Blaster Master Zero 2

79%
Game Brain Score Based on 463 reviews
  • gameplay
  • story
  • music
Blaster Master Zero 2 Game Cover
A great game in terms of design and presentation, Blaster Master Zero 2 showcases how to do nostalgia right; by tweaking the familiar mechanics to the games advantage, making it feel fresh and unique.
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In "Blaster Master Zero 2," join Jason, Eve, and Fred on an intergalactic journey to find a cure for Eve's mutant infection. Traverse various planets in the new battle tank, G-SOPHIA, using the Gaia System to convert impact energy into SP for weapons. Experience the continuing story of Jason and Eve from the previous game in this side-scrolling/top-down action adventure.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

79%
Audience ScoreBased on 463 reviews
gameplay45 positive mentions
grinding26 negative mentions
  • Blaster Master Zero 2 improves upon its predecessor with enhanced gameplay mechanics, a more engaging story, and a variety of new weapons and abilities.
  • The game features a unique counter system that adds depth to combat, making battles more strategic and rewarding.
  • The visuals and soundtrack are top-notch, capturing the retro aesthetic while providing a fresh and enjoyable experience.
  • Some players find the difficulty spike to be frustrating, especially with certain bosses and platforming challenges that can feel unfair.
  • The game lacks significant replayability and extra modes compared to the first game, which may disappoint some fans.
  • There are technical issues, such as incorrect resolution scaling and controller compatibility problems, that can detract from the overall experience.
  • gameplay205 mentions

    The gameplay of "Blaster Master Zero 2" has been praised for its improvements over the first game, featuring new mechanics like the Gaia system and a counterattack feature that enhance combat and exploration. While the game maintains a similar structure to its predecessor, it offers a more polished experience with imaginative level design and a tighter gameplay loop, although some players found certain mechanics, such as boss battles and fall damage, to be frustrating. Overall, the game is seen as a fun and engaging retro platformer that successfully balances nostalgia with modern gameplay enhancements.

    • “The gameplay improvements were immediately noticeable.”
    • “The gameplay is heavily expanded from the first Blaster Master Zero, with the Gaea system and countering system while still maintaining the platforming/top-down action hybrid the series is known for.”
    • “The gaia system turns tank battles into a balancing act of mobility vs. soaking damage, and the burst counter mechanic makes the on-foot dungeons feel a heck of a lot twitchier.”
    • “In the very first stage of this game, you have pinpoint platforming all over the place with some instant death pits, a lack of instructions for about 80% of the mechanics, indecipherable English for what it does explain, the very first enemy you see can only be damaged with special attacks, the isometric on-foot segments now require you to gauge extremely awkwardly conveyed perspective to shoot down floating platforms, there's some new special shoot-and-dodge move you can perform that only works some of the time and multiple enemies that can't be damaged without using it, the first basic combat arena is preposterously difficult while the first boss is a long-winded cakewalk, there are several sound effects and even one or two music tracks that seem to have broken through the audio limiter and are assaulting my ears with blown-out treble that's triggering my tinnitus, it doesn't want to work with controllers, the keyboard controls are absolute garbage and can only partially be rebound (you can't press Esc or Enter to bring up any menus, you need to use Y and P), and even if you don't have a controller plugged in the few control prompts the game does display are Xbox controls despite that they're colored like Switch buttons and I'm using keyboard controls!”
    • “Unfortunately, the gameplay doesn't really hold up, and I'm going to divide it up into different sections because each has positives and negatives.”
    • “However, the gameplay is just a little tedious again, like the first.”
  • story165 mentions

    The story of "Blaster Master Zero 2" is a direct continuation from the first game, featuring deeper character development and a more intricate plot that introduces new characters and challenges. While some players appreciate the enhanced storytelling and humor, others find it filled with anime clichés and less engaging than expected. Overall, the narrative is seen as a significant improvement over its predecessor, making it essential for newcomers to play the first game for context.

    • “The story continues from the true ending of the first game but with a twist: Eve (a deuteragonist) has been infected by a mutant that took over her body and slowly destroys the cells.”
    • “The story is amazing, enjoyed the gameplay and the development of the characters.”
    • “As the 2nd entry in a trilogy, this title definitely exceeded my expectations in terms of an overall story and the new environments and different gameplay mechanics (namely weapons).”
    • “This is where the story of this series starts to get wack.”
    • “The story that was simple but serviceable in the original just goes full on shonen tropes here to a degree where it’s just horrible to read and look at.”
    • “Near the end, the plot became a bit (and only a bit) interesting, but that won't save the whole game.”
  • music103 mentions

    The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising it as a significant improvement over the previous installment, featuring dynamic and catchy compositions that enhance the gameplay experience. However, some players have noted issues with high-pitched sounds that can be uncomfortable, detracting from the overall enjoyment. Overall, while the soundtrack is generally well-received, there are notable inconsistencies that affect player experience.

