Fist of the North Star: Ken's Rage 2
- December 20, 2012
- Koei
Fist of the North Star: Ken’s Rage 2 doesn’t really feel all to rage full. If anything, Ken looks upset, but not near enough to possibly make a game worth buying.
Kenshiro and over twenty other characters from the Fist of the North Star series are ready to unleash rage in another game from Tecmo Koei. Fist of the North Star: Ken's Rage 2 has Legend mode that covers the entire manga storyline from the Raoh Saga to the Land of Shura. Dream Mode has original storylines made just for the game that often focus on minor characters from the Fist of the North Star …
PlayStation
Playstation 3
Wii
Wii U
Xbox
Xbox 360
Reviews
- The game is highly faithful to the original manga, providing an engaging story experience for fans.
- Improved graphics and character designs enhance the visual appeal, making the environments more varied and detailed.
- The combat system is faster and smoother, allowing for satisfying combos and brutal finishing moves that resonate with the source material.
- Gameplay can become monotonous, often involving repetitive tasks of defeating large numbers of enemies in similar environments.
- The removal of the jump function and simplification of the combat mechanics may disappoint players looking for a more complex experience.
- The game lacks English voiceovers, which may deter some players who prefer localized audio options.
- story36 mentions
- 19 % positive mentions
- 72 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The game's story mode, known as Legend Mode, is praised for its faithful adaptation of the original manga, offering a cohesive experience that expands on the narrative with new missions and characters. While some changes from the source material have been noted, the overall storytelling is considered engaging, especially for fans of the Fist of the North Star franchise. The inclusion of cutscenes and comic-book elements enhances the experience, making it a worthwhile journey for both newcomers and long-time fans.
“The story mode is a single cohesive experience that follows through every major detail from the original manga.”
“Many more arcs and details from the original manga are preserved in this iteration of the game, making it a far more enjoyable experience for those who want to go through the story of Hokuto no Ken once again.”
“The best part of this game is that they really show a lot more story.”
“Let me tell you, English can't do Fist of the North Star any justice; it really dumbs down the intense story.”
“This game is good, but its predecessor was more fun despite its flaws and not being so strict in following the manga story.”
“All in all, the story is long, and the legend mode (which is effectively the campaign mode of the game) can eat up a huge amount of your time.”
- graphics11 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
Overall, the graphics have seen significant improvements compared to the previous installment, with more detailed character models and varied environments. While some players appreciate the enhanced textures and faithful character renditions, others note minor graphical hiccups and a tendency for environments to feel repetitive. The game's cut scenes, presented as comic panels, add a unique visual flair, though some still find the overall graphical experience to be mediocre at times.
“After beating 'Ken's Rage 1', I was glad to see improved graphics. The characters and textures are much more detailed, and the game features more varied locations.”
“It's really enjoyable to see all these characters rendered graphically in a very faithful way.”
“We get again a fairly faithful retelling of Hokuto no Ken, and I actually like the way they do the cut scenes, making the rendered graphics into comic panels.”
“The graphics have minor improvements from part 1, and the storyline is more entertaining than part 1.”
“The graphics and textures here are much improved, though the countless drab post-apocalypse environments do get tedious after a while.”
“I guess in exchange for better graphics and slightly better controls, I will take this downgrade.”
- gameplay11 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by a mix of monotonous elements and familiar Dynasty Warriors mechanics, with improvements that enhance the overall experience for fans of the series. While the core gameplay remains largely unchanged, the introduction of a dream mode allows for non-linear strategies, and the accelerated pace adds a layer of execution importance. Overall, players can expect fast-paced combat against numerous enemies, though those not invested in the storyline may find the gameplay dynamics less engaging.
“This game recycles assets and offers a similar experience to the first Hokuto Musou, but a host of improvements to the core gameplay and the game's structure make it a worthwhile purchase for those who enjoyed the first title to the fullest.”
“The game's dream mode offers the far more familiar Dynasty Warriors gameplay, which allows players to strategize and approach the levels in a non-linear fashion.”
“The core gameplay improvements are worth mentioning and make going through the game's huge amount of content a far better experience.”
“The gameplay itself is pretty monotonous.”
“The familiar Dynasty Warriors gameplay is unchanged here.”
“In terms of gameplay, you pretty much plow through tons of faceless minions and beat the crap out of them a la Dynasty Warriors-style.”
- music5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The music in the game is largely similar to that of Ken's Rage 1, featuring a mix of generic 80's rock and metal reminiscent of the Dynasty Warriors series. While some players appreciate the inclusion of tracks like "Ai wo Torimodose," there is a desire for more songs from the original anime, such as "Tough Boy" and "Asunaki Tabi." Overall, the soundtrack is seen as decent but lacking in variety.
“I wish they would also add more songs from the original anime like 'Tough Boy' and 'Asunaki Tabi'.”
“Most importantly, the song 'Ai wo Torimodose'.”
“The music is pretty much the same as Ken's Rage 1.”
“The music is okay, with lots of generic Dynasty Warriors-esque 80's rock/metal in the background.”
“I wish they would also add more songs from the original anime like 'Tough Boy' and 'Asunaki Tabi.'”
- grinding3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players note that while the graphics and textures have improved, the repetitive nature of grinding through numerous waves of enemies in the post-apocalyptic setting can become tedious. Despite some enhancements in pacing, the game still requires significant grinding, particularly in preparation for major battles.
“Just bear in mind, despite some of the improvements in pacing, there is still a lot of grinding involved in terms of plowing through waves of mindless enemies.”
“The graphics and textures here are much improved, though the countless drab post-apocalypse environments do get tedious after a while.”
“Like for instance, the battle with Amiba was pretty much a chapter of its own without any real grinding leading up to it.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find that this game offers significantly more replayability compared to titles like "Aliens: Colonial Marines," though it may not reach the same level of enjoyment as "Far Cry 3" or "Call of Duty: Black Ops 2." Overall, it is considered to have ample replay value.
“So, there is plenty of replay value.”
“To put this game into context, while I didn't have as much visceral fun playing this game as I did in Far Cry 3 or even Call of Duty: Black Ops 2, I definitely had way more fun playing this game than Aliens: Colonial Marines, and I feel there is way more replay value in this game than in Aliens.”
“So plenty of replay value.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is generally solid, with only minor glitches reported during cutscenes that do not significantly impact the overall experience.
“There are some glitches in certain cutscenes, but nothing major.”
“The game crashes frequently, making it nearly unplayable at times.”
“I experienced several freezes during gameplay, which ruined the overall experience.”
Critic Reviews
Fist of the Northstar: Ken's Rage 2 Review
Tecmo Koei tries to bring Fist of the Northstar: Ken's Rage 2's explosive magic to video games, but the result is a dreary title that isn't as good as its predecessor.
50%Fist of the North Star: Ken’s Rage 2 Review
Fist of the North Star: Ken’s Rage 2 doesn’t really feel all to rage full. If anything, Ken looks upset, but not near enough to possibly make a game worth buying.
60%same old song
Ken's Rage 2 improves on the original but doesn't solve its biggest problem: repetition
50%
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