Talk about collectathons. First game, not so bad because it knew when enough is enough. Second game-it's just area after area of collecting. Towards the end my pikmin and I just kept dropping further and further into cave after cave. I fibally quit. It was fun at first, but I mean come on. If the sole purpose of the game is to collect, it gets fairly tedious after a while. The final area was the last straw for me. So, with so much collecting in the game, did anyone enjoy it? I mean, really?
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Did anyone enjoy Pikmin? Like really enjoy it?
- Thread starter KidOmega
- Start date
This is my review of the game.
Before any more time passes and people stop caring about this game, I thought I'd review it. I've recovered the full debt and have experienced a good deal of the final area. Okay, here we go.
***WARNING*** - The following does not come spoiler free, as I don't believe the game's story points constitute more than a paragraph anyway. Otherwise I'm just giving you descriptions of gameplay/bosses, which you probably knew up anyway if you had any interest in this game.
Overview
This part is entirely descriptive, and offers no criticism of praise of the game. I encourage you to read it though.
Description
Pikmin 2 is a puzzle/strategy game in which players must depend almost entirely on the help of tiny plantlike creatures to recover treasures, kill enemies, and clear paths to new treasures, enemies and dungeons. The hero of the game is Captain Olimar, who has returned from the first game only to find that his escape from the planet in the first Pikmin game will earn him no rest. The company he works for, Hoctate Freight is deeply in debt to the tune of 10,000 Pokos (Pikmin's money) and the president (featured in my avatar) is in despair. As one might expect, the president has no other solution than to ask for Olimar's help. And as luck would have it, the planet Olimar once thought he'd never escape has just the source of income that Hoctate Freight so desperately needs.
In the first Pikmin adventure, Olimar only had 30 days in which to complete the task of recovering his ship's parts and escaping the planet. In this game, the ridiculous time limit is scrapped in favor of an infinite day system. In other words, days still end and you have to gather your Pikmin before the sun goes down, but you can continue your task from the previous day. So if your Pikmin were building a bridge and it was only half complete, you could end the day and come back tomorrow. (provided some of the game's more annoying creatures didn't undo what you had started)
The general structure of the game is two-fold, above ground and dungeons. There are many treasures above ground that you must brave dangerous creatures to gather, and there are still many more in the game's dungeons. While you are above ground, you will mostly be doing one of three things. You will be gathering the appropriate color and quantity of Pikmin, clearing the areas of obstacles and enemies (though the enemies respawn with each new day, works well with the "wild" nature of the game) and carrying treasure back to your base.
Above Ground
In the "above ground" areas, you'll mostly be deciding which colors and strategies are best to enter into a new area. This will require a gathering of Pikmin of your choice. You do this by having the Pikmin kill and carry back to the onion (Pikmin-spawning contraption that sucks up dead enemies and numbered/colored pellets) enemies that you encounter along the way. Another way to gain more Pikmin is by having the onions suck up tiny numbered pellets that appear throughout the above ground areas as you kill more enemies. A little later in the game, you will find flowers that give you back more Pikmin than you put in according to what color is flashing (red, yellow, blue), or they simply change the color. (like purple or white for instance) Challenges such as having your Pikmin squad build bridges, climb trees, and stomp bags will be necessary for advancement in these areas. Again, the appropriateness of the Pikmin color and quantity are the keys.
Dungeons
The second kinds of stages are the dungeons, places in which you can leave with no more than the number of Pikmin with which you entered. This means careful planning, else you'll be giving up and going back to the surface of the planet with your entire Pikmin population decimated. Each of these underground caves is structured much like the surface of the planet, but with unique creatures that you will rarely find above ground and abundant treasure as a reward for those that survive.
In these caves, you can kill the resident creature population and risk losing some or all of your Pikmin squad so you can have a clear path to the treasure, or you can run for the exits. (you'll might try the latter so that you can scout the stage, then later return to the dungeon) [v]Days do not end while you are underground[/v], and you will emerge from the caves with the sun chart still at its cave entry position. This will prove relaxing for those who are bothered by the concept of the Pikmin being unable to work at night.
These dungeons have levels which ascend in quantity as you progress in the game. The first dungeons have five, then ones a little further on have seven, then nine, then twelve or more. It can be a daunting prospect with no way to regenerate your Pikmin squad, but fortunately on the later levels there are springs to get out before the "Final Stage". (the final stage is the last part of the dungeon, usually consisting of a boss or special challenge) The order that you enter any Pikmin 2 dungeon is up to you and there are many dungeons to choose from, but you will find that quite a few of them were designed for players at a certain skill level.
