Zone Of The Enders: The 2nd Runner

Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner
Developer(s)	Konami Computer Entertainment Japan
Publisher(s)	Konami Computer Entertainment
Designer(s)	Shuyo Murata
Platform(s)	PlayStation 2
Release date	JPN February 13, 2003 NA March 10, 2003 EU September 26, 2003
Genre(s)	Action
Mode(s)	Single player, Two-player versus
Rating(s)	ESRB: Mature (M), PEGI: 12+
Media	1 DVD-ROM

Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner (Japanese title Anubis: Zone of the Enders) is a video game that was developed and published by Konami for the PlayStation 2 in 2003. The sequel to Zone of the Enders, the game was produced by, and is closely associated with, Hideo Kojima. The game is based around mecha combat. All mecha were designed by Yoji Shinkawa, the character and mechanical designer for the Metal Gear Solid series.

The sequel picks up where the last game left off. The controls and graphics are improved to enhance the gameplay. Although instead of going city to city like the first installment, the sequel is divided into sections, one after each boss.

A variety of weapons, enemies, and boss battles have been added to the game. The "Special Edition" PAL and NTSC-J versions of the game featured a variety of additions and extras to the game, including new VR Training options, added scenarios, more difficulties, a music video featuring a remixed "Beyond the Bounds" theme, improved anti-aliasing and graphical optimizations, new Orbital Frames for Versus Mode, among other improvements to the game.

While the previous installment of the series covered themes such as the loss of innocence and the morality of killing, this game featured themes such as camaraderie, duty, vengeance, and mortality.

In a recent GameSpot interview with Kojima, he was asked about a third installment of the game. His response was: "I've been getting questions about that, and I've pretty much counted each one as a demand...I'll be sure to count that one too." An even more recent interview describes Hideo Kojima as saying: "I want to make it, but I'm so busy with MGS4 that I have to focus on that right now." While no confirmations of a third game were made, the possibility of one has been brought to attention many times. Kojima has even stated that he "has an idea for the next Zone of the Enders game", which should please fans fearing that poor sales had put an end to the series.

Plot

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The game begins with Dingo Egret, the protagonist, working at a mining facility on Callisto. His digger soon detects a strange object underground. When he digs it up, he discovers that it is an Orbital Frame called Jehuty. About this time, the facility is attacked by BAHRAM forces. Dingo climbs into Jehuty and engages the attackers. During the battle, Dingo enters the BAHRAM battleship and continues the fight. He is finally subdued by a superior Orbital Frame known as Anubis, controlled by Col. Ridley (Nohman) Hardiman, leader of BAHRAM.

As a prisoner, Dingo is assaulted by Ken Marinaris, a female Orbital Frame runner that Dingo defeated in the previous battle. Nohman arrives moments later and asks Dingo to join him. When Dingo refuses, Nohman shoots him. Nohman orders Ken to dispose of the body.

Instead, Ken has Dingo revived and placed inside Jehuty. When he comes to, she explains that Jehuty is acting as a life-support system, and if he leaves Jehuty, he will die. She then tells him that she is a spy for the UNSF. Dingo escapes with a UNSF prisoner and heads for Mars.

On Mars, Dingo is attacked by several BAHRAM Orbital Frames, but he is saved by the white Orbital Frame, Vic Viper, who promptly attacks him afterwards. The battle goes to a stalemate, at which time the pilot of the Vic Viper is revealed to be Leo Stenbuck, the protagonist of the previous game. He orders Dingo to get out of Jehuty, but when Leo learns the situation, he decides to let Dingo stay in Jehuty. After several battles on Mars, Dingo is attacked by Nephtis, an Orbital Frame controlled by an A.I. program based on Viola's fighting style (another character from the first game). After defeating the A.I., Ken arrives in her Orbital Frame Ardjet; the A.I. then possesses Ardjet, forcing Dingo to disable the Orbital Frame to purge the computer virus. Ken climbs into Jehuty and, together, they seek out Lloyd, a friend of Dingo’s who can upgrade Jehuty, allowing it to stand a chance against Anubis.

