Kid Gloves II: The Journey Back

The Good
If you like sub-Master System platformers, you will enjoy this - the graphics aren't entirely horrible, control response is okay, and the difficulty curve reasonably balanced.

The Bad
The levels are inhabited by some fairly timid-looking enemies, many of whom don't even move, but a combination of the required millimetre-perfect sword-fighting, the difficulty of avoiding some of the surface hazards, and the fact that making a big jump seems impossible make things far harder than they should be. The inability to jump far also leaves the visible 'secret' 'bonus' areas off-limits.

The design is inconsistent and shoddy. As an example, level 2 starts with a single baddy before a gaping abyss you can't cross. Fortunately, the bad guy, when killed, releases a balloon (the most logical explanation of why a snake would possess a balloon would be gratefully received) which can be used to clear this section (which contains a number of hidden items). When you hit something with the balloon, you lose it - but not while in the chasm, as this would leave you unable to escape.

The end-of-level doors look the same whether you need a key or not. These keys are held by particular enemies, who look and act identical to the others, but are often located in side-lanes halfway through the level - meaning that you can reach an exit but not be able to go through it, and the levels are often much harder to negotiate backwards, especially due to the reliance on ladders and trees.

The first end-of-level boss requires some 30 hits to achieve, which can be administered by cornering him Streetfighter 2-style. However, the stalactites at the top of the screen (which were there and harmless on previous levels) now fall on you and must be avoided, again for no logical reason, making losing a life possible. The level starts with 15-20 seconds of empty walking before you reach the boss, incidentally.

The character looks little like Kid Gloves, and frankly is one of the less lovable (and less macho)-looking characters I've ever seen.

The Bottom Line
By 1992 Amiga platformers had evolved considerably. Titles on the shelf included the cuteness and character of Rodland, the AI and adventure elements of Gods, the humour and surprise of Robocod, the technical supremacy of the Turrican titles, and the gloriously balanced gameplay of Rainbow Islands. This title offered none of that, and was deservedly lost in the crowd.