Pikmin types
What about the Pikmin? Well, there are fives kinds of Pikmin (or six if you count Bulbmin, parasitic Pikmin found later in the game that are immune to all the dangers but cannot leave the dungeons) that vary according to color and can be altered further through the use of fruit juices (like the red juice, which makes them extra aggressive) and honey. (for speed, makes a Pikmin's head bloom) Red Pikmin are your generic attack Pikmin that are immune to fire and are very aggressive by nature. Blue Pikmin are of course your swimming Pikmin. Their purpose is solely water-related. Yellow Pikmin can be tossed much higher in the air than other Pikmin and are immune to electricity. High ledges are their speciality. White Pikmin are poison Pikmin. They detect buried treasures, destroy poison barriers, and poison the enemy when they are eaten. Attack-wise, these are the weakest Pikmin. Purple Pikmin can carry 10x the load of the other colors, and pack quite a punch in battle. For this reason, you will likely find the least purple Pikmin in the game. White and purple Pikmin can only be found in dungeons, and can only be spawned by giving up your red, blue, or yellow Pikmin.
Enemies
Enemies range from the expected to the absurd, mostly the latter. You will find birds that slither and burrow in the sand, frog-like creatures that pounce on you if you walk under them, giant jellyfish that suck up your Pikmin, and a missile-firing creature called a "Gatling Groink". In all, there are nearly 100 unique enemies that will go to great lengths to kill your Pikmin squad and send you back to regroup.
What I've just described is a basic overview of the single player portion of this game. Other modes include 1 and 2 player challenge mode, which involves recovering treasure and escaping from dungeons which are similar in nature to the ones you'll encounter in the 1 player game. There is also a Piklopedia for calaloging the creatures you've encountered and a Treasure Chest for viewing the treasure you've recovered. Each offers little comments from Olimar himself. In addition, there are some bonuses that can be gained from completing various aspects of the game, like extra movies.
Double Team
The last important facet of the game is Louie, your co-worker from Hoctate Freight. He joins you to help disperse your Pikmin, and he serves as both a time saver and some of the game's puzzles and boss fights revolve around the cooperation of Olimar and Louie. You switch between the two Captains, both of which can command Pikmin, though neither works without your control. If either Captain takes too much damage and goes down, the other takes control. If both captains lose their energy, it's time to retreat to the planet's orbit.
Now, on to the actual review. Was that long enough for you?
Presentation
When I gave my initial impressions of Pikmin 2 a couple of weeks ago, I said it was flawless. And not only does it maintain that level of polish throughout, it seriously stomps just about every Nintendo game that has ever been made in this area. The structure of the game is flawlessly balanced and intuitively managed, the menus are slick, and the world itself offers you a glimpse at a truly wild imagination. After the first CG cutscene and surrealist landing onto the place where you're about to begin your search for treasure, you really know you're in for something special.
Level design? This game has it in spades. Every level of every dungeon in every area offers a new arrangement of creatures, color-based hazards, and shameless product plugs. (Nintendo has a LOOOOONG list of companies in the ending credits for all the things Pikmin carry) In addition to this world of wonder, aspects like the Piklopedia allow you to watch your favorite enemies munch on the Pikpik carrots that you throw at them. It's quite entertaining, as I've done this for a few hours altogether There's really nothing more that can be said about Pikmin 2's presentation. It is as realized as the Pikmin world can possibly be. At the "end" of the Poko quest, you get to see a CG cutscene in which Louie has been left behind on the planet. Gently swaying blades of grass are visible and you can clearly see what Nintendo has in mind for the next generation. I look forward to it, but for now Nintendo has blown our expectations out of the water.
Score 10.0
Graphics
I will try not to dwell on this category. Pikmin 2's graphics are quite simply some of the best Nintendo has ever put out. Character models look great. Environments look great. Animations look great. There are many things on the screens at once, and you can simultaneously do many things at once. Great camera. Nintendo proves you can do so much with simple textures, and yet the company has managed to raise its game.
Score 9.0
Gameplay
It just keeps getting better. That is the best way I can describe the progression of playing through Pikmin 2's perfectly balanced worlds. Since I have covered so many facets of the gameplay already, I will describe the depth of this game for the naysayers in my original thread.
Let's say you have 100 Pikmin, 20 of each kind. (that's the most you can command at one time) There could very well be 4 different ways that 80% of your squad could be obliterated in an instant just from obstacles. You can whistle to save Pikmin from water, fire, and poison, but often they go running off in a direction so fast that you can't catch them. Then you have hazard-related enemies, those spitting using fire, electricity (kills instantly, no saving), water, and poison to their advantage. Then you have what I like to call "Pikmin hosers", those which kill without regard to specific color. There are plenty of these in every part of the game, and they can eat or crush your Pikmin. And you have to do all this while worrying about having your Pikmin carry treasure. By the way, Pikmin are completely unable to fight while they're carrying anything.
