Pros: Same addictive gameplay, enhanced AI, New Co's, insane replay
Cons: More like an expansion pack, not a sequel, only one new unit
The Bottom Line: Insane replay value, double the campaign missions, game gameplay = best 30 bucks ever spent for GBA game
(Can someone please the change the box pic for the right one)
scigamer's Full Review: Advance Wars for Game Boy Advance (GBA)
-INTRO-
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Advance wars came under everyone’s radar as an highly addictive 2D turn based strategy game about a year ago and seriously has contention to be the best game the GBA has among the large amount of games to system has to offer. The balance of it’s distinctive challenging gameplay along with it’s insane amount of replay value just made it the ideal near perfect game to experience. Advance Wars 2 finality arrives to shelves and while still contains the same template of addicted gameplay and strategy, it feels more like an anticipated expansion pack than a sequel since much of the play seem similar to the original. Even so the subtle yet effective improvements on the already perfect game as well as the “new package” feel makes it vastly better than the first installment.
-PLOT-
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In the original campaign, the Black hole army waged battle over the four different armies of Wars world by turning then against each other and manipulating them with you the player battling the other factions off with Orange Star. The Black hole army is back once again and is now taking the more direct approach and has returned with even greater numbers with it’s own highly skilled CO’s to take on the other armies and seize control of the all the lands that make up Wars world. The battling army factions from Wars world must unite and stand together against this common threat.
-Super CO power
-New unit: Neotank
-New Black hole army and Wars World armies CO's
-Enhanced AI
AW2 just like the original practically translates into the essential perfect game for the GBA as it overshadows the first installment as it balances all of it’s gameplay equally that makes the words “must have” a complete understatement. The sequel certainly doesn’t mess with the perfect formula it had going in the original, even if it happen to lack some new innovation, the small improvements stand out enough to definitely make this the better version. Advance Wars 2 is still the addictive 2D turn based strategy game where the player takes the position of directing the troops of Wars world. The game is made up of three other rival countries Blue Moon, Green Earth and Yellow comet that are all battling against the forces of Black hole
Advance Wars 2 is jammed pack with the same modes that the first had from the single modes to the multiple player mode. The Orange star CO Nell is back once again to hold your hand through a brief tutorial which cover the aspects of game for those players that are new to the Advance wars realm There are four modes in AW2: Design maps, Battle maps, War Room and the main mode of the game Campaign. When you progress through Campaign mode, instead of being awarded coins, you are now awarded points from 0 to 100 in the three main categories: Speed, power and technique as well as a letter rank based on your performance. These points are then used in the Battle maps mode to purchase special maps, as well as the new addition of purchasing different color outfits for your CO’s at the shop that can be used outside the Campaign mode
There are a different variety of Commanding Officers of each Wars World army with their own distinct strength and weaknesses. Your objective in each mission is to either wipe all enemy forces, capture the enemies headquarters, or if stated win by capturing the most cities and bases with the deployment of three main types of units that are made up of land, sea and air forces. Each different CO have a particular area of expertise such as indirect, direct or aerial combat and a special ability that parallels their expertise that enhances your armies firing strength, firing range and movement depending on who the CO is. Your CO’s also still have there special power that is controlled by a new 6 star meter that increases every time you attack. Once the three little stars fill up your can use your power but if save it and wait for the three big stars right next to it you can use it as a super power. In AW2, there is now a second level of your CO power which is the super CO that makes an even more powerful attack or ability but this power takes longer to charge up.
The Campaign mode is the very heart of the game and there are numerous different missions that face off against the different CO’s of Black hole This time around in AW2 you are given a main global map of Wars world and each continent of the four armies. Once you defeat the few beginning missions of Orange star, several missions of the other armies becomes unlocked letting you choose whatever army and mission you would like in any kind of order that suits your fancy. The missions are setup on a 2D overhead map block grid that display miniature pieces of each unit available that move just like you would on a game board. Each unit contains 10 vehicles or soldiers that can move a certain amount of blocks and attack at a specific distance depending on what type of unit it is, some can only fire directly in front of the enemy and some can only fire away.
