SUPER BOMBERMAN R 2
- September 13, 2023
- KONAMI
Super Bomberman R 2 is a fun return to the world of bomb-toting multiplayer madness. It’s easy to recommend for the Battle Mode alone, but there’s also a solid Story Mode to keep you entertained, despite some design flaws.
"Super Bomberman R 2" is the latest game in the party battle series, featuring a variety of game modes, the largest content volume in the series' history, and a stage editor for creating and sharing custom stages. The game includes both offline and online battles, as well as a single player mode. The new "Castle" battle mode introduces an asymmetrical battle between the Castle side and the Attack side.
Reviews
- Super Bomberman R 2 offers a nostalgic experience with classic Bomberman gameplay and new modes, making it enjoyable for fans of the series.
- The game features a variety of multiplayer modes, including a 64-player battle royale and a unique Castle mode that adds strategic elements to gameplay.
- Graphics and character customization are well-received, with many unlockable items and a fun, colorful aesthetic.
- The online player base is sparse, often resulting in matches filled with bots, which diminishes the multiplayer experience.
- The single-player story mode is criticized for being repetitive and lacking depth, failing to engage players beyond a few hours.
- The rotating game modes in online play limit player choice, making it frustrating for those who want to play specific modes at any given time.
- story53 mentions
- 13 % positive mentions
- 70 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The story mode in Super Bomberman R 2 is criticized for being short, repetitive, and lacking depth, with only three lengthy levels and uninspired cutscenes. While some players appreciate the graphics and the cutesy storyline, many find the gameplay grindy and the boss fights forgettable, making the overall narrative feel underwhelming. Despite its shortcomings, the game may still appeal to Bomberman fans looking for familiar mechanics and multiplayer action.
“It's got a lot more content and areas, quest mode etc. graphics are insanely good, story line is cutesy.”
“In terms of gameplay, graphics, music, and story, the game is good.”
“It’s easy to recommend for the battle mode alone, but there’s also a solid story mode to keep you entertained, despite some design flaws.”
“The story mode, if you can even call it that, is written very poorly and serves mostly to train the player in castle mode - which the CPU is so bad at that you can win with little to no effort if you make use of just conveyor belts and blocks.”
“Frankly, I would be better off with no 'story' compared to this.”
“After the first world, you've pretty much experienced everything the story has to offer in terms of gameplay.”
- gameplay22 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 73 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the latest Bomberman installment is a mixed bag; while the core mechanics remain enjoyable and the multiplayer experience is fast-paced and engaging, the single-player mode suffers from repetitiveness and lack of content, with uninspired level design and minimal enemy variety. Players have noted a significant drop in quality compared to previous titles, particularly in terms of story and character development, and the online experience is marred by a lack of player base, often resulting in matches against bots. Despite these drawbacks, the game does introduce some interesting new modes and customization options that may appeal to fans of the series.
“I love the core gameplay of Bomberman.”
“Classic Bomberman grid mechanics with neat twists in additional modes, with new rules to keep things fresh.”
“The new castle mode brings some interesting twists to the classic formula while all the chaotic arcade gameplay that’s carried this series for 40 years proves to be just as compelling as it’s always been.”
“I did a 100% completion and man it was a let down compared to the first Bomberman R in terms of gameplay.”
“The story itself is basically on par with the first game, but the gameplay gets way too repetitive and grindy.”
“Nearly every Bomberman game before this one has had more content than this game in their single player mode alone unless you go by sheer gameplay hours, then this game is the longest only due to the sheer amount of padding and backtracking it has with lackluster uninspired level design, one-dimensional characters and writing, only 5 unique enemies throughout the whole game that just get reskinned in each world, and only 4 bosses - not counting repeats in the boss rush area.”
- music11 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed feedback; while the soundtrack is generally appreciated, it lacks variety and changes little between levels. Players enjoy the ability to unlock tracks from classic franchises like Castlevania, Metal Gear, and Contra, but some feel the overall musical experience is repetitive. Despite these criticisms, the music contributes positively to the game's solid presentation.
“Love the soundtrack! Also love playing as Pyramid Head. :3”
“You can unlock music from Castlevania, Metal Gear, and Contra, etc. That's very much appreciated.”
“Gameplay is good fun, great level editor, solid presentation, and music, lots of customization.”