I'll describe four particular gameplay scenarios so you can get an idea of what playing Pikmin 2 can be like.
Scenario 1
You're on the top of a hill which you must run down to get to the goal. There are around 20 enemies spitting boulders at you, each of which could wipe out your whole Pikmin squad in an instant. In addition, there are alternating electricity barriers at several points on the trail, each of which could wipe out your Pikmin in an instance. There's no time for treasure unless you know what you're doing. And even knowing exactly what to do to clear the area of dangers is very meticulous work that leaves little room for error.
Scenario 2
You see about 7 small bad guys, each of which are fairly weak compared to your average Pikmin squad. You know that with some careful attention, you could take them out. These creatures are marching to a beat for some reason. I thought that was a neat little touch. So I take out about three of them and their Daddy drops in from the sky and eats my whole Pikmin squad. To say this game is unpredictable is an understatement. Bosses that you've already fought appear randomly during the stage and many times an enemy will come over from the total opposite end of the stage and attack your Pikmin.
Scenario 3
I had set my Pikmin 2 rest in a corner where I thought they were safe. I had at least 80. Meanwhile, the few whites I had were hammering away at a poison barrier. Along comes a Gatling Groink. He fires 3 missiles into the air and decimates my Pikmin before I can get to them. Sure enough, he's on a bridge next to some water, but I have to risk throwing my non-blue Pikmin on him to hope that they stay away from the water. What ensued was one of the most intense firefights I've had in the game. Pikmin were flying every which way and drowning, meanwhile the Groink kept knocking me down as I tried to get away and gather my Pikmin. We finally killed the creature, leaving me with about 16 Pikmin.
Scenario 4
A stage is overrun with ferocious creatures, all with the intent of killing your Pikmin. You want no treasure. You just want out. So you search for the exit. Unfortunately, it's beyond a wall that your Pikmin have to knock down. While they're knocking it down, they're vulnerable to attack. But it's not just the Pikmin that are in danger. You are too. That's right. There's a bird that picks up Captain Olimar and/or Louie and spikes them into the ground. So while you are being carried off by a bird, your Pikmin are completely vulnerable to being eaten by the other creatures that you tried to avoid. And with no commander, they can do little other than die.
I've just described a small taste of what challenges are like in Pikmin. This is NOT a shallow game, and anyone who thinks that has never made it to the Dream Den, I assure you. It's full of squad-killing bombs, flying enemies, water wraiths, and every inconvenience imaginable. You have only your squad and your managment of that squad to solve the puzzle that will save your life. Pikmin 2's gameplay is not only challenging, but incredibly fun and rewarding for those willing to invest in the 30+ hours that the game has to offer. For the record, that's as long as your average RPG.
Once you're done with the single player quest, you can challenge your friends or yourself to the same sort of melee. The Pikmin can get stuck in places when there's a huge squad, but that's the only complaint I can think of, and it's not worth a serious deduction. The reason behind this is that they will suck honey on their own, or you will accidentally tap the C-stick and command them to do something you didn't want them to do. (like telling the yellow Pikmin to get the object out of the water, oops)
I've labored the point. It's fun, challenging, and very deep. First rate.
Score 9.8
Music Subtle, almost to the point that you don't notice it. But I've listened to the soundtrack, and it's actually pretty good.
Score 8.0
Control
Intuitive and responsive. Nintendo doesn't do bad controls.
Score 10.0
Conclusion Buy Pikmin 2. This isn't a rental. I can't tell you how much of a gem this game is. This game has at least twice the content as your average game this year, and probably as much as most games for that matter.
Final Score (not an average) 9.6
Before any more time passes and people stop caring about this game, I thought I'd review it. I've recovered the full debt and have experienced a good deal of the final area. Okay, here we go.
***WARNING*** - The following does not come spoiler free, as I don't believe the game's story points constitute more than a paragraph anyway. Otherwise I'm just giving you descriptions of gameplay/bosses, which you probably knew up anyway if you had any interest in this game.
Overview
This part is entirely descriptive, and offers no criticism of praise of the game. I encourage you to read it though.
Description
Pikmin 2 is a puzzle/strategy game in which players must depend almost entirely on the help of tiny plantlike creatures to recover treasures, kill enemies, and clear paths to new treasures, enemies and dungeons. The hero of the game is Captain Olimar, who has returned from the first game only to find that his escape from the planet in the first Pikmin game will earn him no rest. The company he works for, Hoctate Freight is deeply in debt to the tune of 10,000 Pokos (Pikmin's money) and the president (featured in my avatar) is in despair. As one might expect, the president has no other solution than to ask for Olimar's help. And as luck would have it, the planet Olimar once thought he'd never escape has just the source of income that Hoctate Freight so desperately needs.
