The distinct difference between video games and film lies in the treatment of lesser known titles. In film, a hidden gem can become a cult hit and actually generate decent numbers; in gaming, being a hidden gem pretty much equates to financial ruin (Okami, Beyond Good and Evil, etc). But enough of this doom and gloom, because Glory Days 2 is a pretty exciting discovery.
At first glance, Glory Days 2 is a hard sell. The game is a hybrid of real time strategy and side-scrolling air combat, and, in terms of retail attractiveness, the box art is terrible. Nobody is going to walk into his/her local game store and immediately develop a desire to purchase the game. Because of the game’s hybridity, players who aren’t very good at multi-tasking should really think twice before purchasing this title; Glory Days 2 is a lot of things, but easy is certainly not one of them. Fortunately, the game packs an amazing experience for players who fancy a taste of something different and unique.
Given the game’s side scrolling perspective, imagining that it would would be so adept at producing combat situations of the same intensity as its 3D competitors is no small feat, and the fact that it accomplishes this so well is one of the game’s most pleasant surprises. The 2D graphics are detailed, and the animations are well drawn. The graphical style, while cartoony, does a great job of placing the player “in the shit.” The intensity ratchets up with the help of the DS dual screen functionality, and the top screen is where the actual gameplay takes place. The bottom screen offers the player another view of the battlefield which shifts its gaze onto wherever the most action is occurring. Since the player is responsible for both flying the aircraft and producing ground units, the bottom screen becomes that much more integral.
In returning to the issue of difficulty, Glory Days 2 is not a particularly forgiving game, and, unfortunately, controls represent one of the main culprits. The game offers two options for controlling its various vehicles - directional pad or touch screen. The touch screen works as a sort of broken mouse setup, but, with a little practice, players will most likely prefer it because of its fluidity. However, the biggest gripe involves the game’s system of purchasing ground units. The game expects the user to fly his/her aircraft while simultaneously purchasing units to fight the battle at the ground level (depicted on the bottom screen). In order to purchase these units, the stylus must move to a different portion of the touch screen which effectively takes control away from the aircraft and places it on the purchase panel. This is about as comfortable as driving with your knees while eating a subway sandwich. After growing a third arm, the game’s difficulty seems less intense.
Other than the woes of buying units, the various aircraft control pretty much like you would expect. Helicopters feel agile, and the player can pick up units and transport them around with the greatest of ease. Jets are a bit more challenging because of how much of a pain in the ass it is to land them; the game’s autopilot needs some work, and players will find themselves having to really babysit the whole process. Once again, this splits the player’s attention further.
Glory Days 2 features a LAN multiplayer mode with up to 8 players. Like any game, this would have benefitted from some true online play. Even without online, the battle mode can be played against computer opponents, and it is quite fun. Think of it as the skirmish mode that is found in pretty much every realtime strategy game.
Even though it probably won’t happen, I can’t wait for Glory Days 3. If they can fix some of the control issues (maybe add some voice control for the buy screen?), balance the difficulty a bit, and add online multiplayer, it would exist in the highest echelons of the Nintendo DS library. As it stands, it is a must buy for gamers who want to support something different. This game is fun - really fun. The dual screen functionality propels it beyond many other DS games with developers who feel that the bottom screen is merely an inconvenience or gimmick. I can confidently say that this game would not be the same without the 2nd screen, and I can’t say the same thing for the majority of other DS titles on the market. This game is a gem, and the player should vote with his/her dollar to bring other games like it to the market.
We at The Game Druid give it an 8/10!
At first glance, Glory Days 2 is a hard sell. The game is a hybrid of real time strategy and side-scrolling air combat, and, in terms of retail attractiveness, the box art is terrible. Nobody is going to walk into his/her local game store and immediately develop a desire to purchase the game. Because of the game’s hybridity, players who aren’t very good at multi-tasking should really think twice before purchasing this title; Glory Days 2 is a lot of things, but easy is certainly not one of them. Fortunately, the game packs an amazing experience for players who fancy a taste of something different and unique.
Given the game’s side scrolling perspective, imagining that it would would be so adept at producing combat situations of the same intensity as its 3D competitors is no small feat, and the fact that it accomplishes this so well is one of the game’s most pleasant surprises. The 2D graphics are detailed, and the animations are well drawn. The graphical style, while cartoony, does a great job of placing the player “in the shit.” The intensity ratchets up with the help of the DS dual screen functionality, and the top screen is where the actual gameplay takes place. The bottom screen offers the player another view of the battlefield which shifts its gaze onto wherever the most action is occurring. Since the player is responsible for both flying the aircraft and producing ground units, the bottom screen becomes that much more integral.
In returning to the issue of difficulty, Glory Days 2 is not a particularly forgiving game, and, unfortunately, controls represent one of the main culprits. The game offers two options for controlling its various vehicles - directional pad or touch screen. The touch screen works as a sort of broken mouse setup, but, with a little practice, players will most likely prefer it because of its fluidity. However, the biggest gripe involves the game’s system of purchasing ground units. The game expects the user to fly his/her aircraft while simultaneously purchasing units to fight the battle at the ground level (depicted on the bottom screen). In order to purchase these units, the stylus must move to a different portion of the touch screen which effectively takes control away from the aircraft and places it on the purchase panel. This is about as comfortable as driving with your knees while eating a subway sandwich. After growing a third arm, the game’s difficulty seems less intense.
Other than the woes of buying units, the various aircraft control pretty much like you would expect. Helicopters feel agile, and the player can pick up units and transport them around with the greatest of ease. Jets are a bit more challenging because of how much of a pain in the ass it is to land them; the game’s autopilot needs some work, and players will find themselves having to really babysit the whole process. Once again, this splits the player’s attention further.
Glory Days 2 features a LAN multiplayer mode with up to 8 players. Like any game, this would have benefitted from some true online play. Even without online, the battle mode can be played against computer opponents, and it is quite fun. Think of it as the skirmish mode that is found in pretty much every realtime strategy game.
Even though it probably won’t happen, I can’t wait for Glory Days 3. If they can fix some of the control issues (maybe add some voice control for the buy screen?), balance the difficulty a bit, and add online multiplayer, it would exist in the highest echelons of the Nintendo DS library. As it stands, it is a must buy for gamers who want to support something different. This game is fun - really fun. The dual screen functionality propels it beyond many other DS games with developers who feel that the bottom screen is merely an inconvenience or gimmick. I can confidently say that this game would not be the same without the 2nd screen, and I can’t say the same thing for the majority of other DS titles on the market. This game is a gem, and the player should vote with his/her dollar to bring other games like it to the market.
We at The Game Druid give it an 8/10!
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