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Joe Danger 2: The Movie

Joe Danger 2: The Movie

The loveable stuntman returns and thankfully success hasn't gone to his head in the sequel.

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It was impossible to resist the charms of Joe Danger as he launched onto Playstation 3 and later Xbox 360. The small independent developers at Hello Games had managed to assemble a game that quickly grabbed the attention of gamers with a soft spot for arcade action.

The set up was simple, as the once great stuntman Joe Danger, you're job was to rise to fame again, by performing some insane motorcycle stunts across a number of levels.

Joe Danger 2: The Movie

As most gamers know Joe is back on top of his game, and everyone in the world he lives in knows who he is. At least he is no longer out of a job as Hollywood comes calling and there are lots of new stunts that require Joe's unique set of skills.

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Much like the last time the levels are split into various worlds, and this time they have been categorised by specific film themes. The first world sees Mr. Danger perform stunts in an adventure inspired by Indiana Jones, and later on he plays the role of a James Bond clone, motor cycle butler, dinosaur, robot specialist, etc.

Joe Danger 2: The Movie

It's just as accessible as the last time around, but there is a lot more variation this time around. You brake and accelerate with your triggers, while you shift Joe's balance and weight with the analogue stick enabling you to do flips and various gravity defying stunts. The action is seen from a 2.5D perspective, and for the most time you drive from left to right without switching tracks manually (later on you get to do this as the difficulty is turned up).

Thus, the core of the experience remains the same, and instead of changing it Hello Games have focused on squeezing as much as possible out of the existing concept. This becomes apparent within the first few levels as we're introduced to a number of different takes on the concept.

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In one level we're racing against other stuntmen, while other tasks us with collecting coins, bananas, stars, and letters and making it to the goal line in one piece. A third drops the timer altogether and allows us to explore the level freely, something that works surprisingly well.

All the different modes are then spiced up with the various film themes, and an overly enthusiastic director who shouts out instructions in the background as he tries to get you to perform in his movie.

If you're playing the role of a particular gentleman agent, you can expect to make your escape from an avalanche just to be hitting the brakes seconds later in order to avoid triggering the alarms that have been generously distributed throughout the level. At other times you have to hit specific targets, in order to stop the launch of nuclear missiles, or perhaps knocking villains off their bikes.

Joe Danger 2: The Movie

Joe's characteristic motorcycle is no longer the only vehicle on offer. Instead, there is now a whole range of things to master including a jetpack, a snow mobile, skis, a police motorcycle and more. The most entertaining one I came across was a unicycle, that requires you to constantly mind your balance as well as the challenges the level throws at you.

If you've completed the first game and cleaned out all the trophies and/or achievements, you can still expect a challenge from the campaign in Joe Danger 2: The Movie. Hello Games have filled all levels with bonus objectives, for instance all levels come with a "par time" you need to beat in order to mix it up with the best players on the leaderboards.

Even more of a challenge is offered in the levels that make up the "Deleted Scenes" portion of the game, where any theme has been dropped in favour of providing players with the most frustratingly difficult tasks the game has to offer. Thankfully the frustration isn't cause by poor controls or unreasonable demands, but instead the blame is put squarely on your lacking skills and reflexes. One go quickly becomes a dozen, and the controller is increasingly in danger of being replaced.

Joe Danger 2: The Movie

One important aspect of the previous game was the ability to make your own levels, and this feature has been carried across to the sequel, and all creations can be shared with the rest of the world. The tutorial section deserves a special mention as it has been cleverly designed in the shape of a level that cannot be completed unless the player experiments with the various tools that editor comes with.

Joe Danger 2: The Movie does almost everything right, but fails to surprise us in the same way the original did. However, since the last game came out there is no way around the fact that Trials Evolution has made it onto the scene and offers tons of content, with many of the same features.

Joe Danger's new adventure is an absolute charmer, full of easily accessible content, and gameplay that at times is dangerously addictive. If you haven't had your fill of insane stunts, level creation, and bold stuntmen, then there is every reason to have a go with Joe Danger 2: The Movie.

HQ
08 Gamereactor UK
8 / 10
+
+ Incredibly inviting. + Lots of variation. + Easy to piece your own levels together. + Many hours of gameplay.
-
- Few surprises if you played the first game.
overall score
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