In the first Pikmin adventure, Olimar only had 30 days in which to complete the task of recovering his ship's parts and escaping the planet. In this game, the ridiculous time limit is scrapped in favor of an infinite day system. In other words, days still end and you have to gather your Pikmin before the sun goes down, but you can continue your task from the previous day. So if your Pikmin were building a bridge and it was only half complete, you could end the day and come back tomorrow. (provided some of the game's more annoying creatures didn't undo what you had started)
The general structure of the game is two-fold, above ground and dungeons. There are many treasures above ground that you must brave dangerous creatures to gather, and there are still many more in the game's dungeons. While you are above ground, you will mostly be doing one of three things. You will be gathering the appropriate color and quantity of Pikmin, clearing the areas of obstacles and enemies (though the enemies respawn with each new day, works well with the "wild" nature of the game) and carrying treasure back to your base.
Above Ground
In the "above ground" areas, you'll mostly be deciding which colors and strategies are best to enter into a new area. This will require a gathering of Pikmin of your choice. You do this by having the Pikmin kill and carry back to the onion (Pikmin-spawning contraption that sucks up dead enemies and numbered/colored pellets) enemies that you encounter along the way. Another way to gain more Pikmin is by having the onions suck up tiny numbered pellets that appear throughout the above ground areas as you kill more enemies. A little later in the game, you will find flowers that give you back more Pikmin than you put in according to what color is flashing (red, yellow, blue), or they simply change the color. (like purple or white for instance) Challenges such as having your Pikmin squad build bridges, climb trees, and stomp bags will be necessary for advancement in these areas. Again, the appropriateness of the Pikmin color and quantity are the keys.
Dungeons
The second kinds of stages are the dungeons, places in which you can leave with no more than the number of Pikmin with which you entered. This means careful planning, else you'll be giving up and going back to the surface of the planet with your entire Pikmin population decimated. Each of these underground caves is structured much like the surface of the planet, but with unique creatures that you will rarely find above ground and abundant treasure as a reward for those that survive.
In these caves, you can kill the resident creature population and risk losing some or all of your Pikmin squad so you can have a clear path to the treasure, or you can run for the exits. (you'll might try the latter so that you can scout the stage, then later return to the dungeon) [v]Days do not end while you are underground[/v], and you will emerge from the caves with the sun chart still at its cave entry position. This will prove relaxing for those who are bothered by the concept of the Pikmin being unable to work at night.
These dungeons have levels which ascend in quantity as you progress in the game. The first dungeons have five, then ones a little further on have seven, then nine, then twelve or more. It can be a daunting prospect with no way to regenerate your Pikmin squad, but fortunately on the later levels there are springs to get out before the "Final Stage". (the final stage is the last part of the dungeon, usually consisting of a boss or special challenge) The order that you enter any Pikmin 2 dungeon is up to you and there are many dungeons to choose from, but you will find that quite a few of them were designed for players at a certain skill level.
Pikmin types
What about the Pikmin? Well, there are fives kinds of Pikmin (or six if you count Bulbmin, parasitic Pikmin found later in the game that are immune to all the dangers but cannot leave the dungeons) that vary according to color and can be altered further through the use of fruit juices (like the red juice, which makes them extra aggressive) and honey. (for speed, makes a Pikmin's head bloom) Red Pikmin are your generic attack Pikmin that are immune to fire and are very aggressive by nature. Blue Pikmin are of course your swimming Pikmin. Their purpose is solely water-related. Yellow Pikmin can be tossed much higher in the air than other Pikmin and are immune to electricity. High ledges are their speciality. White Pikmin are poison Pikmin. They detect buried treasures, destroy poison barriers, and poison the enemy when they are eaten. Attack-wise, these are the weakest Pikmin. Purple Pikmin can carry 10x the load of the other colors, and pack quite a punch in battle. For this reason, you will likely find the least purple Pikmin in the game. White and purple Pikmin can only be found in dungeons, and can only be spawned by giving up your red, blue, or yellow Pikmin.
Enemies
Enemies range from the expected to the absurd, mostly the latter. You will find birds that slither and burrow in the sand, frog-like creatures that pounce on you if you walk under them, giant jellyfish that suck up your Pikmin, and a missile-firing creature called a "Gatling Groink". In all, there are nearly 100 unique enemies that will go to great lengths to kill your Pikmin squad and send you back to regroup.
