Andro Dunos 2
- March 24, 2022
- Picorinne Soft
A shoot-'em-up sequel arrives 30 years after the original.
Get on Steam
Get on Xbox Games StoreAndro Dunos II is a side-scrolling shoot 'em up game with vibrant pixel art graphics. Build your own loadout of weapons and power-ups, and battle through six stages of intense boss fights and adversaries. This sequel to the classic Neo Geo shooter brings refined gameplay and challenging difficulty for new and returning players.
Reviews
- The game features a nostalgic 90s aesthetic with vibrant graphics and a catchy chiptune soundtrack, making it a joy to play for fans of retro shooters.
- The weapon system is diverse and engaging, allowing players to switch between different weapons and power them up, adding a layer of strategy to the gameplay.
- The difficulty curve is well-balanced, making it accessible for newcomers while still providing enough challenge for veterans of the genre.
- Environmental collisions can be difficult to navigate due to similar color schemes, leading to frustrating crashes during gameplay.
- There are issues with weapon switching responsiveness, requiring multiple button presses at times, which can disrupt the flow of the game.
- The lack of modern features such as achievements, online leaderboards, and scaling options may disappoint players looking for a more contemporary experience.
- music15 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its catchy 90s chiptune style, featuring drums-driven melodies and warp-like sound effects that enhance the gameplay experience. Reviewers highlight the soundtrack as memorable and fitting, contributing to the game's nostalgic feel and overall enjoyment, making it a standout element alongside its impressive graphics and engaging mechanics.
“The mechanical designs are detailed and cool, the backgrounds shift dramatically, and the soundtrack has a smooth feel to it that really gets you into the groove of shooting and dodging.”
“A fantastic shoot 'em up and an unbelievable soundtrack from the one and only Allister Brimble.”
“Enemy bosses are all fun, visually distinct and require careful thought on weapon selection and super-shot usage, especially when it's all punctuated with a catchy and diverse 90's feeling soundtrack that lingers with you as an earworm long after your play session.”
“The soundtrack has a smooth feel to it that really gets you into the groove of shooting and dodging.”
“Soundtrack and sound effects: drums-driven melodies with warp-like sound effects amount to a nice mix.”
“Each level gives the feeling of difference and progression, especially when it's all punctuated with a catchy and diverse 90's feeling soundtrack that lingers with you as an earworm long after your play session.”
- graphics12 mentions
- 42 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are widely praised for their polished, vibrant pixel art and engaging design, reminiscent of classic Sega Saturn visuals. Players appreciate the combination of stunning visuals, tight controls, and a variety of characterful elements that enhance the overall experience, making it a standout in the shmup genre. The graphics contribute significantly to the game's appeal, alongside its music and gameplay mechanics.
“With great Sega Saturn-like graphics and great music with huge bosses and a good array of power-ups and upgrades, you simply cannot go wrong with this game!”
“It's a superb shmup, since the controls are tight and the visuals are jaw-dropping.”
“Graphics are vibrant, varied, and full of character.”
“The graphics are simple and lack detail, making the game feel outdated.”
“The visuals are underwhelming and do not match the expectations set by modern games.”
“The graphics seem rushed and lack polish, which detracts from the overall experience.”
- gameplay9 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 44 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The gameplay is praised for its simplicity and straightforwardness, enhanced by a variety of unique weapons and upgrades that add strategic depth. Players appreciate the good difficulty progression and the ability to swap weapons to tackle different enemy types, while the mechanics are well-designed and accessible without being overly complex. Overall, the combination of engaging mechanics, smooth performance, and a fitting soundtrack creates an immersive shooting experience.
“Something about this STG really hits the mark for me... simple, straightforward gameplay, yet the multiple weapons and upgrades keep things interesting.”
“The weapons you can swap between feel unique and are better for certain situations, the timed power-up hyper shot adds mechanical depth besides just holding down the fire button, and being able to level up the weapons you like the most is super helpful.”
“Continues were introduced into coin-ops for purely commercial purposes (to make people spend more), but they are a contradiction for the gameplay of score-based games.”
“The gameplay has the right amount of complexity without being obtuse, having multiple weapons you can switch between as well as leveling them up at the end of a stage is a nice touch.”
“Good difficulty progression and the weapon-changing mechanic adds some extra strategy in taking down enemies.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game offers strong replayability through its full campaign mode and the option to tackle individual stages for high scores, allowing players to engage with the content in multiple ways.
“Replayability is fantastic; you can choose from a full campaign or select a single stage to beat its high score.”
“The game offers great replayability with multiple paths and choices that keep each playthrough fresh.”
“I love how replayable this game is; every run feels different thanks to the various strategies you can employ.”
“Replayability is limited; once you've completed the campaign, there's little incentive to play again.”
“The game lacks meaningful choices that would encourage multiple playthroughs.”
“After finishing the main story, I found no compelling reason to revisit the game.”
Critic Reviews
Andro Dunos II (Switch) Review
A shoot-'em-up sequel arrives 30 years after the original.
75%Andro Dunos 2 Review
Andro Dunos II is a resounding success. That a small indie developer can bat alongside the likes of M2 and Platinum and, honestly, with greater overall success, is always uplifting. Further inspiring, is how — superficial IP notwithstanding — it manages to be so utterly exacting to arcade standards of the '90s, and at the same time feel breathtakingly original. Its craftsmanship, from weapon negotiations and experimentation, to the way each stage is cleverly built to aid a variety of approaches and play styles, is top notch. Andro Dunos II looks good, sounds great, and plays wonderfully.
90%Andro Dunos II Review
Andro Dunos II carries on the old-school Neo-Geo classic; almost to a fault. Its varied weaponry keeps things fresh, but there are far too many cheap shots for our liking.
66%
