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 Blood, Animated Violence |
Full descriptionOn the fringes of human existence, deep within the black void of space, live the people known as "Enders," pioneering colonists who've endured great hardship to settle Mars and the gravity of Jupiter. Far from the inner sphere of control, the Enders live with relative autonomy, but that also means they live without protection. The colonies are ripe for invasion.
A young boy named Leo Stenbuck is thrust into the conflict as he and his companions witness the beginnings of the terrorist threat in a junkyard. While his friends are all killed, Leo manages to escape and discovers an enormous robot called Jehuty. As its pilot, Leo finds himself wrapped up in a battle that will determine the course of the Zone of the Enders forever.
Zone of the Enders for the PlayStation 2 was produced by Hideo Kojima, who is best known for designing the Metal Gear series. In it, players will take on the role of Leo as he pilots Jehuty through a dangerous world of terrorism, intrigue, and bloodthirsty enemies waiting to see him destroyed and the Enders conquered.
The game primarily takes place in Leo's home world of Antilia, the orbiting colony of Jupiter. Players will control Jehuty on an overworld map, digging into the title's plot by traveling to various cities and locations, searching for discs and items that will upgrade its systems. They will also answer various S.O.S. calls when the enemy suddenly attacks. In contrast to similar titles that have appeared on the PS2, Zone of the Enders' gameplay eschews the more traditional simulation aspects in an attempt to give the game a quicker pace.
Jehuty has a number of different attacks with which to take out the array of enemies it will face. It can lock on to enemies, and depending on the distance, it will attack in different ways. For distant volleys it has a projectile attack, and when things get up close and personal, it will unleash an electrical sword for even more damage. It can also acquire special weapons to do larger amounts of destruction, or it can pick up a nearby enemy and throw it into other enemies or buildings.
In Zone of the Enders, players will often find themselves fighting in populated areas, such as cities, and they must do what they can to avoid collateral damage. If they destroy too many buildings or allow too many casualties to occur, they will receive a poor rating for the stage. Once the main game is defeated, a two-player battle mode will unlock, allowing gamers to select from a number of different robot-types and take each other on.
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
Designed by Hideo Kojima, creator of the Metal Gear Solid series
Challenge a friend in two-player versus battles
Specially marked versions include a playable demo of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
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