What I've just described is a basic overview of the single player portion of this game. Other modes include 1 and 2 player challenge mode, which involves recovering treasure and escaping from dungeons which are similar in nature to the ones you'll encounter in the 1 player game. There is also a Piklopedia for calaloging the creatures you've encountered and a Treasure Chest for viewing the treasure you've recovered. Each offers little comments from Olimar himself. In addition, there are some bonuses that can be gained from completing various aspects of the game, like extra movies.
Double Team
The last important facet of the game is Louie, your co-worker from Hoctate Freight. He joins you to help disperse your Pikmin, and he serves as both a time saver and some of the game's puzzles and boss fights revolve around the cooperation of Olimar and Louie. You switch between the two Captains, both of which can command Pikmin, though neither works without your control. If either Captain takes too much damage and goes down, the other takes control. If both captains lose their energy, it's time to retreat to the planet's orbit.
Now, on to the actual review. Was that long enough for you?
Presentation
When I gave my initial impressions of Pikmin 2 a couple of weeks ago, I said it was flawless. And not only does it maintain that level of polish throughout, it seriously stomps just about every Nintendo game that has ever been made in this area. The structure of the game is flawlessly balanced and intuitively managed, the menus are slick, and the world itself offers you a glimpse at a truly wild imagination. After the first CG cutscene and surrealist landing onto the place where you're about to begin your search for treasure, you really know you're in for something special.
Level design? This game has it in spades. Every level of every dungeon in every area offers a new arrangement of creatures, color-based hazards, and shameless product plugs. (Nintendo has a LOOOOONG list of companies in the ending credits for all the things Pikmin carry) In addition to this world of wonder, aspects like the Piklopedia allow you to watch your favorite enemies munch on the Pikpik carrots that you throw at them. It's quite entertaining, as I've done this for a few hours altogether There's really nothing more that can be said about Pikmin 2's presentation. It is as realized as the Pikmin world can possibly be. At the "end" of the Poko quest, you get to see a CG cutscene in which Louie has been left behind on the planet. Gently swaying blades of grass are visible and you can clearly see what Nintendo has in mind for the next generation. I look forward to it, but for now Nintendo has blown our expectations out of the water.
Score 10.0
Graphics
I will try not to dwell on this category. Pikmin 2's graphics are quite simply some of the best Nintendo has ever put out. Character models look great. Environments look great. Animations look great. There are many things on the screens at once, and you can simultaneously do many things at once. Great camera. Nintendo proves you can do so much with simple textures, and yet the company has managed to raise its game.
Score 9.0
Gameplay
It just keeps getting better. That is the best way I can describe the progression of playing through Pikmin 2's perfectly balanced worlds. Since I have covered so many facets of the gameplay already, I will describe the depth of this game for the naysayers in my original thread.
Let's say you have 100 Pikmin, 20 of each kind. (that's the most you can command at one time) There could very well be 4 different ways that 80% of your squad could be obliterated in an instant just from obstacles. You can whistle to save Pikmin from water, fire, and poison, but often they go running off in a direction so fast that you can't catch them. Then you have hazard-related enemies, those spitting using fire, electricity (kills instantly, no saving), water, and poison to their advantage. Then you have what I like to call "Pikmin hosers", those which kill without regard to specific color. There are plenty of these in every part of the game, and they can eat or crush your Pikmin. And you have to do all this while worrying about having your Pikmin carry treasure. By the way, Pikmin are completely unable to fight while they're carrying anything.
I'll describe four particular gameplay scenarios so you can get an idea of what playing Pikmin 2 can be like.
Scenario 1
You're on the top of a hill which you must run down to get to the goal. There are around 20 enemies spitting boulders at you, each of which could wipe out your whole Pikmin squad in an instant. In addition, there are alternating electricity barriers at several points on the trail, each of which could wipe out your Pikmin in an instance. There's no time for treasure unless you know what you're doing. And even knowing exactly what to do to clear the area of dangers is very meticulous work that leaves little room for error.
Scenario 2
You see about 7 small bad guys, each of which are fairly weak compared to your average Pikmin squad. You know that with some careful attention, you could take them out. These creatures are marching to a beat for some reason. I thought that was a neat little touch. So I take out about three of them and their Daddy drops in from the sky and eats my whole Pikmin squad. To say this game is unpredictable is an understatement. Bosses that you've already fought appear randomly during the stage and many times an enemy will come over from the total opposite end of the stage and attack your Pikmin.
Scenario 3
I had set my Pikmin 2 rest in a corner where I thought they were safe. I had at least 80. Meanwhile, the few whites I had were hammering away at a poison barrier. Along comes a Gatling Groink. He fires 3 missiles into the air and decimates my Pikmin before I can get to them. Sure enough, he's on a bridge next to some water, but I have to risk throwing my non-blue Pikmin on him to hope that they stay away from the water. What ensued was one of the most intense firefights I've had in the game. Pikmin were flying every which way and drowning, meanwhile the Groink kept knocking me down as I tried to get away and gather my Pikmin. We finally killed the creature, leaving me with about 16 Pikmin.
