The popular arcade hit Virtua Cop 2 has come to the Saturn. This
incredible arcade-to-home translation has sports texture mapped graphics
and faster gameplay than the original Virtua Cop. While the first
Virtua Cop set a new standard for light gun shooters, Sega and the AM2
team have delivered an incredible sequel that takes the concept to a
whole new level.
Virtua Cop 2 has the same premise as the original, with level design
faithful to the arcade. You know the drill: As a cop the player blasts
his way out of various crime scenes (titled "The Chase," "Save the
Mayor," and "Railway Shoot-out") while the bad guys shoot, drop, and
attack with great realism and detail. Advancing through a scene, "police
work" is complicated by innocent bystanders, who pop up along the way.
Nail them and lose points. Among the new features are multiple routes
in each level. Counting all the course variations, VC2 is easily twice
as long as the original. There is also a killer driving sequence that
involves shooting at enemies from a police car. It's quite an adrenaline
rush to hear the siren while in hot pursuit, picking off enemies on
motorcycles.
The graphics have improved substantially from the original - the
brightly colored sprites have been replaced with gorgeous texture mapped
polygons. The enemies have been given the once over and are now
smoother. Gamers can actually see their enemies' facial expressions. And
speaking of enemies, there is finally a variety of criminals to shoot
(not just Reservoir Dogs lookalikes). Virtua Cop 2 branches out in the
thugs department with ski masks, bandanas, and hoods - each crook
wearing sunglasses, of course.
The gameplay is faster and more intense than in the original Virtua
Cop. The full-force action is relentless, requiring frequent reloading.
There are the usual power-ups throughout the game - shotguns,
automatics, and machine guns (usually hidden in a garbage can or crate).
Players can also shoot enemies in the knees (the sadists will enjoy
watching these guys buckle over and die).
Fans of the arcade and original console versions of Virtua Cop should
pick this game up. Bottom line, the gameplay is repetitive, but after a
long day at work, nothing feels better than wasting bad guys before
dinner. Feeling bold? Strap on two guns John Woo style and just have at
it.
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