Nintendo 64

Army Men: Sarge's Heroes 2

A mysterious spy, Brigitte Bleu, has offered the evil General Plastro an anti-plastrification serum, which would enable his Tan Army to stay in the real world without turning into solidified chunks of plastic (and with the war against the Green Nation). It's up to Sarge and his crew to stop them. Sarge's Heroes 2 is classic third-person Army men shooter action, offering 17 missions with new environments-such as a refrigerator and a pool table-along with new weapons and power-ups, like a radio to call in and air strike.

Last year's Army Men: Sarge's Heroes was an average third-person action-shooter with many, many flaws, but because of its license it sold through the roof. This year's Army Men: Sarge's Heroes 2 is exactly the same game with a few minor additions -- still flawed to the core and featuring outdated graphics that by today's standards are even more recognizable. If you were okay with the original, you'll probably enjoy the sequel as well, but for those of you expecting something new and exciting out of 3DO's Army Men franchise, this definitely isn't it.

Although I wouldn't recommend Army Men Sarge's Heroes 2 for a purchase, I find that the game is worth a rental for a long weekend in which you have nothing better to do. Exploring features within the game, such as the weapons and multiplayer levels, makes it fun for a little while. However, once the sluggish frame rate gets to you, the game leaves you with very little after beating its easy to complete missions.

3DO seems bent on producing as many Army Men games as it possibly can, even though only a small number of them have truly been worth a second look. Army Men: Sarge's Heroes 2 falls into the larger, more disappointing category, as the latest in the company's line of third-person shooters starring its otherwise amusing cast of sentient toy soldiers is not even worth a first look.