :p

Anyway, it's so easy to simply pull the hate down on Nintendo most of the time, but when they actually get off their asses to make a meaty, well rounded game, it's usually good shit, too bad it simply doesn't happen often enough.

All IMO, of course.
 
D

Die Squirrel Die

Member
Tenguman said:
When I buy this game, I'm going to rub the box all on my nipples. Then I'll leave the store.
Click to expand...

I read that as 'all my nipples' like you were one of those freaks with more than two.

Good god (the wheat eating kind) I'm hankering to give my GC some love, but Nintendo are just refusing to get things to me faster. Nintendo I have money to give you in exhange for games, what are you waiting for?
 
D

Die Squirrel Die

Member
TekunoRobby said:
Nintendo doesn't operate on money alone, she has needs. Primal needs.
Click to expand...

But I've had to resort to playing Spiderman2 just so I'm not griping a controller while looking at a blank screen. That's almost like console abuse.
 
R

Raw64life

Member
Damn. I was actually hoping the game wouldn't be excellent so I wouldn't have to buy another game but it doesn't look like that's happening.
 
C

Chibbi Brady

Member
Zachack said:
That's what they said about Metroid and I beat it in 11.
Click to expand...

They aren't kidding when they say that. The SP game is huge. Most of it is made up of underground dungeons that can take as much as an hour or more to clear. No Pikmin breeding down there either, so what you go in with is all you have.

Very nice score, fully deserved. Have to agree about the CG cutscenes, they are fantastic. There is one with Louie that is simply priceless.
 
S

Senretsu

Member
Sweet, I shouldn't have read this thread so late at night, I can't wait any longer to play this game and I'm hyped up now, I'm never gonna get to sleep.
 
Journeywalker

Journeywalker

Member
...and turn off the guiding computer?

Pikmin 2 was always an instant purchase for me, and this review solidifies my anticipation. I hope I don't come off as crazy, but Pikmin was like a close friend to me--every time I spent time with it, I felt better, saw something new in it and in myself. While I was trumped by someone else on the internet, I'm proud that I finally beat the game without losing a single Pikmin (in 12 days).
 
G

ge-man

Member
Mejilan said:
Jeez? Isn't this review like 2 months early? Either way, I cannot wait!
Click to expand...

The game is going to be out in the states in little more than a week. Are you talking about PAL territory?
 
D

Die Squirrel Die

Member
ge-man said:
The game is going to be out in the states in little more than a week. Are you talking about PAL territory?
Click to expand...

Look Nintendo I'm waving my cash at you, come and take it.


Maybe if I move down wind they'll catch the scent.
 
M

Memles

Member
I cannot buy this game right now. I won't. If the DS Launch lineup sucks, it's getting picked up for Christmas, but I can't bite otherwise.

Waiting for PC, as I did with Pikmin.
 
R

Ristamar

Member
Journeywalker said:
...and turn off the guiding computer?
Click to expand...

God, the help system is so lame in Prime. Granted, it was well executed, but for god's sake, why have the damn thing hold your hand through a game so heavily focused on exploration? I turned it off immeditaely...
 
T

Teddman

Member
Gee, I don't know if I would give the game quite as high a score as 9.3 based on the import.

I was a big fan of it, but the dungeon hacking (if you can call it that) does get a bit repetitive after awhile. As the game wore on, I longed for more of the surface world exploration found in the first game. Still solid 8.5-9.0 material for me and a good buy.
 
T

TheGreenGiant

Banned
It's refreshing to see a Nintendo-created game with such undeniably high production values.
Click to expand...

from the review.

I don't know what the fuck the reviews at IGN have been smoking but that remark really dosn't make any sense. Nintendo's games I think tend to be highly polised with high production value - especially its marquee titles. FMV = high production value?

Great review though. MUST BUY!
 
H

Hitman

Edmonton's milkshake attracts no boys.
Now I'm really wishing Nintendo released this maybe a week earlier.. I don't want to be just getting into Pikmin then have school ruin it for me.
 
S

Scrow

Still Tagged Accordingly
Do they happen to mention which of the Pikmin games is better? 1 or 2?

edit:
Closing Comments
Pikmin 2 delivers. It's a sequel that retains the same fundamental play mechanics and mission rules that made the first a hit, but also one that improves upon just about every aspect of the original formula. The control mechanics are slightly more fine-tuned. There are two new Pikmin types, which create a wealth of new play options. There is an additional main character, which makes dividing Pikmin into different squads all the easier. There are more environmental-based puzzles and challenges. The single-player game is dramatically more difficult and longer -- roughly 30 hours. The 30-day system that hindered the original title has been thrown out of the window, and as a result gamers can set their pace. There are new challenge and versus modes, both of which are highly entertaining. There's even a collection system that rivals that in Super Smash Bros. Melee. To top it all off, the game features phenomenal presentation through and through, a fact reinforced by crisp, detailed CG sequences that are uncommon in Nintendo-developed titles. Here's hoping this is the beginning of a trend.

Most important of all, though, Pikmin 2 is fun. Despite some minor issues with character AI and the process of dividing Pikmin into groups, the game is extremely enjoyable from beginning to end.

Top notch. Highly recommended.
Click to expand...
I guess that means 2 is better than 1... :p
 
W

wazoo

Member
Scrow said:
Do they happen to mention which of the Pikmin games is better? 1 or 2?
Click to expand...

They are bot quite different. In the first, if you try to finish the game under 9 days with the time limit, it gives you one of the most frantic and complex puzzle games ever. Without the time limit and many added things in the second, you have 2 games worth checking.
 
D

dark10x

Digital Foundry pixel pusher
Ristamar said:
God, the help system is so lame in Prime. Granted, it was well executed, but for god's sake, why have the damn thing hold your hand through a game so heavily focused on exploration? I turned it off immeditaely...
Click to expand...

Yep! THIS is the reason why some people were able to finish it so quickly...

I also believe that this is why many people complained about finding the artifacts. They weren't used to searching around the world...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Exoprimal | Review Thread
Analysis Review 2 3
100
8K
twilo99 replied
Homeworld 3 | Review Thread
Analysis Review
22
3K
amigastar replied
Visions of Mana | Review Thread
Analysis Review 2
52
3K
Poppyseed replied
Tekken 8 | Review Thread
News Analysis Review 2 3 4 5 6
263
21K
Klosshufvud replied
Still Wakes the Deep | Review Thread
Analysis Review 2 3 4
184
12K
DirtyBast8rd replied
Top Bottom