S&S Review: Joe Danger 2: The Movie

Title: Joe Danger 2: The Movie
Format: XBLA
Release Date: September 14, 2012
Publisher: Microsoft 
Developer: Hello Games
Price: 1200 MS Points
ESRB Rating: E

I was a fan of the original Joe Danger like most people, and with the newly released sequel, it looks to improve on everything that made the first game so good.

Presentation:
Joe Danger 2: The Movie sports one of the most eccentric presentations found in a XBLA game.  Given that this is a direct sequel, there isn't really any new graphical standouts or improvements.  Even with that said, the game still looks really good.  There are a lot of bright and vibrant colors painted on a wide variety of levels.  From heavy blizzard-areas to bustling cities, the game will take you too many different locales.  Joe himself is just as charming as before, his quirky animations will keep a smile on your face, even when you're failing miserably at a particular level.  The eclectic mix of music found in the game is perfect for this type of game, the up-tempo style tracks keeps the momentum going, especially on levels where you're trying to get the fastest time possible.  The enthusiastic announcer rounds out the presentation, so not a whole lot new in terms of the visuals and audio.  I do have a few gripes with the visuals though, the sheer amount of monotony on the screen can be a bit of a headache.  So many colors on the screen, and hazardous objects can cause confusion on what you actually need to do.  This is the only drawback of the presentation though, not really game hindering at all.

Core Gameplay and Multiplayer:
The core gameplay hasn't changed from the first game, but Hello Games has added an abundance of new mechanics for each level.  You rarely do the same thing in each level, there are tons of new objectives and challenges for you to partake in.  Joe isn't just a motorcycle rider any more, you'll be completing levels in more vehicles like snowmobiles and old mine carts.  Each of the vehicles control slightly different from one another, extending the learning curve quite a bit.  The game is definitely more challenging  than the last one, hardcore fans of the first game will accept the challenge with open arms.  You still need to collect stars to unlock more stages, no matter what level you're on though, you always get an easy task for a quick star.  Completionists will have to replay the levels many times to get every star possible, adding tons of hours of replayability.   A cool thing I love about the game is that the game encourages you to take a moment, and survey your surroundings.  Some stars require you to backtrack in order to collect certain objects, like the enormous letters of Joe's last name.  A new level editor gives creative players the option of creating levels and sharing them online for other players to play.  Downloading and playing them is quick and painless.  There is local multiplayer mode, which is really crazy, that allows up to four players to try and race to the finish.  It would have been better if it was online, but the fact that its in here is fine on its own.

Final Thoughts:
Joe Danger 2 is worthy sequel to the 2010 hit downloadable title, it improves on every aspect of the original game.  PS3 owners don't fret, Hello Games have already said that the game is coming soon.  For $15 bucks, its well worth your time and money.  

S&S Rating:8.5/10

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