Retro Review: Strider 2 (PSN)

A long-forgotten action gem.

 

The Strider series has been one of Capcom's lessor known offerings, with the first game released back in 1989 and a true sequel, Strider 2, for the PS1 in 2000. Since then, we've found Strider Hiryu in numerous fighting games and cameos, until he got his long-awaited reboot in 2014. Today, we'll be looking at probably the best game in the series, Strider 2. As a fan of fast-paced action games, this one flew under my radar, so I've finally manged to play it. Is it any fun?

 In the distant future, the world is controlled by a dictator, The Grandmaster, whose reign has plunged things into chaos. A group of assassins known as the Strider organization sends in their youngest and best agent, Strider Hiryu to kill the Grandmaster and end his reign. Throughout the game, you'll be travelling across the world, thwarting the Grandmaster's plans, and battling his minions.

The plot's really simple, as the action
 is the main focus.

 Strider 2 is a 2D hack-and-slash game where you control Hiryu as you cut down hordes of enemies using your sweet cypher blade and collect power-ups. Along the way, you'll be stylishly climbing platforms using Hiryu's neat skills and battling tons of boss fights, which were the game's most fun moments. My favorites were against the Emperor Dragon, a giant dragon that towers over Neo Hong Kong city; Strider Hien, Hiryu's friend who betrayed the organization; and the final boss fights against the Grandmaster himself, which were intense.

The gameplay is fast, slick,
and super fun.

The game's five levels will take you across the world from a busy urban city, a fortified castle, lab in the arctic, a giant battleship, and even the moon. They were all short, as by the time you're really invested in the scenery and action, it's quickly over. Yep, it's no surprise that Strider 2 is a short game, even for PS1 standards. You can easily beat it between 1-1.5 hours, basically in one sitting. Still, there's slightly more reason to back as you can play the game as Strider Hien and unlock a sixth secret level after beating the original Strider that comes with the game. Also, it's a pretty fun game to speed-run with you being able to adjust the time, difficulty, and how much health you have. 

 Visually, Strider 2 looks great for a late-PS1 title. The 2D art-style blends surprisingly well with the game's 3D background and models. Admittedly, I thought they'd clash, but they manage to compliment each other well and offer a unique look too. The game runs well and handles all of the action on-screen with little slowdowns. Sound-wise, all you'll be hearing is Hiryu's "Hiya!" screams and the game's upbeat soundtrack, which was nice and fitted the fast-paced style of the adventure.

Strider 2 holds up pretty well.

 Strider 2 was a fun, mindless slasher that anyone can pick up and enjoy without any hassles. The story's straightforward, the gameplay's fast, and the presentation is still decent considering its age. It's just a shame that the adventure's over when things were getting good. Thankfully, there's some replay-value here and I can see myself coming back and getting better at the game. For those into 2D platformers with lots of action, Strider 2 will be a fun time.