Blaster Master Zero 2

Genre: Metroidvania / Top-Down Action

Players: 1

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Review:

Blaster Master Zero 2 is the sequel to Blaster Master Zero, itself a remake of the classic 1988 Nintendo Entertainment System game. However, unlike the first game, Blaster Master Zero 2 is an entirely new title, featuring a mix of side-scrolling Metroidvania and Top-Down Action gameplay similar to its predecessor, but with new features and gameplay mechanics. This game was released in 2019 on multiple platforms, including Nintendo Switch.

Visually, this game looks like an evolution over what we saw in the first game, and as such it uses pixel art visuals with a level of detail that makes the game look like a 16 bit-era videogame. This pairs with a decent chiptune soundtrack to make for a game that has a very nostalgic feel to it, even though there’s nothing old about it.

In terms of gameplay, Blaster Master Zero 2 brings over a lot of the top-notch gameplay that was in the first game, but this time adding new elements. Of particular note is the new weapon-charging system in the Metroidvania sections that has players charging their secondary weapon (and later, their vehicle’s jetpack) by finding a suitably high place to jump off from and slam down onto the ground. This is a wonderful addition that makes it a bit less of a concern if you want to use those secondary weapons, because you can nearly always be assured of an easy refill as long as you’re aware of your surroundings.

Another interesting new addition here is in the game’s Top-Down Action sections, which now give players a new lock-on counter attack that plays a huge role in combat and especially boss fights, where enemies attacking you briefly flash the “X” button which, if pressed, will allow your character to perform a dodge maneuver while automatically targeting that enemy with a stunning counter-attack. Both this new system and the new weapon-charging system are cleverly incorporated into the game’s level design and enemy design, making them an integral part of the gameplay, and both of these additions are fantastic new elements of the gameplay, which remains overall superb.

Also, I must once again tip my hat to this game’s excellent use of the HD rumble feature. As with the first game, Blaster Master Zero 2 uses the HD rumble at different levels throughout gameplay, and I really felt it enhanced the experience. That said, those who don’t care for it are free to turn this feature off in the game’s menus.

As for complaints… well, my biggest complaints here are much the same as the complaints I had for the first game. A lot of this game’s mechanics and systems, such as its weapon system and even the lock-on counter I just described, are not very well conveyed to the player. Also, the segmented nature of this game’s levels still limits exploration, although at least now there’s a “world map” (more like a universal map, I suppose) that makes returning to past levels easier. And the game also still has a yellow health bar and green health pickups. I should also mention that the first game’s co-op feature is now gone in this game, although that feature was such an afterthought that it’s not a monumental loss here.

Overall, Blaster Master Zero 2 is a fantastic sequel that builds on and improves over the first game, itself already a much better version of a beloved classic. Fans of Metroidvanias and Action games should absolutely give this game a look, especially if you enjoyed the first game.

tl;dr – Like its predecessor, Blaster Master Zero 2 is an Action-packed Metroidvania in the same style of the original Nintendo Entertainment System game, although this game is completely new, building on the formula laid down in Blaster Master Zero while adding new gameplay elements that are worked into the game’s design and really do a good job of improving the overall experience. This game does still suffer the same flaws its predecessor had, but overall it’s a better experience, and a fantastic game fans of Metroidvanias and Action games should give a try.

Grade: A-

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