Techtite's PC Game Reviews!

Croc2

 

Order Link No Longer Available

A Techtite Review

I remember the first Croc game rather well; it was nice, though seemed to have serious problems with its interface, and often it's difficulty level. Now, with the release of Croc 2, little has changed...and yet, the sequel still manages to be far more appealing. Don't ask me why; I guess it's just one of those mysteries best left unanswered. Croc is back, in a game whose cuteness almost demands a thumbs-up rating, even if the interface and game "rules" might seem to root for the opposing team at every turn.

Upon the opening of this sequel, you are almost overcome with the game's cuteness. This is not Jar-Jar Binks presumed cuteness, mind you, though actual, honest to goodness adorable graphics that would make even Oscar the Grouch or The Grinch go, "Awwww!" Even when the opening shows a rather macabre sight, of the bad guys summoning their defeated villainous leader (defeated by Croc in the first game) into the living world again, the characters all look like something from The Muppet Show, so it still seems too cute for words. Awwww!

The objectives are classic of Super Mario clones of this type; you must defeat a big villain by collecting objects (in this case, gems) as well as completing certain tasks. Some of these tasks are intriguing, including a boat race, a car race, and even a flight via hang glider. More often, though, you must help the poor, defenseless Grobbos (little red Smurfs with fur, if you ask me) from the evil denizens of Baron Dante.

Graphics are like a cartoon, though for Croc 2 that's a very good thing. Much like Sierra Online's classic action game series, Goblins, all voices are cute-sounding gibberish, with voice balloons telling you what is being said. Even so, every once in a while Croc makes an amusing comment or two, ranging from his shout of "Ker-splat!" when performing his Tail-attack, to his childish "Wheee!" when riding on a balloon to a higher cliff. Even defeating an enemy leads to their eyeballs left in the air post-attack, blinking astonishment until falling cartoon-style to the ground. If the intent was to make the game feel like an interactive cartoon, it succeeded.

One thing I wish to say, before getting to the gripes (and yes, this game led to a few gripes!), is how much fun the game is, on the most part. The music in particular is toe-tapping perfect; you'll be humming the opening theme song several hours after shutting the game off. Save a Grobbo, and have him show his gratitude with an amusing comment ("I'm your friend for life!"), a ton of gems as reward, or perhaps even assistance later in the same level. This makes you feel good about saving them, level-by-level, which is a good thing because that's mostly your whole main goal throughout the entire game. The adorable nature of the Grobbos makes each quest, most often, a complete pleasure.

Not all of this game is a bed of roses, however. The difficulty level, in particular, is enormously unfair, with very few ways to restore poor Croc's health. This is illogical, given the plethora of ways to get injured, or be instantly defeated, and be forced to restart the entire level! There are the typical "level markers" to save your progress within a game level, as well as the ability to save and quit at any time (though not your progress within a level; a saved game is always outside, in the "main area" map). However, most of the time you feel as if you're oh-so-close to the end of a level, only to get defeated and have to start over from the very beginning of that level. This is an annoyance that is totally inappropriate for a game that intends to be "cute" everywhere else.

The interface, much like the first game, is also in need of improvement. Jumping is way too untrustworthy, in a game with jump puzzles galore. Direction controls are also a bit inappropriate for some of the more odd-looking game levels, like the build-a-snowman level, where you must precariously roll atop the head of a giant snowman head, while trying not to roll off a very, very thin ledge! This level was way too long for my tastes, with a mere two save-your-spot markers to record your progress. Again, this is an annoyance that was totally inappropriate for a game trying to be so "cute" elsewhere.

There's an added gripe, that I guess would be a perk to anyone else. Simply put, as in the case of most Super Mario clones, you can either opt to search for all secret areas and gems, or just get the minimum required, to see the ending anyway. In a nutshell, without giving too much away, finding all the secrets doesn't amount to a different ending, or even an ending at all. You'll likely work very hard to find all the 5 "secret gems" in a level, opening the secret Golden Grobbo Warp Gate, only to be killed just before obtaining the secret "Golden Grobbo!" The warp gate only opens once, so you must start from the very very beginning of that level if you want to try again! If you want my advice, forget it; the ending is left unchanged, with the sole reward being a one-line congrats for seeing all secrets. Save yourself a lot of painful bald spots from all that hair-pulling; just see the regular ending and count your blessings that you made it.

Be all this as it may, none of these gripes can sway me from a favorable feeling of the game elsewhere; the game is still too cute for words! However, its flaws knock its rating into a mere, marginal-thumbs-up category. Much like the original game, Croc 2 needs a few improvements in its game engine, particularly in its controls and the often-impossible difficulty curve. Seriously, there should be a health power-up at every turn, or a better save game feature; having neither is unacceptable. With the inevitable possibility of a Croc 3, these flaws should be taken to heart even more, for a game that would very well have received a much higher rating without them.

	Final Rating : Small Crater. Cute game, yet not annoyingly cute (if you know what I mean). However, the game difficulty level is a bit off-kilter for a Super Mario clone.
For more on this site's ratings system, click here.

Click box art above, to order this game (PC version)