Digitally distributed and released on January 29, 2015, the bizarre and unpredictable side-scrolling Platformer called Gunman Clive 2 arrived on the Nintendo’s 3DS eShop, two years since the first game’s well-received release. Hörberg Productions has ultimately adjusted its length as well as the Western vision into a larger scope, significantly creating a whole new experience for both fans and newcomers. Ultimately, the Swedish developer has tasked Clive, Ms. Johnson and Chieftain Bob to stop the bandits and chase them around the world before entering space to defeat the true mastermind.
Overall, I found myself quite amused with this truly puzzling masterpiece as a newcomer to this growing franchise. Although the sequel’s straightforward story seems nonexistent without the proper text introduction, cutscene or even dialogue, the 25 stages comprised of thrilling environmental challenges and clever enemies occupied my inner thoughts and quickly fueled my frustration since I died several times in each stage. Yet, completing each stage often wipes the prolong stress as a personal achievement and well-earned satisfying victory. Additionally, the creator also inserted 3D arcade levels to break the 2D adventure.
Despite being relatively pleased with the final outcome, I believe that this final product has some minor issues; however, these complications should not discourage interested single players (who enjoy indie side-scrolling, action-packed video games) from purchasing this title.
In the opening screen, everyone will have an option to play as three characters in Easy, Normal or Hard mode. As previously mentioned above, I entered the first stage on Normal mode without any prior knowledge, experience and expectation from the first title as Ms. Johnson (who was formally introduced as the mayor’s abducted daughter in the previous game). Wielding a gun and wearing a skirt, my chosen reddish character has an ability (after jumping) to slow down how fast she falls down for a certain duration, which increases the chances to land on narrow platforms.
Due to the lack of story, I invented my own creative plot and dubbed Ms. Johnson as “Scarlett Johansson”, which partially explains the subtitle to this review. Well, the Avenger gets hired to chase down the reckless but lost machine from Terminator: Genisys that destroyed her hometown. After shooting ducks in her blazing town, crossing moving carts in underground tunnels and jumping on sprouting oil spills, she then finally reaches and destroys the misunderstood Chappie that provided coordinates of another suspect involved in the unexpected attack.
On Stage 5, Scarlett Johansson’s 3D airplane flies over the Atlantic Ocean during one of the arcade modes and crash-lands into Stage 6 where icy ledges are slippery. After evading crazy owls, mountain climbers, and sled riders, she enters a mansion filled with gravity devices that pulls her up, down and even sideways. The gravity mechanisms were designed by an agent from Kingsman: The Secret Service who used the Hot Tub Time Machine 2 remote to steal blueprints to control gravity within certain dimensions and spaces. His two-part demise provided clues of other members of Masterminds in the eastern hemisphere.
Upon escaping a large saw on a friendly panda’s back, she races into an oriental building filled with ninjas and enters one particular room of raining sumo wrestlers like “It’s Raining Men” in Magic Mike XXL. She later on encounters a trained swordsman as a mini-boss and quickly learns his sword stances that often indicate his next move to defeat him. Although I hit Jump on time to avoid his charge attacks, somehow, I didn’t jump high enough because my life bar depleted quite fast.
Another time when the controls seem wonky is during horse races in Australia on Stage 13. Instead of shooting sideways, I wanted to shoot forward, so the shooting angle happened to be off at times. Sometimes, shooting will prevent your character from moving in the 2D levels, causing more unnecessary deaths.
After facing a modified killer shark on Stage 16, Johansson gets “barrel-wrecked” into Jurassic World located in South America where numerous dinosaurs roam. In these stages, she runs across long-necks and temporarily rides a three-horn before facing a modified T-Rex (that shoots skulls from its mouth).
Escaping with a pterodactyl onto an airship that’s installed with gravity mechanisms and moving platforms, Johansson moves onto the rooftops where a helicopter-type sub-boss waits. Staying in the corners and using the enhanced triple gunfire to sabotage its flying capabilities, the machine morphs into its man-like mode, which can reach bottom corners and shoot missiles.
By eliminating this foe, she eventually engages in the final showdown that ends up being a colossal fight with a giant robotic Pinocchio with a gun and drill in hands. After removing the five blue parts, the machine self-destructs and hijacks Aflac. This insurance duck (who used 2015 blockbuster film characters and scenarios to get rid of competitions) has mistaken Scarlett’s hometown as StateFarm and died as the responsible culprit. His death unlocks the fourth playable character.
For other notable mentions, randomized rewards (like the cake pieces and the enhanced weaponry) from killing the tactful henchmen might have helped going through the stages significantly, along with listening to the original soundtracks by Arne Horberg that were endlessly recycled on each stage.
Due to Hörberg Productions’s visual hand-sketched aesthetic and color application, the graphics appear more crisp and rich with colors on all environments. Plus, noticing camera angles is quite thrilling to spot, particularly on Stage 7 when the player can see different angles on a box on the left and right side, which shows the desire for the creator to do more. When selecting Clive or Chieftain Bob, Clive can at least shoot a gun, but Chieftain Bob can only use close combat with his spear.
VERDICT
Again, the whole package feels like a well-polished and though-out project with interesting environmental challenges on each stage. For one character, a playthrough could take three to five hours, which depends on his abilities. After completing a stage, folks can replay them with the same character to beat their best time score or avoid attacks to receive a No Damage Star. This means that folks have replayability, besides trying the levels with different characters. Unfortunately, the drawbacks are the controls and story. That being said, showing is better than being told with that amusing ending. Is this sequel better than its predecessor? I assume that it definitely is, and for $3, it doesn’t get any better than that.
Original Author: Jalane Farrington