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Senran Kagura 2: Deep Crimson is, as its title states a sequel to Senran Kagura. I never played the first game or heard of it so when I was offered the chance to review the game I had to check it out to find out what I was getting myself into. I had no idea if it was a Japanese RPG, a fighting game or a dance rhythm game. As it turns out, it’s a take on the God Of War scrolling fighting game. I got into God Of War on the PSP so the prospect of playing a GOW-style fighting game with improved visuals was right up my street.
The last quirky Japanese game I played was the survival horror Corpse Party. (Man, I enjoyed that game)
So here we are with Senran Kagura 2 (SK2 from now on) and this game possesses a strong anime influence. The story is of two opposing ninja academies, one good and one evil. During the course of the game you will fight for both teams, which is good for longevity because you get to see the story from both sides. The lines become blurred as the evil characters grow and find themselves. I will say no more than that for fear of giving away spoilers.
There is a training field, which allows basic training co-op training and free training. You can access this before starting any mission. I wish more games offered this, as I tend to forget combos and which button does what in games and it can be offputting to try and pick up where you left off. (Zombi U being a perfect example. I want to complete that game since its recent re-release, but getting to grips with the controls again while facing the perma death of my character is an intimidating prospect) So the option in SK2 means I can pick this game up 6 months from now, dip into to the training and be back up to speed immediately. Good Job!
There are light and heavy attacks that fill a meter, which permits you to use super power ninja arts. These are special moves that do more damage and also see your chosen characters’ clothes explode exposing her underwear before being clad in something more erm racy shall we say.
Senran Kagura 2: Deep Crimson Part 1 – Introduction – TBAC Plays
Yes, there are several genres of anime. From uber-violent, ultra-cute to adult rated content to name a few. Usually it’s a combination of different types and SK2 falls into the cheap titillation category.
Most, but not all, of the characters you play have huge, overly animated bouncing breasts along the lines of the Dead or Alive games that used to be popular. It’s all a bit tongue-in-cheek.
When you take too many hits you are stripped of your outfits slowly revealing more flesh until your left in only your panties and bra to fight it out. When you win a round you can use the 3DS’ gyroscope to gape at your defeated foes cleavage. As you win you gain outfits, hair styles and accessories in which to dress your character.
You could spend a great deal of time choosing your characters outfits and hairstyles. I’m not entirely sure Western gamers care which colour the all-in-one outfit looks best on their fighter. Perhaps fans of the series, or fans of anime may enjoy taking time away from the main game to dress their character. Some of the poses you can set while trying out your new outfit are questionable, thus if you’re easily offended then this game probably isn’t for you. Checking out your character’s saucy outfit while she poses on all fours during a train journey for instance, would garner you some strange looks indeed.
Other than outfits, completing the main campaign will award you with special missions, these can range from defeating enemies without touching the ground for 60 seconds to deflecting enemy’s projectiles only to defeat them. Completing these missions will earn you extra XP, which in turn increases your health, attack and defence. You will also earn Shinobi stones which can be equipped on your weapons to add range, speed etc. There is also Yoma’s nest, which is a survival mode of sorts. You are required to conquer rooms without replenishing your health. Completing these rooms not only reward you with XP but you can also discover new weapons for your characters.
Go to page 2 for more thoughts on the game, plus conclusions.
Senran Kagura 2 BOOBS & GIRLS Comparison! Deep Crimson vs Burst (3DS) – GameChap
These extra game play modes do add longevity to the main game as they add an element of grinding to level up all your characters. You will find yourself completing the special missions and the rooms in Yoma’s nest with each character simply to level them up and there is quite a cast of characters on the side of good and evil. Some may find this monotonous, but for those who would enjoy a Devil May Cry-lite experience, it’s something to get stuck into other than the main game. I personally didn’t mind the grindy nature as if this just had a short campaign I don’t reckon I would be inclined to return to it.
You can lock-on to an enemy, but it really just acts as an onscreen marker as to where they are in relation to where you’re fighter is pointing on the screen. It is helpful as you will repeatedly lose track of your adversaries.
What was frustrating was a fight animation would send your character off in a completely different direction and there was nothing you could do until the animation ended. This caused the fighting to be unintentionally intense because when you are fighting a rival Shinobi if they get even one hit on you they tend to string a huge number of hits together, destroying your outfit and your overall rating for the fight.
Perfectionists who desire an A rating for each fight will find themselves repeating the stage due to a slightly sloppy fight mechanic.
There is no block as such, merely the right shoulder button does tend to act as a move breaker. Its give you a shoulder barge type of move and you are invulnerable for a second while you utilise it.
Getting back to the lock-on. If there was a true lock-on I guess it would make the game too easy as you would simply lock on to one character, mash all the buttons before locking onto the next character and repeating the process.
Talking of which you can pretty much button bash your way through the easier opponents in the main game. When you face a skilled Shinobi – one of the other girls from either the good or evil side, rather than the hundreds of faceless minions you punch, kick and slap your way through – you will need to make use of all your combos and super power ninja arts. These girls are quick and as mentioned, once they start a combo on you have to be quick or they will tear through your health as quickly as they tear off your clothes!
As you fight you can land blows you build up your Super Power Ninja Arts gauge or collect ninja scrolls. Once you have enough, you activate them by squeezing the left shoulder button then a combination of the 4 fascia buttons (x+y, y+b etc.) This triggers the animation where your clothes explode and the camera pans around your fighter’s chest and butt. The graphics in all the cut scenes and in the character models themselves are really good.
Senran Kagura 2: Deep Crimson Shinobi Edition
and Happy Boobs Collector’s Edition Unboxing – Marvelous Games
The levels themselves though are not so inspired. Where games like Devil May Cry and God Of War had a linear route through a level which is similar to SK2, those games at least felt like they had vast and sprawling levels to slaughter your way through due to their variety and length. The levels on SK2 are small and short. They are usually a room, a corridor, a rooftop or a field if you’re fighting a huge super boss.
There is no detail in them. Where as God of War: Chains of Olympus running on an old system like the PSP had lava bubbling away and damned souls pleading for release, the levels in SK2 are barren. Some levels have the odd crate to destroy for picks up, but other than your opponents the levels look like an afterthought. It didn’t take long for the levels to start repeating themselves either. Ok, it was for the purpose of the story, but these levels aren’t pretty enough to view them twice.
There is nothing to interrupt up the repetitive nature, this type of game faces either. Whereas GOW would throw in the odd puzzle to figure out or give you some vines on the scenery to negotiate, in SK2 there is only the endless battling. You do get to fight with two fighters after a while and this does add some needed strategy to the combat. You can switch fighters out with A and this acts like a lock on system of sorts too, as your switched fighter leaps in on the opponent you were confronting.
There is a co-op mode either local or online. Having another human to play with would make the game more fun. I wasn’t successful in finding anyone online to play with but its early days still.
The sound is fine. With the type of zany soundtrack you would anticipate from a Japanese game of this type. The original voice acting remains, which is preferable to some English dubbing that would sound forced or contrite. There are subtitles for the important stuff like the dialogue in the story, but as I type this Hikage is chirping out random comments at me from the menus. God knows what she is harping on at as she’s talking Japanese and there are no subtitles in the menus. Switching character in your den brings up a loading screen this is probably due to the game having to load up the outfits they are in.
The 3D of the 3DS isn’t put to great use. The depth of field isn’t as strong as it in the Zelda games for instance. The boobs bounce in 3D though.
Sadly the focus on ladies bottom and bosoms appear to have got in the way of game content. If more time had been put into creating more varied game play mechanics instead of concentrating on shredding clothes and cheap thrills, then this would have turned out to be a whole lot better. It is a shame as the developers Tamsoft have clearly given that area a lot of attention. If only the rest of the game matched that level of detail. Unfortunately it doesn’t. There is just enough game here to enjoy playing. Sure if you’re a fan of anime you know what to expect and actually applaud the tongue-in-cheek use of ridiculously huge bosoms.
If you are a fan of Senran Kagura, then this release probably will not disappoint you. As it is for me, SK2 is the type of game I can pick up, have a scrap through a few levels and put it down again.
Senran Kagura 2: Deep Crimson is out now on Nintendo 3DS, and click on the packshot for the full-size image.
Senran Kagura 2: Deep Crimson (EU) Gameplay – Marvelous Games
Important info:
- Publisher: Tamsoft/Marvelous Games
- Players: 1
- HDTV options: n/a
- Dolby Digital 5.1 sound: no
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GRAPHICS SOUND GAMEPLAY POTENTIAL |
6 7 6 5 |
| OVERALL | 5.5 |
I’m all about the Games and Gadgets. Rumoured to have been born with a mobile phone in his hand. (It’s not true. It was a Gameboy) You want to know more about my business? You better invest in it then hadn’t you.
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