Each turn you have allows you to deploy, move, engage and supply units with important resources such as gas and ammo to everyone that hasn’t been selected. There are different factors in the game right from the beginning that affect your Strategy which are based on the enemy CO, terrain, weather and units available. Terrain serves important natural defensive that helps your troops absorb less damage when attacked that is a key tactic in winning missions. AW2 missions are even more challenging due to the addition of new structures such as blocking pipelines, missile silos, and large stationary cannons that can be used against you during battle.
There are now 19 units available in AW and most of them are land based which have certain weakness and strengths that the players must also be constantly aware of. AW2 introduces only one new unit to play which is the Neotank, a super large spider like tank that has superb defense equal to the punch it packs although it costs of 22,000 may seem like a rather steep price
When you get deep into the Campaign mode things get even more challenging and complex especially when you are given your own bases and airports to deploy whatever units you like. To acquire new units from bases they must be purchased from funding of properties that constantly increases based existing and new buildings in your possession.
Don’t be fooled by the stylish Anime theme to the game because like the original AW2 can is a rather extremely challenging and at times a downright frustrating experience due to the surprisingly shrewd and adapting AI system used. Each enemy CO’s in Campaign mode use there Special ability and approaching style so effectively that most of the time is spend trying to stay a couple of steps ahead just to avoid crushing blows to key units. The computer in such a master opponent that playing a friend may seem rather tame to the full effort that the enemy CO dish out especially since the AI in AW2 is more enhanced. Much of the tactics used in the first game won’t really get passed the computer this time around
But if you thought Single mode was detailed and involved, Multi player mode is even more intense as it offers up to four players to jack up at one time via the link cable. Can’t find your link cable, well that’s no problem since AW supports a single multiplayer format which allows you to just pass your GBA to whoever you play against after your turn is finished although it might be rather confusing.
-CONTROL 10/10-
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The movement is basically a simple version of a RPG with a menu system that easily accessible in a pull down format with the press of one button. Units are selected using a small four corner cursor that shows info detailing the units current condition. Selecting it highlights the area on the grid showing how many spaces in any given direction that the unit can move with a red directional arrow that expands to the farthest point that the unit can possibly move. When the unit is selected, stats display the current condition of the unit as well as showing the details on the defense ranking of a particular type of terrain. Stats on every unit in play can be accessed using the top shoulder buttons and displayed in a menu format.
The distinctive colorful Anime style contained in the first installment has been literary transposed for the same look in AW2 except for some subtle yet stylized improvements to the visuals. The AW series sets itself apart from anything else with it’s unique 2D anime sprite theme with a minimal yet detailed style that fills the whole screen. Much of the visual in AW2 now have that slight coat of polish where the text used in the battles has a bold Italic Arial font type that is a real small difference but it gives it a more sleek and sharper quality. The design of the Wars world unit have stayed the same but the Black hole army’s units have a distinctive futuristic angular qualities that seem rather simplified compared to your armies. The main structure of game is set on a simple battle map that represents the terrain and unit in a small mini 3D form that move across the board with a fluid quality.
The heart of attacking turns the game into a split screen format that displays your forces and the enemy facing off in a detail that is unique to each army. The details of the backgrounds on the split screen correspond to the environments at your current location which possess a crisp vibrant format. The battle animation moves at a smooth rate even though there is a minor amount of motion applied to the game. The character designs of each CO are solid down the board, the old ones have a slight new design and each one still has there own distinctive personality and look.
-SOUND 8/10-
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The audio qualities contained in AW are pretty much the same here, a solid affair but nothing that requires you slap on some noise reduction super quality stereo headphones for. The background music used in the missions are different depending upon which CO you are given or can used at the time because each has there own. The sound effects of each unit are exactly what you would expect in a battle situation, with each unit containing there distinct sound. Unfortunately just like Final fantasy of old, there are no voice over’s at all during the Campaign story mode or in anything else, so your just going to get the text treatment from each character involved.
AW2 is an incredibly fun and addictive turn based strategy game that even with it’s minimal improvements definitely overshadows what the original contained. AW2 easy to use simplistic approach makes this sequel ideal for anyone that’s just a beginner since really no prior knowledge of the game is required, and even if there was your taken care of by the hold your hand tutorial from the first to help get you started. AW2 is the essential must have game on the GBA that’s like pixel crack, once you start playing your not going to want to stop the sheer flowing addiction.
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