XBLA/PSN Review: Runner2: Future Legend of Rhythm Alien

The world hates a coc… oh, he’s a BLOCK blocker. Never mind.

Being almost exclusively an Xbox 360/PlayStation 3 gamer I only knew of Bit.Trip by reputation and through a handful of Commander Video cameos in other console indie titles. So, when the opportunity to check out their latest release, Bit.Trip presents… Runner2: Future Legend of Rhythm Alien, came about I decided I wasn’t about to pass it up. I’m glad I didn’t.

CONTROLS (4.5/5)

As with most platformers, Runner2 starts off very simple — jump over objects — and then introduces more and more mechanics (glide, kick, block, slide, etc.) as you progress. In most instances the game handles admirably, and successfully navigating some of the trickier selections become something of an elegant dance executed via a sequence of precisely timed flicks and button presses.

Where I ran into trouble (literally) was with the analog stick, which needs to be pushed down to slide, up to spring off of certain objects and forward to block incoming projectiles. Too often the game would not read my input and I’d take a beat block to the chest that sent me flailing back to the checkpoint as a result; my assumption is that I must’ve been slightly angled with my inputs, but in the moment it can be tough to make sure you’re pushing at exactly 90-degree intervals. The d-pad is probably the preferred way to play, but I’m so accustomed to the analog stick it felt foreign to use it.

GRAPHICS/SOUND (4.25/5)

Charm and creativity drive the visual side with cleverly designed levels pushing you forward through the game’s five worlds. There isn’t a lot of variety in the backgrounds, though honestly the frenetic pace of the action ensures you’ll rarely be focusing anywhere beyond the task at hand. I did find that the final world made it a bit tough to always distinguish between objects on the fly, but it was also the most visually interesting of the lot so it ends up being a solid tradeoff.

Musically, Future Legend of Rhythm Alien does an exceptional job; especially when you consider the game is built to make you replay sections time and time again. Despite the inherently repetitive nature of each level — go as far as you can, hit an object, get sent back, try again — the music never comes close to becoming annoying. In fact, the soundtrack’s rhythm is an integral part of the experience. If you can keep the beat you’ll find it significantly helps completing levels.

GAMEPLAY (4.5/5)

In Runner2 you control Commander Video, who is constantly being propelled across the screen and tasked with going over, under or through all manner of obstacles in your path. Along the way you’ll try to pick up as many gold bars and cores as you can, each of which will add some element to the musical accompaniment. Successfully collect all items in a level and at the end of it you’ll hop into a cannon and fire yourself at a bulls eye; this is done both for bonus points and in-game rewards.

Many levels will contain split paths, hidden goodies (such as treasure chests or warps to an 8-bit version of the game) and multiple exit points to locate. Plus, some sections are locked behind keys you’ve yet to acquire on your first visit and other levels will only become available once you’ve obtained a specific amount of gold. All told, there are 95 standard levels (each with three difficulties), five boss battles and 25 retro levels. Given that just playing through once on the default setting should take in the neighborhood of six hours (depending on skill) there’s no shortage of content.

Levels promote a mix of reflex-based obstacles and trial and error. As such, you’ll find that what gives one person fits may not trouble someone else and vice versa. Once Runner2 hits its stride and all the various moves have been introduced it throws all kinds of different patterns at you, reshuffling the deck repeatedly to keep gameplay fresh. Occasionally you may get stumped for what exactly the developers had in mind for a particular section, but with a little patience you’ll get through.

As noted, the game contains three difficulty settings: easy, medium and wait for it… yep, hard. As you’d expect, easy is a virtual cake walk, offering up little challenge thanks to sparse obstacle deployment. Medium (aptly dubbed “just right”) has a nice blend where it’ll knock you down yet never makes you feel like you’re more than a move or two away from passing it. The hard setting can be quite tough at times, particularly if you’re trying to collect everything on a level, but even at its toughest Runner2 isn’t going to be confused for Super Meat Boy anytime soon.

Outside of perfecting all the levels, the other draw to revisit the game is the online leaderboards. At least that’s the case in theory. In practice you’re ultimately limited in the number of ways you can score points so shooting for a high score means doing superfluous things like dancing at every free moment or skipping the mid-level checkpoint for a boost. I’m not saying it doesn’t take skill to sit atop these boards, but the allure of mashing the right trigger to build up one’s total feels minimal.

There are a few minor annoyances — the game takes a while to load, your patience can be tried at times when it feels like you’ve taken an undeserved trip back to the start (even when you really did screw up somehow) — but nothing that even comes close to making you want to stop playing.

OVERALL (4.5/5)

Generally speaking the titles that really rope me in for extended sessions are big budget, story-driven games. Runner2: Future Legend of Rhythm Alien totally bucked that trend and had me telling myself “one more level” into the wee hours of the night. It offers a satisfying yet not overwhelming challenge, and it’s wonderfully designed and surprisingly addictive. Not bad for 1,200 MSP ($14.99).

CONTEST

What’s that you say? You’d love to try out the awesome Runner2: Future Legend of Rhythm Alien but your pockets are a little light after a visit from the tax man? Well, fear not fellow travelers, the scholarly gentlemen over at Gaijin Games are teaming up with yours truly to offer you a chance to win a code to download the game for free on Xbox Live Arcade or PlayStation Network!

To enter, all you need to is post a comment below that says, “I want to be legendary!” (feel free to go all caps or add exclamation points if you’d like) Also, make sure to include your console preference (XBLA or PSN) and your @Twitter handle if you have one. If not, simply make sure your email address is correct when posting.

Winners will be selected on Monday, March 17th. All entries must be submitted by 7 PM EST/4 PM PST on Monday. Please note that although anyone can enter you must either be following me on Twitter or submit a working email address to win.

Good luck!