Digital Dimensions: Flora & Fauna Do Battle Again in Pikmin 2

They’re cute. They’re colorful. They can pummel large insects to the ground in under five seconds. So begins another chapter in the world of Captain Olimar and his flowery cohorts in Nintendo’s Pikmin 2, the bizarre but addictive sequel to the 2001 hit, Pikmin. It’s been three years since Nintendo unleashed their realtime strategy hit during the launch of the Gamecube, but Pikmin 2 picks up right where the original left off. The storyline’s simple: Upon returning to his homeworld following the first game’s misadventures, Captain Olimar finds his employer, Hocotate Freight broke and in dire need of 10,000 bucks (or pokos, if you want to be literal). When it turns out a “souvenir” Olimar brought home for his kid is actually a valuable treasure on their planet, the company President sends the Captain and his eggplant-headed coworker Louie back to Earth to collect more in hopes of covering their massive debt. Once again recruiting the plantlike troopers that helped Olimar before, gamers tackle the dangers of your not-so-average backyard in an all-out scavenger hunt to save Hocotate Freight from ruin. Bizarre as it sounds, Pikmin vets and newcomers alike are in for a real treat this time around. Nintendo has discarded the original’s 30-day limit in the sequel, giving players infinite time to expand and explore in their quest for hundreds of treasures. Along with the yellow Pikmin’s sudden, unexplained affinity to electricity, also added to the sequel are two totally new species of Pikmin – poisonous white and sumo-esque purple – both specially-grown to add the often frustrating element of ensuring their protection during difficult scenarios. Keeping up with that busy schedule of hauling treasure and kicking bulborb-butt is also given a new spin, as Olimar can delegate tasks to his sidekick Louie when forced to babysit his own busy group of Pikmin. With just a few changes, the idea of swarming a hundred of your flower-headed drones around the unsuspecting natives is now just one of the chaos-inspiring ventures that will keep gamers glued to the screen far longer than the original Pikmin could ever hope to last. If that isn’t enough, the sequel finally lets a second player in on the fun. Gamers can finally test their skills in a head-to-head contest with the all new Battle Mode, pitting players against each other in several intense collecting scenarios. Unfortunately, solitary gamers won’t be able to take on this new mode themselves, as no AI opponent is available to challenge your skills. To get the most out of Pikmin 2, you’ll have to find a friend willing to indulge in the oddity. They might even forgive your weirdness in choosing this game once they’ve played it themselves. For anyone who played the original many moons ago, things haven’t changed much as far as the look and feel of Pikmin 2. While sleeker menus and solid CGI cutscenes have been added, the graphics during actual gameplay are pretty much the same as they were before. Given how vibrant the original looked, that’s not really a bad thing the second time around. Some shots look a bit blurred or choppy close-up, but as far as critique goes, it’s scraping the bottom of the barrel. This game, simply put, delivers as well as any. The sound department maintains its efficiency from the first game as well. Sound effects are clear and plentiful, with anything from the whistling of snoring insects to the frightened screams of your Pikmin keeping gamers alert to the situation. With how well everything is executed in-game, it’s hard to believe that the “voice acting” in cut scenes is irritatingly inaudible. The music department is often lacking, though its few tracks blend in with their corresponding scenarios. It’s nothing sensational, but as far as getting the job done, that’s what Pikmin 2 does. For anyone who enjoyed the original Pikmin, it’s almost impossible to not feel the same for Pikmin 2, if not better. An unlimited adventure gives gamers countless hours of gameplay, including payoffs in the form of a “Piklopedia” on the planet’s animals and plantlife, the “Treasure Horde” of oft-humourous descriptions (and related mind-wanderings) on your collected litter, and several unlockable secrets and challenges. While a Co-op Mode would have been nice for tackling the main game, the overall content’s still a huge improvement over the original. The fear of 15 hours and done is gone; enjoy Pikmin 2, and you’re in for days of addictive strategy mayhem. Find a friend, and this game may not be collecting dust for a long time.CONTENT: A-…GRAPHICS: A…SOUND: B+…GAMEPLAY: A…LASTING APPEAL: B+FINAL GPA: 3.67