Scenario 4
A stage is overrun with ferocious creatures, all with the intent of killing your Pikmin. You want no treasure. You just want out. So you search for the exit. Unfortunately, it's beyond a wall that your Pikmin have to knock down. While they're knocking it down, they're vulnerable to attack. But it's not just the Pikmin that are in danger. You are too. That's right. There's a bird that picks up Captain Olimar and/or Louie and spikes them into the ground. So while you are being carried off by a bird, your Pikmin are completely vulnerable to being eaten by the other creatures that you tried to avoid. And with no commander, they can do little other than die.
I've just described a small taste of what challenges are like in Pikmin. This is NOT a shallow game, and anyone who thinks that has never made it to the Dream Den, I assure you. It's full of squad-killing bombs, flying enemies, water wraiths, and every inconvenience imaginable. You have only your squad and your managment of that squad to solve the puzzle that will save your life. Pikmin 2's gameplay is not only challenging, but incredibly fun and rewarding for those willing to invest in the 30+ hours that the game has to offer. For the record, that's as long as your average RPG.
Once you're done with the single player quest, you can challenge your friends or yourself to the same sort of melee. The Pikmin can get stuck in places when there's a huge squad, but that's the only complaint I can think of, and it's not worth a serious deduction. The reason behind this is that they will suck honey on their own, or you will accidentally tap the C-stick and command them to do something you didn't want them to do. (like telling the yellow Pikmin to get the object out of the water, oops)
I've labored the point. It's fun, challenging, and very deep. First rate.
Score 9.8
Music Subtle, almost to the point that you don't notice it. But I've listened to the soundtrack, and it's actually pretty good.
Score 8.0
Control
Intuitive and responsive. Nintendo doesn't do bad controls.
Score 10.0
Conclusion Buy Pikmin 2. This isn't a rental. I can't tell you how much of a gem this game is. This game has at least twice the content as your average game this year, and probably as much as most games for that matter.
Final Score (not an average) 9.6
I lent Pikmin 2 to a friend this summer, over the three months he put 67 hours into his savefile(granted some of it is idle time).
He's not a big gamer at all, but absolutely adored this one. Unlocked everything, but couldn't beat the final boss until I stepped in and helped out, which is ironic given that I haven't played more than 2-3 hours of the game myself. It took over an hour to figure out patterns and wrestle a decent strategy(Poison gun I hate thee!), but it was more tedious than challenging.
I still have no plans to actually play the game myself, but I did beat it.
He's not a big gamer at all, but absolutely adored this one. Unlocked everything, but couldn't beat the final boss until I stepped in and helped out, which is ironic given that I haven't played more than 2-3 hours of the game myself. It took over an hour to figure out patterns and wrestle a decent strategy(Poison gun I hate thee!), but it was more tedious than challenging.
I still have no plans to actually play the game myself, but I did beat it.
Pikmin 1 & 2 are two of my fave games ever. Never played a so lively game before (or after) these. Just seeing those little bastards staring at me with full devotion was enough to keep me entertained. They both have lots of subtle details that keep these games apart from being average. A diferent game with a diferent pace, it´s a shame most people don´t want different experiences and preffer playing the same formulas over and over again.
I see it this way. First one left me wanting more. Somewhat good thing. Second one left me wanting less. Bad thing. My conclusion was that both games were not balanced. They should be just long enough for the player to enjoy without wanting more or less. I honestly got sick of all the collecting in the second one. One area I believe had a cave where you descended almost 20 times, if not more.
Any game with a large number of dungeon levels that gradually get deeper and/or harder is going to frustrate someone to the point of tedium. This gameplay never sounds very fun when the game presents it to you, and unless you like the core gameplay, you're probably going to quit the title.
TJ Bennett
TJ Hooker
Pikmin 2 was amazing on every level. Pikmin 1 was great but too short.
End of story.
End of story.
Pikmin 1 I like quite a bit but I could never really enjoy the game as much as I wanted to because of the time limit. It wasn't really hard or anything, but I still felt rushed to finish the game.
Pikmin 2 is without a doubt, my Gamecube GOTY 2004 over Paper Mario, and probably my second favorite GC game overall (behind Prime).
Gameplay aside, it was the POLISH that Nintendo put in that made the game rock (so I'm not too sad about TP's delay):
- The gallery of creatures along with their descriptions. Being in biology, I loved the creativity they applied to the animals to make them seem almost real (reactions to being fed, being attacked).