After defeating Lloyd in combat, he agrees to upgrade Jehuty. While Jehuty is being upgraded, Lloyd tells Dingo about "Project Aumaan", a giant battle station capable of destroying everything around it, with a possible range of the known universe. Just as Jehuty is fully upgraded, Nohman flies in and attacks Dingo. Dingo is able to escape, but Ken is left behind, and Lloyd is killed.

Dingo meets up with Leo again, and they travel to where Aumaan is kept. Once there, Dingo and Leo do battle with Nohman (or so they think). In the middle of the battle, Leo is attacked by the real Nohman, and Dingo realizes that Ken is in the Orbital Frame that they were initially fighting. Nohman flees the facility and attempts to destroy it. Ken tells Dingo and Leo that Aumaan is actually on Phobos, the largest moon of Mars. The three manage to escape, and Dingo and Leo travel to Phobos.

On Phobos, Dingo does battle with Nohman again, this time destroying Anubis. Before his death, however, Nohman activates Aumaan. While Leo tries to slow Aumaan’s detonation at the core, Dingo throws a piece of Nohman’s Orbital Frame at the core, causing Aumaan to explode. Dingo and Leo manage to escape Phobos before the moon explodes.

Characters

Orbital Frames

Zoradius

This section requires expansion.

Zoradius is an unlockable 3D remake of the original Gradius arcade video game found in Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner. It can be found in the battle against Vic Viper, or by replaying the fight as an Extra mission, then pausing the game an entering a variation of the Konami Code.

In Zoradius, the player uses the Vic Viper in fighter mode, flying through a tunnel and shooting down various non-humanoid enemies from the game to gather powerups to increase the Viper's firepower and shields. Roughly halfway through the stage, the player has to fight through an area full of ring-shooting Moai heads, also a staple of the Gradius series. The game ends in a Boss fight against the Train boss, also from the main game.

Staff

• Yoji Shinkawa - Mechanical Designer
• Hideo Kojima - Producer
• Nobuyoshi Nishimura - Character Design 2D Animation Director
• Tsubasa Masao - Original Character Designer
• Shuyo Murata - Game Design/Scenario/Director
• Kazuma Kaneko - Guest Character/Mechanical Designer

Soundtrack

ANUBIS Zone of the Enders Original Soundtrack
Soundtrack by Zone of the Enders
Released	March 19, 2003
Genre	Electronica, J-pop
Length	68:43
Label	Konami Music Entertainment
Producer	Konami Music Entertainment
Zone of the Enders chronology
Zone of the Enders Z.O.E Original Soundtrack (2000) ANUBIS Zone of the Enders Original Soundtrack (2002)

The soundtrack to Zone of the Enders:The 2nd Runner was released March 19, 2003 on the album ANUBIS Zone of the Enders Original Soundtrack by Konami Music Entertainment. The album was composed by the same artists as the previous album, Norihiko Hibino (日比野 則彦, Norihiko Hibino^?), Maki Kirioka (桐岡麻季, Maki Kirioka^?), Akihiro Honda (本田晃弘, Akihiro Honda^?), Toshiyuki Kakuta (角田利之, Toshiyuki Kakuta^?) and Shuichi Kobori (小堀修一, Shuichi Kobori^?).

The game's theme song, "Beyond the Bounds," was composed by Maki Kirioka and performed by Maki Kimura. (Lyrics) A remix of the song, titled "Beyond the Bounds (Mitsuto Suzuki 020203 Mix feat.Sana)" also included on the soundtrack, is played during a music video extra in the PAL and NTSC-J "Special Edition" versions of the game, and appears on Pop'n Music 8.

Reception

The game was praised by some players for its beautiful visuals and graphics, fast and intense boss battles, and excellent controls. The game received positive reviews from game sites, though its short length and awkward dialogue (due to poor software localization) have been criticized.

• GameSpot - 8.5/10
• IGN - 8.6/10
• GameTab - 83.58%/100%
• GameSpy - 3/5

External links

• Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner - Konami Official Site
• Zone of the Enders: The Unofficial site - Unofficial Zone of the Enders site. Contains various information on Zone of the Enders media.*
• Bahram-Headquarters - Die einzige ZOE HP Deutschlands. Noch neu und in der Testphase.
• Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner video walkthrough - at Game Anyone?