“The story is quite short, consisting of 3 long levels. While there are 15 zones per world, it really feels like just 3 big levels with mild backtracking. This is disappointing, and the music barely changed between the later zones. There are only 5 enemies at most, with re-skins, and the boss fights are super easy, requiring little effort.”
“Same engine, same graphics, same music, same assets.”
“The music barely changed between the later zones of the levels, which feels repetitive and uninspired.”
- graphics10 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their high quality and appealing art style, particularly in cutscenes, contributing to a fun and energetic atmosphere. However, some reviews note that the visuals feel familiar, as they utilize the same engine and assets as previous titles. Overall, while the graphics enhance the experience, opinions vary on their originality and impact on gameplay.
“I love the art style of the cutscenes.”
“Graphics are insanely good, story line is cutesy.”
“Fun and cute graphics that are so much fun and really add to the energy the game brings.”
“Same engine, same graphics, same music, same assets.”
“Same engine, same graphics, same music, same assets.”
“The single-player campaign is kinda meh; visuals are basic.”
- monetization6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The monetization model is praised for not requiring microtransactions for content and character customization, which is a positive aspect. However, many users feel that the overall experience is diminished by the game's lackluster quality, leading to perceptions of it being a cash grab despite the absence of typical free-to-play monetization strategies.
“The content and character customization doesn't require any microtransactions, which is awesome.”
“Paying this much for something that feels like a cash grab Unity game half the time is absurd.”
“I wish I could say I'd rather have a free-to-play Bomberman game, but it would consist of microtransactions and battle passes.”
- replayability5 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
Overall, the game has limited replayability in local multiplayer due to a lack of variety and engaging stages, making it less appealing for couch co-op. However, the online component offers significant replay value, particularly for players who enjoy multiplayer experiences. Solo players may find the single-player content lacking, further diminishing replay potential.
“It’s a little less easy to recommend if you intend on playing entirely solo—the single-player offering is a bit thin here—but the endless replayability of the online component makes it a great pick otherwise.”
“Don't see much replayability at all.”
“"Couch multiplayer"... only with a few bland stages, no team battle options, none of the variety that made past games have replay value.”
“It's a little less easy to recommend if you intend on playing entirely solo—the single-player offering is a bit thin here—but the endless replayability of the online component makes it a great pick otherwise.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessive, leading to repetitive gameplay that detracts from the overall experience, despite the story being comparable to the first game.
“The story itself is basically on par with the first game, but the gameplay gets way too repetitive and grindy.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The game suffers from significant stability issues, with frequent freezes occurring in menus and during storyline cut scenes, preventing players from progressing.
“The game frequently freezes in menus, leaving me unable to advance past storyline cutscenes.”
“I often experience game freezes in menus, which prevents me from progressing through the story.”
“The game is plagued by freezing issues in menus, making it impossible to move forward during cutscenes.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The optimization of Super Bomberman R Online has received mixed feedback, with players noting performance issues on the Switch and a lack of innovation in new content. While the story mode is considered unique, it fails to engage players fully.
“If you played Super Bomberman R Online, a lot of the new content isn't actually new.”
“There are significant performance issues on the Switch.”
“The story mode is unique but not as engaging as it could be.”
Critic Reviews
SUPER BOMBERMAN R 2 PC Review
Bombs, cute things, and a whacky crew… What can go wrong?
70%Super Bomberman R 2 Review
Super Bomberman R 2 is an explosive romp. Classic Bomberman grid mechanics with neat twists in additional modes, with new rules to keep things fresh. In some ways it is a fitting celebration of four decades of bombs - fast, nippy multiplayer gameplay at its core, with cute, colourful characters to tie everything together. Does it push beyond Super Bomberman R? In some ways, yes, but there could well have been more to take this sequel to the next level. That said, those looking for a Bomberman adventure on the Nintendo Switch should hop on into Super Bomberman R 2 with open arms, preferably holding a bomb or two.
80%Super Bomberman R 2 Review – Explosive Multiplayer Fun, Lackluster Story
Super Bomberman R 2 excels in delivering a rich multiplayer experience, introducing innovative modes like a 64-player battle royale and Castle mode for strategic base-building. However, the game's single-player story mode falls short, offering repetitive gameplay and a forgettable narrative that doesn't quite ignite the fuse for a compelling solo adventure.
60%