- Digged the weird sense of humor put into each and every item that made the most ordinary thing seem hilariously strange in Olimar's eyes. It also didn't seem like a collectathon to me because I actually looked forward to seeing what each object meant to Olimar.
- Graphics. Everything just looked so.. organic. yeah it's cliched, but it really fits Pikmin 2 perfectly. Do I have to mention the water effects?
As for the dungeon, I didn't really think they were boring. The randomness plus the fixed limit of Pikmin that were available made it always interesting. Things can go from perfect to disastrous so quickly that it can get freaky fast. Anyone remember the steam-roller water boss? That scared the bejebus outta me the first time. Dungeons too long? Well, final areas are usually supposed to be HARD, you know.
Anyways, everything about this game screamed Quality, and I am quite disappointed that the sales, at least in North America, are pretty dismal. Hopefully they'll keep working on my favorite new franchise on Rev and make it even more awesome.
Edit: Oh I almost forgot. Anyone remember those annoying flying bugs that grab your pikmin and bury them in the ground? I SAW one of those the other day IRL! I was like Holy Sh*T, that's REAL?! :lol :lol Just thought I would share.
Pikmin 2 is without a doubt, my Gamecube GOTY 2004 over Paper Mario, and probably my second favorite GC game overall (behind Prime).
Gameplay aside, it was the POLISH that Nintendo put in that made the game rock (so I'm not too sad about TP's delay):
- The gallery of creatures along with their descriptions. Being in biology, I loved the creativity they applied to the animals to make them seem almost real (reactions to being fed, being attacked).
- Digged the weird sense of humor put into each and every item that made the most ordinary thing seem hilariously strange in Olimar's eyes. It also didn't seem like a collectathon to me because I actually looked forward to seeing what each object meant to Olimar.
- Graphics. Everything just looked so.. organic. yeah it's cliched, but it really fits Pikmin 2 perfectly. Do I have to mention the water effects?
As for the dungeon, I didn't really think they were boring. The randomness plus the fixed limit of Pikmin that were available made it always interesting. Things can go from perfect to disastrous so quickly that it can get freaky fast. Anyone remember the steam-roller water boss? That scared the bejebus outta me the first time. Dungeons too long? Well, final areas are usually supposed to be HARD, you know.
Anyways, everything about this game screamed Quality, and I am quite disappointed that the sales, at least in North America, are pretty dismal. Hopefully they'll keep working on my favorite new franchise on Rev and make it even more awesome.
Edit: Oh I almost forgot. Anyone remember those annoying flying bugs that grab your pikmin and bury them in the ground? I SAW one of those the other day IRL! I was like Holy Sh*T, that's REAL?! :lol :lol Just thought I would share.
imastalker co.
Banned
bottom line is, if dhrone likes it, it's a Nintendo game that everyone can agree is great.
right drinky?
right drinky?
Of All Trades
Member
I'm sure that there's someone out there who would have been perfectly happy with an infinite number of random dungeons. Most would not, though. The basis of a review is not to cater to that one person, but to a generality, tailored to specific groups (the greatest hard military wargame ever will only cater to a select group).Speevy said:
And I'm in the boat that Pikmin 1, while too short, was preferable to Pikmin 2, which was too long. The two new pikmin weren't integrated very well (they should have had their own onions) and subsequently didn't provide enough new gameplay options to warrant the amount of expanded content. I was also disappointed in the shift to random (read: sterile) dungeons over well-crafted outside levels.
I loved both Pikmin and Pikmin 2.
And when exactly did collecting become such a terrible thing? Nevermind what actually constitutes the gameplay? The ultimate goal could be to collect cat shit and carry them back to a litter box, and I would have had just as much fun.
And when exactly did collecting become such a terrible thing? Nevermind what actually constitutes the gameplay? The ultimate goal could be to collect cat shit and carry them back to a litter box, and I would have had just as much fun.
Why not legitimate?demi said:
Zerodoppler
Member
AniHawk said:
For me it's the opposite.
RaySpencer
Member
I own and enjoyed Pikmin 1 ....though im not actualy sure if i ever did beat it 
. The second one i havent gotten around to buying yet, but i did rent it and found it was pretty sweet.
I dunno if i REALLY enjoyed it, but lately im having problems finding games i absolutely cannot stop playing.
. The second one i havent gotten around to buying yet, but i did rent it and found it was pretty sweet.I dunno if i REALLY enjoyed it, but lately im having problems finding games i absolutely cannot stop playing.
Zerodoppler
Member
Jacobi said:
You're right. But the size of the game came mostly from random dungeons and the equally dull and random challenge mode.
