MDK 2

MDK 2 is a good 3rd person game, let's get that right out front, but it's suffering from a clear case of sequelitis. The developers took a lot of the formula of MDK, the huge set pieces, the fun music, the goofy enemies, but decided that wasn't enough. So instead of simply improving the formula, they added two characters, the professor and his dog, which ultimately don't add anything real to the game. The Dog's missions are extremely scaled down versions of MDK, pure shooting, without the fun puzzles or the sniping. The professor's levels accentuate the puzzles, but blow it on the combat. Why seperate the game elements that worked so well in the original? Why can't I just keep playing as Kurt the janitor and reluctant savior of the world? Because the developers thought they needed to have some extra blurbs on the back of the box when they sold this one out. As I said, it's not a BAD game, it's just not the 3rd person romp that the original MDK was. If you loved MDK and want more, you could definitely do worse, but my recommendation is try Giants instead.

I bought MDK 2 for the Dreamcast and instantly fell in love with just about everything about it. From the awe-inspiring level design to the hilarious dialogue to the old school arcade action, MDK 2 stands out. Yes, the gameplay can be frustrating at times but when you finally get past a difficult level or boss you feel a nice sense of accomplishment. Thanks Gog!

MDK 2 on it's own merits is a good game, but it seems like an awkward fit with the first game. MDK was such a unique treat because it was such a "down the rabbit hole" kind of experience - no dialog and only the barest hints at a story; you just had to "go with it" and take it for what it was, bizarre humor, tone and all. MDK 2, by contrast comes off as far more polished, expanded and conventional. The switch in developers is noticeable, as while Bioware is able to capture most of the look and feel of the first MDK, it doesn't really get the Shiny "feel" to it. Set away from the first game, though, it still stands on it's own as a fun, funny, action game. Be warned...the difficulty level is very high and can be frustrating, especially with the Doctor levels. Special mention for the soundtrack and the voice cast which is excellent (I still crack up at the end when the earnest announcer blares "ATOMIC TOAST!?" on selecting the Doctor). Well worth the plunge.

Bioware showed that apart from the RPGs they can make an entertaining action title too. You have 3 main characters with 3 different gameplay styles: Kurt (glidin' & snipin'), Max (shootin' & flyin') and Dr Hawkins (puzzlin' & combinin'). You control them in sequence, so you won't get bored. The story continous right where the MDK 1 ended. A short scene of celebration and wham! The next wave of alien invaders appear. Kurt makes his orbital jump and the action starts. The level design is superb. You get hit by some spectacular locations right from the start. The action takes you quickly from the ground up to the skies, and into the orbit. Some places are really huge (especially those where you use Max's jetpack). After 10+ years the graphics still look attractive, which proves that the Omen engine was a good piece of code. We have spacious locations and visual effects, as well as a vast range of outstanding colours, as if from a psychedelic alien space dream. The game is not as hard as you might have heard (at least not in the current version). Of course, if you play it on hard, then expect it to be hard. But starting with the normal difficulty you should be perfectly fine. The only thing that can be a bit disappointing is the humour. Well, it's there, but not as fresh and catchy as in the original game. You see, it can make you smile, but it won't make you laugh. Apart from that it's a jolly good fun and is definitely worth the price you see here on GOG. 4 stars

This is the sequel to the action-packed MDK. This time we get to play three different protagonists : the dog (shoot, shoot, shoot), the professor (solve "puzzles") and, off course, Kurt the janitor (shoot but also more platforms). This offers some variety in the gameplay during the story. The graphics & music are great during all the game and we cant' wait to continue playing the game to eradicate the alien menace. As a weak point, I would say that it is sometimes difficult to discover the weak spots of bosses but this is often the cases in such games as it would be too easy otherwise.