    • “The music is very well composed, providing its own kind of energy, from the upbeat track of the first planet, to the more brooding tones of the dungeon areas, and the quick-paced boss battle theme that motivates you to take on the enemy's set of attacks.”
    • “The music in Blaster Master, even before Zero, has been one of its high points and its main theme is very memorable and easy to recognize, and the team behind the soundtrack in this game did an amazing job at it.”
    • “If you're looking for a somewhat non-linear retro platformer with some fantastic music, great level design, good gameplay mechanics that play into one another and a decent story, you might enjoy this one, although I would still recommend playing the first one first.”
    • “The game is superb, but this version has one major, major issue that won't affect everyone: most of this version's music has an ear-gratingly horrible high-pitched sound, starting right from the music playing in the main menu.”
    • “In addition to gameplay issues, there's one thing that I've never encountered before in any other game — all of the sounds and music in bmz2 have weird high-pitched screeching notes in them, making it physically uncomfortable to play.”
    • “The few drawbacks are a meh soundtrack compared to the badass OST in the last game, and some encounters feeling cheap where it's impossible not to take a hit.”
  • graphics61 mentions

    The graphics in this game have received significant praise for their noticeable upgrades from the previous title, featuring a blend of retro 8-bit and 16-bit aesthetics with modern enhancements. Players appreciate the handcrafted quality of the visuals, which include well-animated sprites and vibrant backdrops that evoke nostalgia while feeling fresh. Overall, the graphics, along with the music and character design, contribute to a visually appealing experience that resonates well with fans of the original game.

    • “This game got a noticeable upgrade in visuals.”
    • “Great visuals that stay true to the era while spicing things up with some more modern 2D effects when it benefits the game.”
    • “The graphics seem to be handcrafted, and even though there are some sprites reused from the first game, they don't clash and are extremely well animated.”
    • “I didn't love the graphics in this game as much.”
    • “Which means that the graphics are a little bit different and you can easily tell if this is the second or first game just by looking at the sprites.”
    • “Like the original, the graphics & sounds are based on 8 & 16-bit games, but it looks more like a Game Boy Advance title.”
  • grinding26 mentions

    Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience. While some upgrades and exploration elements reduce tedium, many reviewers note that boss battles and certain levels can feel excessively tedious, particularly in the late game where backtracking and unclear mechanics contribute to frustration. Despite these issues, some players still enjoy the game, highlighting that exploration can be rewarding and less punishing.

    • “The final level (unlocked by doing 3 backtracking fetch quests) is slow and tedious, introduces many new and unexplained mystical powers, requires an obtuse mechanic for defeating the penultimate boss, and leans heavily on anime tropes.”
    • “It just feels like there is excessive padding at the end to try to lengthen the game, which was already a bit tedious in the first place.”
    • “Though, to be fair, the exploration is tedious in general here.”
  • replayability8 mentions

    Overall, the game's replayability is considered low, especially in comparison to its predecessor, as players express disappointment over the lack of unlockable modes and challenges after completing the game. Many reviewers note that without downloadable content (DLC), there is virtually no replay value, and the absence of a hard mode further limits the experience.

    • “Though I haven’t tried them, there is replayability here.”
    • “Also upon 100%ing the game, I was upset to see no unlimited or destroyer modes that you could unlock, so replay value is pretty low compared to the first game.”
    • “Without DLCs, replayability is nonexistent.”
    • “There is also no hard mode like destroyer mode from the first game, so replayability is limited to DLC content.”
  • character development4 mentions

    Character development in the game has received mixed feedback, with some players finding it lacking depth and complexity. However, the overall story and character design have been praised, suggesting that while the characters may not evolve significantly, they are visually appealing and fit well within the narrative.

    • “The good: the music, graphics, story, and character design.”
    • “I'm not easily impressed when it comes to world-building and character development; I can't really say much more than that without spoilers.”
  • humor2 mentions

    The humor in the game is highlighted by a character who humorously laments about taxes, leading to a war against their ruler, which users find amusing and relatable. This blend of absurdity and social commentary adds a lighthearted touch to the narrative.

    • “There's a character who shares a backstory and hilariously complains about taxes being unfair, which leads to a war against their ruler. It's just so funny!”
    • “The humor in the game is spot on, especially when characters make absurd complaints that reflect real-life issues in a comedic way.”
    • “I love how the game uses humor to tackle serious topics, like when a character jokingly blames taxes for starting a war. It's both clever and entertaining!”
  • atmosphere2 mentions

    The atmosphere in the game is highly praised for its originality and effectiveness, significantly enhancing the experience of various areas and scenes. Reviewers consistently highlight how the phenomenal sound design contributes to the immersive environment.

    • “The original soundtrack is phenomenal and helps create a great atmosphere for whatever area or scene it accompanies.”
  • monetization2 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game is characterized by a lack of advertising, which has led to it being overlooked by some users.

    • “Pretty much no advertising on this release, it slipped me by.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

86% average critic score

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Play time

17hMedian play time
14hAverage play time
7-20hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 4 analyzed playthroughs

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