AbstractHop into the cockpit of futuristic fighting mechs in the high-flying warfare of ZONE OF THE ENDERS for the PS2. Developer Konami and famed METAL GEAR SOLID mastermind Hideo Kojima bring the fast-action, nerve-blasting airborne combat directly into your living room. Save the population of the Jupiter moon Europa from destruction as you blast your enemies into oblivion with the awesome firepower and slicing swords of your Orbital Frame mechs. The next-generation gameplay of Z.O.E. will blow you away.
ESRB rating
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Animated Violence |
Full descriptionTake control of a fully armed prototype mechanized robot and fight off enemies during a space colony hijack in Hideo Kojima's
Zone of the Enders. In it, players become the character Leo Stenbuck, who sees the consequences of fighting first hand as he learns the true meaning of life and death. Combining state of the art PlayStation 2 graphics, tons of weapons, and an involving storyline,
Zone of the Enders also provides a dynamically changing mission structure, a versus mode for two players, and a playable demo of
Metal Gear Solid 2: Snake Eater in all first-run production copies.
Editorial reviewSource:
AmazonA "giant robot"-themed action-adventure,
Zone of the Enders not only looks great, but it plays great--a rarity in this junk-heap-filled genre. Set in the future inside an orbital space colony,
Zone casts players as Leo, a young boy who inadvertently and unwillingly becomes the pilot of an orbital frame (giant robot) named Jehuty during a brutal invasion by hostile forces. While the original story is based on a familiar premise used in Japanese animation, the orbital frame designs are quite fresh, with nice touches such as glowing-vein-like patterns on Jehuty's armor that change color according to the armor's condition.
The mission-based gameplay in Zone requires Leo to travel back and forth between various locations, performing simple tasks and fighting squads of enemy orbital frames in addition to the occasional "boss." Piloting Jehuty is a breeze thanks to intuitive controls, effective onscreen displays, and a rotating third-person camera viewpoint that's refreshingly unobtrusive. While the 3-D environments are somewhat cramped, they're richly detailed and very interactive, allowing for some serious property damage that, along with civilian casualties, is frowned upon.
Admittedly, Zone's arcade-style combat is a bit too dumbed down, as the majority of battles can be won by mindlessly mashing away at the main weapon button. This wouldn't be so much of an issue if not for the fact that the game can be beaten in just a few hours, with the story coming to an abrupt end that leaves you hanging. --Joe Hon
Pros:
- Absolutely stunning 3-D graphics and exceptionally friendly controls
- Heavy-handed melodrama that really grows on you
- 1- or 2-player vs. mode unlocked when game is completed
- Includes Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty playable demo disc
Cons: - Shallow gameplay
- Short game length, disappointing ending
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty demo
Packaged with
Zone of the Enders is a playable demo disc of
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, the highly anticipated and much-hyped sequel to the PlayStation classic
Metal Gear Solid. Fans will be pleased to know that it's everything they could have hoped for... and then some.
Not simply a rehash of its predecessor with next-generation graphics, MGS2adds much deeper gameplay to its tactical espionage action formula. Our hero, the "famous" Solid Snake, has been given a handbook's worth of new moves and techniques--skills that are put to the test against much smarter enemies within highly interactive environments. To introduce newbies to the Metal Gear world and to bring veterans up to speed, the demo includes an onscreen tutorial as well as a cleverly written plot synopsis of the first game.
Although it only contains the initial stage of the game and can be played through in less than an hour, the MGS2 demo has surprisingly huge replay value that's further boosted by its Internet ranking system, where players can enter in their clear codes (which they receive upon completion of the game) on the Konami Web site to see how they stack up against other players worldwide. --Joe Hon
ZONE OF THE ENDERS features: the production team behind METAL GEAR SOLID, futuristic Orbital Frame fighting mechs, jaw-dropping graphics, an auto-lock-on battle camera, and an in-game training tutorial.
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