The opening of Blinx 2 instantaneously brings back memories. Players take on the role of a new time sweeper first off (surprisingly this demo doesn’t actually feature Blinx at all) and a very monotonous training session introduces the game. However, Blinx 2 includes so many new features and control enhancements that it's essential to sit through the trial. After passing the trial, players become a “full-fledged time sweeper” and are introduced to the first level which contains mission objectives.
The hud in Blinx 2 takes a leaf out of Konami’s book and features a stealth meter for identifying enemies and the time it takes a player to complete a level is still included. The first thing players will notice is that the game feels much less restrictive. The first level features a very detailed environment that features some beautiful water effects.
It is at this stage though that the music begins to become very repetitive and after only a few minutes the music is irritatingly tedious. Let’s just hope custom soundtrack support is included or we will be playing this game on mute. If players are stuck, then a tutorial will come up on screen, and help guide them through the obstacle they have encountered. The first obstacle in the time sweeper’s way is a door which will only open when water is removed from the panels holding it down. The player will need to use the pause function so they can get rid of this water. This basic type of problem serves as a good introduction to Blinx 2’s features.
The targeting system is extremely simple and allows for quick elimination of all the enemies in the time sweeper’s path. There is another new feature in Blinx 2 called reactive mode. When an event is triggered the player can choose to react to a circumstance by either pausing time or slowing time. Medals are also scattered throughout the levels, which are there for completing.
Just by reading this preview it is easy to tell that Blinx has a lot more to it this time around than just a time control gimmick. The first level is relatively short but still feels very different to any of the level’s in the original title.
We don’t want to go into to much detail as we don’t want to risk ruining the rest of the game for you. However, rest assured that Blinx 2 feels very different to the original title. The core elements still remain but the game has been overhauled to play much easier. The game feels less restrictive and looks great. Rather than being a time sweeper, players can also take on the role as one of the Tom Tom gang, so Blinx 2 seems to have a lot of directions for players to go in.
Blinx 2 will be released for the Xbox on December 3rd, 2004. Stay tuned to PALGN for a review around that time.
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