Ty the Tasmanian Tiger 2: Bush Rescue
Score: 85% ESRB: Everyone Publisher: EA Games Developer: Krome Studios Media: DVD/1 Players: 1 - 2 Genre: Platformer (3D)/ Adventure
Graphics & Sound: Ty the Tasmanian Tiger 2: Bush Rescue is a mascot-based platformer that is good enough to entertain kids and hardcore platform fans, but falls short of being the breakout game that titles like Ratchet & Clank and Crash Bandicoot have become. Ty 2’s overall look is colorful, bright, and is sure to please just about anyone. It may not match up with some of the “bigger” platformers set to come out later this year, but it still looks nice. Environments are big and full of details and other special effects. I was particularly impressed with the water, or rather the hazy “water” effect that went on under the surface. I’m someone who can always be won over with small details, and Ty 2 has them in spades. Fire and other effects are stylized to fit with the rest of the game, which in some respects reminded me of the claymation shows seen on Nickelodeon and Disney Channel, but still work very well. Even some of the more minor characters in the game show off enough personality to at least make players smile. Legions of koalas walking around in construction hats may be cute, but at the same time, there’s definitely a lot to like about them -- especially when you see them struggling to pull a car out of a river. Sound tops off an enjoyable presentation. Voice work is top-notch and doesn’t fall into the trap of having the Aussie accents come off as campy. There are even a few Australian “slang” words thrown in to give the game a little extra punch. The soundtrack is a mix of tribal beats and finishes off the Aussie feel of the entire game.
Gameplay: Ty the Tasmanian Tiger 2: Bush Rescue is a major improvement over the original. A big part of this improvement comes with Ty 2’s adaptation of what I like to call the “Platforming-Adventure” genre, something that originated with Mario 64, and was polished up in Jak & Daxter and other recent platformers. The game is broken up into several levels, or zones, which are all connected via one giant hub area -- which in Ty’s case is the Bush Rescue Base and the neighboring city. The game opens up shortly after the original with Boss Cass’s escape from prison. Ty 2 thrusts players into action right from the start, a feeling that continues at least through the intro sequence. Players are given a taste of what the game has to offer, like controlling Bunyips, giant robots that Ty can pilot to simple problem solving. But despite an exciting intro, the game kind of fades out and loses something. Subsequent missions are fun, but lack continuity. Except for the missions that have something to do with the actual story -- which involves Boss Cass forming his own country to gain diplomatic immunity and his plans at world domination -- many of the game’s tasks feel like filler. Missions are fun, but feel more like a random assortment of mini-games than a full-fledged game. One mission may have Ty crawling through the sewers looking for escaped crocs while another has him transporting dynamite to the top of a mountain. Levels are split up into two major categories. Some missions are assigned to Ty from his boss. These are missions you must complete in order to progress through the game. Others show up on your DRA (Digital Rescue Assistant), and are for the most part optional. These missions are just as fun as the “main” missions, but the only real benefit I saw to completing them was to acquire more opals to spend on boomerang upgrades. Ty 2 also features a cart racing game that is just as much fun as the “main” game. I was really surprised to see how fleshed out this section of the game was since I was really expecting just a crummy little mini-game that was thrown together at the last minute. With the addition of this game, it really helps to give the Ty 2 a little more replay value, and makes it a much more attractive package since it is essentially two games in one.
Difficulty: For the most part, Ty the Tasmanian Tiger 2: Bush Rescue is easy to get into, and easy to beat. Even less experienced gamers will have an easy time of jumping right in and having fun with the game. The only real challenges I found within the game dealt mostly with some of the platforming puzzles found in the areas between levels. These puzzles have very little to do with the flow of the main game, so completing them never gets in the way of progressing through the game.
Game Mechanics: Ty has a variety of weapons at his disposal during the game. His main weapons are his two boomerangs and his bite. Boomerangs are Ty’s long-range weapons and the ones he’ll use the most during the game. At the start of the game, he only has access to normal boomerangs, but they can be upgraded throughout the game, each with their own special uses. Fire boomerangs can melt ice, while ice boomerangs can freeze. Some, like the infrared and x-ray versions, are required to perform certain missions -- such as one that requires you to search the entire town for a spy with a cloaking device. Biting enemies is always a viable option, but only when enemies are in close range, making it more useful as a climbing tool than a weapon. Some areas of the world contain floating machines that Ty can bite. Rapidly biting these machines allows Ty to reach new areas that he normally couldn’t get to by jumping. Vehicles also play a big part in Ty’s adventure. Ty can use a helicopter as well as Bunyips in certain missions. Bunyips are robot suits that Ty can jump into to fight off enemies -- including other Bunyips. Other types of Bunyips allow Ty to explore underwater, swim across lakes of lava, and lift heavy objects. Some areas require that Ty jump onto the back of a Fourbie, or what us yanks would call an “off-road pick-up truck,” to reach. Although it may have a few problems, Ty the Tasmanian Tiger 2: Bush Rescue is still fun and very kid friendly -- a trait that is becoming harder to find these days in games as they move towards the more “mature” audience. When you throw in the $20 price tag, as well as the fact that you’re really getting two games in one package, it’s hard to pass up Ty 2.
-Starscream, GameVortex Communications AKA Ricky Tucker
SuperPower 2 RocketBowl