6.5
It’s still nice to see Tecmo Koei making enhancements, even if the fundamental formula is a bit flat these days
Fist of the North Star: Ken's Rage 2
Koei · Feb 5, 2013
About
So, who wants to die next?...Kenshiro, master of Hokuto Shinken, returns for more blood thirsty action in Fist of the North Star: Ken's Rage 2. Faithfully retelling the stories of Tetsuo Hara's cult classic Manga, Ken's Rage 2 will offer a deeper look into his post-apocalyptic world in a continuation of the first title in the series. With a huge cast of returning characters and a host of new additions from the original story, players can once again take on the ultimate in martial arts with fast-paced, body exploding action!
Trailers & screenshots
Scores by platform
6.5
Critic reviews
- 5.0That repetition is Fist of the North Star: Ken's Rage 2's ultimate failure. It's fun in small doses, but as a whole, the game offers so much indistinguishable content that even the occasional twists failed to make me care about what was next. Despite graphical improvements, streamlined fighting and a broader narrative, it's the same album on repeat, played on a different stereo.
- 3.7With more time, money, and effort, Fist of the North Star: Ken's Rage 2 could have been an entertaining, if basic brawler. You hear the mantra of “good concept, poor execution” with nearly absurd frequency these days. Ken's Rage 2 doesn't just exhibit poor execution, but poor understanding of what it's attempting to accomplish. Simple does not have to mean shallow, but that's precisely what it boils down to here. It truly is a sad day when you start with a character known for punching people so hard they spontaneously explode, and you manage to end up with something that's not only bad, but boring.
- Tecmo Koei sometimes doesn't realize when it stumbles upon good ideas, and Fist of the North Star: Ken's Rage 2 abandons several gameplay elements of the original title that it didn't need to. The sequel will still satisfy fans that don't mind the Dynasty Warriors design while nostalgically revisiting the animation, but the game's vital points could have been much stronger.
- 3.5Even so, there's no escaping the issue of this being a shameful followup to a genuinely great brawler. I like Koei, but I'm the first to admit it can cut corners wherever it feels able to get away with doing so -- and even for that particular studio, this is a notably substandard effort. Uglier, more boring, as stale as week-old French bread, Fist of the North Star: Ken's Rage 2 is best ignored by fans of both Dynasty Warriors and Hokotu no Ken alike.
- 5.0Fist of the North Star fans will probably like this game just because there hasn’t been a whole lot of love for the franchise in the gaming world recently, and Dynasty Warriors fans may like the game just as a short beat em’ up fix. However, the general gaming populace likely won’t fall in love with Fist of the North Star: Ken’s Rage 2. It might be worth a rent, but you aren’t missing much by not adding this to your collection. In the end, Ken’s Rage 2 is a game that I wanted to like far more than I actually did.
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