Pikmin isn't a collect-a-thon in the boring 3D platformer sense. The main goal is collecting, sure, but that's not the meat of the gameplay.
Pikmin is all about efficiency; multi-tasking, figuring out the right routes, order of action etc. and constantly improving your runs.
Pikmin 2 is more action based, but in dungeons you must scout ahead with your captains, finding all the nearby enemies/hazards and figuring out how to deal with them without losing any of your Pikmin.
Well, I rented the original twice, obsessed over it, then broke down and bought the game for $50 with no regrets. I've put a ton of hours into it, to the point where I had dreams of fireyblowhogs terrorizing someone's dog. :lol
I didn't enjoy Pikmin 2 quite as much, but it's still great and I collected all 200 items within a week. I recently started a new game, but my c-stick is busted, so it will have to wait.
Pikmin is all about efficiency; multi-tasking, figuring out the right routes, order of action etc. and constantly improving your runs.
Pikmin 2 is more action based, but in dungeons you must scout ahead with your captains, finding all the nearby enemies/hazards and figuring out how to deal with them without losing any of your Pikmin.
Well, I rented the original twice, obsessed over it, then broke down and bought the game for $50 with no regrets. I've put a ton of hours into it, to the point where I had dreams of fireyblowhogs terrorizing someone's dog. :lol
I didn't enjoy Pikmin 2 quite as much, but it's still great and I collected all 200 items within a week. I recently started a new game, but my c-stick is busted, so it will have to wait.
Mama Smurf
My penis is still intact.
No, not really. Neither of them.
I'm not a fan of feeling pressured by time in games. When I found out Pikmin 2 was dropping the time limit, I was delighted...but it turns out I don't like having to get back before nightfall too. I just wish they'd let me play on during the night if necessary, or you can just go back to your ship, only it's much more dangerous at night.
On top of that, the random caves in the second one were annoying, I'm not a fan of random anything in games generally. Sure, it increases replay value, but it's basically luck if you get a good designed cave rather than a bad one.
Don't think much of the music in the games either. It fits with the theme, it's all relaxing and gardeney, but that just bores me.
I want to like the game, it's such a charming idea, and I think I could with a few changes. Even just that idea of letting me stay out at night though it's more dangerous might be enough.
I'm not a fan of feeling pressured by time in games. When I found out Pikmin 2 was dropping the time limit, I was delighted...but it turns out I don't like having to get back before nightfall too. I just wish they'd let me play on during the night if necessary, or you can just go back to your ship, only it's much more dangerous at night.
On top of that, the random caves in the second one were annoying, I'm not a fan of random anything in games generally. Sure, it increases replay value, but it's basically luck if you get a good designed cave rather than a bad one.
Don't think much of the music in the games either. It fits with the theme, it's all relaxing and gardeney, but that just bores me.
I want to like the game, it's such a charming idea, and I think I could with a few changes. Even just that idea of letting me stay out at night though it's more dangerous might be enough.
ToyMachine228
Member
I liked both Pikmin games, and Pikmin 2, even more than the first one. It's one of the most charming new franchises to come out of this generation.
..pakbeka..
Member
what's next? "Did anyone enjoy GTA:SA? Like really enjoy it?"
oh wait, gta is teh mature, so everyone must enjoy it
oh wait, gta is teh mature, so everyone must enjoy it
I don't enjoy GTA. It's a bunch of nonsensical gimmicky exploitation of violence, women, and drugs. The series, as well as the copycat ones, disgusts me. Not to mention the graphics on it are piss poor also, so I don't know what everyone is raving about. The series as a whole lures in kids that think it's "cool" to play it, and subtely corrupts them. My four year old cousin makes it a point to say he only play GTA type games. The other day at the store he pointed his hand at my friend like it was a gun and said "BANG BANG, you dead n**ga!" MY friend was shocked, not to mention we got weird looks from people around us.
Pikmin 2 was my second favorite game from last year, just behind MGS3. It's one of the best sequels I've ever played; it's not just more of the same, and everything about it feels both familiar and fresh. There are plenty of new and changed aspects of the gameplay (no day limit, two characters, new Pikmin, randomized caverns), but it all comes across as a natural extension of everything in the first game.
The extras are great, too... Olimar's descriptions of the artifacts are charming, and the creature viewer is a fun little time waster. Multiplayer is very fun as well, although I spent much more time with the single player game. I'd love to see it online on Revolution.
The extras are great, too... Olimar's descriptions of the artifacts are charming, and the creature viewer is a fun little time waster. Multiplayer is very fun as well, although I spent much more time with the single player game. I'd love to see it online on Revolution.
D
dicklaurent
Unconfirmed Member
Yes.KidOmega said: