Introduction:

Lost Vikings 2, the sequel to one of the greatest Video Games ever made. Well, thats how I feel about Lost Vikings 1. Lost Vikings 1 is one of my favourite Video Games ever made. I love it, it was just so fun and addicting. Well, after playing Lost Vikings 1 and having a lot of fun, I was really looking forward to this game, I wanted it to be just as fun and addicting as the last, I wasn't hoping for any improvement, although I wanted one, All I really wanted was the same great style game as the last. I wanted the game style to be as if the 1st game just had more levels. I recently bought this game at a used store, and this is what I think of it.

Story:

The Story carries on after the last, no prequel here. After the Vikings barely escaped the clutches of the evil Tomator, they live full and happy Viking Lives. Until one day Tomator comes back and transports them to his space ship. While there, they manage to beat up some of Tomator's henchman, and steal the henchman's equipment. They then manage to get transported somewhere in time, it is up to these Vikings to battle there way home, using there brains, and there cool new equipment.

Gameplay:

The gameplay is very much like the first. You will control the 3 Vikings. Each will have his own unique abilities. Erik the Swift will be the only one of the Vikings to Jump. He will also be able to brake bricks. Well, these 2 abilities were in the 1st Lost Vikings game, but lets get to his new abilities. Erik will now be the only Viking to swim in water. He will have to swim in water to collect keys, unlock doors, and more. He will also have a super Jump, this is just a higher jump, as your in mid-jump, you can press the B-Button and his shoes will exert a fire burst, thus launching you higher. As well as this ability providing you more height to get to hard to reach places, it will also allow you to brake bricks from above. Baleog the Fierce will be the Viking Attacker, as before. He will use his trusty sword to attack enemies. But wait! He doesn't  have a bow and arrow! One of his new equipment is a robotic arm, it will extend far and hit enemies, as well as targets. His Robotic Arm will also allow him to swing across some holes. Olaf the Stout will use his shield as before, he will use his shield to protect himself and his buddies, as well as glide. But as for some new equipment, he has the ability to shrink. Thats right, he will actually shrink, thus allowing him into some areas that no one else can get to. Now, he will have a funny new ability, he will be able to fart. Thats right, he will fart to destroy bricks, as well as make him glide farther. I don't know if he picked up this farting thing from the henchman, or he just ate some bad meat, but whatever the reason, it sure comes in handy. Well, thats it for the Vikings. Lets get down to the stages. . . .But first, I gotta introduce you to the NEW characters. Yep, they decided that the Vikings weren't enough, so they added two new characters. The first is a Wolf. This Wolf will be able to jump! thus making Erik not as special. (Don't worry Erik, we still love you.) The wolf will be able to fight by using its claws, it will also be able to climb walls!! Thus getting to high places that no one can reach! There is also a friendly dragon, this dragon will also be able to jump, once again making Erik's jumping abilities less special. The dragon will also be able to fly and glide, with its wings. As well as blow fire. So, I guess the new characters get good aspects of all the Vikings, Gliding, Jumping, and attacking. Well, in each level there can only be 3 characters. So, the levels will alternate, one level you could be Erik, The Wolf, and Olaf. Another You could be The Dragon, Baleog, and Olaf. You will have to use each of characters unique abilities in each level to defeat the game. Passing each stage will involve complex thinking as well as fast of hand on the controller. Lost Vikings 2 will make you think mostly, but also fight.  I just didn't find the gameplay as good as the first. It's hard to say why, it was like the last, but different, not as addicting, not as hard. Maybe it was the new characters, I'm not sure. The game still provides some fun.

I give the gameplay: 7/10

Graphics:

The graphics are just as good as the last, they ALMOST look 3-D (whatever that means). All the characters look just as how I'd want them too, even though the Vikings have these crazy new robotic metal things on them. The environment looks great. The game has its own cool look. Gotta love that look when Olaf Farts and you see the gas coming from him!

I give the graphics: 7.5/10

Sound:

The sound is good, the Sound FX are good as well as the background sound. The sound is just as good as in the 1st Lost Vikings. Gotta Love the sound of Olaf Farting!

I give the sound: 6.5/10

Replayability:

The replayability is not that great. You can play it, then years later play it again, I just didn't have enough fun playing it the first time, to play it again.

I give the replayability: 5/10

Challenge:

The challenge is not good. It's a piece of cake compared to the 1st one. I was able to beat each level on the first try, or at least the first 3 try's. This is sad, considering it took me MUCH LONGER than that to beat each stage in Lost Vikings 1. The puzzles just weren't hard, they were very obvious, it was do this obvious puzzle, then the next, until you reach the end of the level, kind of boring.

I give the challenge: 5.5/10

Value:

Sadly the value isn't that great. I had to pay about 20 dollars for my copy. The game really isn't fun enough to be worth 20 dollars, maybe 10 or 15. I would shop around for this game.

Overall:

Overall this game has just as good graphics and sound as the 1st Lost Vikings. The Replayability is a little less than before, and the challenge is mediocre. When you sit back and look at the game from a different perspective, it looks to have the same gameplay style as the 1st. Besides the 2 new characters, but even the levels with just the Vikings was still not that fun. Maybe it was the new equipment, and the new characters. I was talking to someone online about this and he said that this is really annoying, because when people ask why it isn't as good as the first, you can't really say why, you can just sort of say that it lacks something, maybe motivation. That is exactly what has sort of happened, the game just isn't as fun and addicting as the 1st. Maybe it is all the new stuff they added, maybe they thought the game needed this new stuff to sell. Besides this, the Vikings didn't talk as much as before. In the 1st Lost Vikings game, at the start and end of each stage the Vikings would chat, and most of it was cool and funny, in this game they didn't talk at the start of EVERY stage, nor was the chat as interesting and funny. Its just sad to see how the Mighty Vikings have fallen.

I give Lost Vikings 2: 6/10

Conclusion:

This is just really sad for me to see. That one of my favourite games ever made had a sequel that sucked compared to the first. The thing is, I would have still liked for there to be a 3rd Lost Vikings. The company that made it could just work out the flaws of the second one, and just make a true sequel to the 1st, with JUST the Vikings, and the SAME abilities, and the same HARD challenging levels, that would be great, but I guess this is just my dream. Oh well, I will always have the great memories of playing the 1st Lost Vikings, and the memories of Olaf farting in the 2nd Lost Vikings.

Written By: Joey Anderson

Date Written: May 12th, 2004