Ninety Nine Nights 2, hereon referred to as N3II, is the sequel to 2006s critically panned game. Konami, taking the publishing role from Microsoft, has brought the title back to the Xbox 360 for more wholesome hack-n-slash mayhem with an added layer of difficulty and online co-op mode. However, N3II still faces the recurring problem that plagues most titles of this genre – its frustratingly repetitive.
Ninety Nine Nights 2
Developer: feelplus/Konami Digital Entertainment Inc.
Price: $59.99
Platform: Xbox 360 (reviewed)
The story brings players into the role of Galen, who is tasked with defeating the Army of the Night who destroyed your kingdom and more personally, your family. You cant help but notice the Japanese style of narrative from N3II and picking up the cliche dialogue was more than obvious. Galen is joined by a host of characters that includes not one but two busty bosom-ed elves. Each character has their own unique ability that is used in combat but their roles never really serve to flesh out the storyline that is ultimately centered around Galen. Certainly, a player can play as a different character in each level but it repeats the same campaign scenarios that youve encountered before as Galen.
A revamped difficulty curve in N3II creates the idea for a challenging experience, no doubt, but its execution strikes a chord that makes the game frustratingly difficult in the end. Levels play out in such a way where a seemingly predictable objective turns into a monster challenge to complete, adding in cheap difficulty to mask its shortcomings. Enemies will constantly respawn via summoning towers and while it doesnt sound bad at first, try fighting a boss fight with an endless supply of annoying monsters. The AI reacts expectantly of a hack-n-slash game, waiting in a formation for the players presence and then preempt to attack. Its a decision that leaves plenty in quantity but lacking in quality as they respond almost all the same. The only good news to take from this is that your character withstands damage like a tank and can mercilessly plow through fields of enemies like cannon fodder.
For fans of this genre, theres plenty to like. There is a deep commitment to the combo kills based system that formed the core gameplay of its predecessor. New variations to gameplay are built upon acquiring new weapons, equipment, and powerups for better, efficient combo chains. Through the collection of red orbs and leveling up, players open more options to customize their character to suit ones own playstyle. Yet, the problematic gameplay still remains. The combo system essentially downgrades to a button mashing sequence that takes little effort to execute. In the end, I simply confined myself to dodge roll + Y to clear out a group of enemies just so I move on to the next part of the level. Speaking of which, the levels themselves have an aura of familiarity because of its reliance on completing objectives to progress to another. Essentially, forcing the player into a confined area before you can move on and ultimately hampering the ability to do any real exploration.
The big push on N3II is ultimately the online co-op, the human component of the game. The addition of a companion to tackle the games survival type scenarios is welcomed. There isnt a narrative to follow the co-op play but it does bring some notable unlockables for replay. N3II is a step above its predecessor in the visuals department given the added polish towards its presentation. However, its a shame the game doesnt take advantage of its graphics to really empower its gameplay given the many lifeless enemies on the battlefield that could have really come to life.
The Final Word
N3II ultimately boils down to whether or not the hack-n-slash genre appeals to you. Its a challenging game that borders on frustrating but it certainly caters to the whims of people who want more of an experience from the genre aside the monotony of wanton killing.– MonsterVine Rating: 3 out of 5 – Average
