Sometimes you just want to kick it old school, and that’s exactly what Wanako Games allows you to do with their Xbox Live Arcade sequel, Assault Heroes 2. The game takes classic top-down shooter action and expands upon it nicely, making this one 800 MS point download that is well worth the investment, regardless of its flaws.
Assault Heroes 2 invites players to assume the role of a stereotypical space marine sort of character, then jump into a heavily armed off-road vehicle and traverse a variety of battlefields, blasting the bejesus out of anything that moves. For some quick, nostalgic, arcade shooting action, this game gets the job done.
The focus is mainly on vehicular combat; the game serves up trucks, tanks, helicopters, and mechs on a silver platter for the player to commandeer during each and every stage of the assault. However, these modes of transport will only hold up so long under the heavy fire that your enemies are sure to rain upon you, and could almost be considered large and extravagant mobile suits of armor. After absorbing enough damage, even the mightiest of tanks will shatter like an eggshell, leaving the player to fend for him- or herself on foot.
Offense is the most enjoyable part of this experience, thanks in part to the traditional dual-analog setup that it employs. The left stick controls character movement, while the right stick directs his fire. Keeping the two completely independent of one another allows for precise aiming control and the ability to gracefully dodge enemy barrages while simultaneously dishing out a firestorm of your own. Strangely though, there are what you might call ‘blind spots’ in the right analog stick’s range of motion. Rotating the stick, you will find that the line of fire will ‘snap into place’ as it approaches each of the four cardinal directions. That means that eight separate angles are lost to the player, and the precision aim I spoke of earlier is partially negated.
There are several weapons available in the game, which can all be upgraded by collecting the appropriate power-ups scattered generously throughout each area. Unfortunately, of all the weapons (minigun, missile launcher, flamethrower, ice gun), players will find that only the minigun is really necessary to blast through to the end, especially after a few upgrades. The other three guns feel underpowered and far less useful by comparison.
If you have friends, you can team up to mow down the hordes of soldiers, tanks, aircraft, and the like either locally or on Xbox Live. I’d recommend making sure your partner has some skill, though, because you’ll be sharing your lives, a la the old TMNT games. I’m not particularly fond of this style, and would rather go it alone when my teammate can no longer hack it. (It’s mean, but it’s the truth) One thing that would be nice for everyone involved is a checkpoint system, that way dying wouldn’t mean replaying an entire stage because you were killed by its massive boss character or the last foot soldier before the end point.
Despite its flaws, Assault Heroes 2 is a fun and functional arcade shooter that just about anyone can enjoy. Its simple control scheme feels good, and the ability to blast away with your buddies is a definite plus. Nice, high resolution graphics and crisp audio round out the package, and although it is brief, the game is definitely worth the price of admission.
