PlayStation 2

Dead to Rights II

It can certainly be fun to blast your way through dozens of thugs like a true action hero. However, Dead to Rights II simply does not have the level of depth offered in the first game of the series. The interesting plot has been replaced with a shallow backdrop for heavy action sequences. The unique mini-games are gone and there is less exploration required. The game is extremely linear and on the short side. Players can expect to easily get through it in seven to eight hours. If you are looking for a game that will challenge you intellectually or offer any kind of true depth, Dead to Rights II is certainly not your best option. But if you want some solid action gaming to blow off some steam, Jack Slate and Shadow will be happy to oblige.

Dead to Rights II looks good, and it’s not without its own charms. If all you want to do is shoot some fictional people, it’ll let you do that, and it’ll make you work for it. However, if you’ve played any of a few dozen better action games that’ve come out in recent memory – either Max Payne, True Crime, The Punisher, BloodRayne 2, etc.—then Dead to Rights II is going to feel very shallow, very soon, and you’ll have a hard time getting to the end.

Your opinion of Dead to Rights II will basically come down to whether you appreciate the old fashioned shooters and their lack of complexity. If you insist on all the modern trappings of the current shooters then Dead to Rights II may seem a little hollow and short on substance. However, if you enjoyed the old fashioned shooters then you'll appreciate what Dead to Rights II offers. Don't get me wrong it's flawed in that the game isn't very long, there's not much of a plot and load times are long as well as the game being repetitive but it's also very addictive and will certainly keep you playing until you come to the very end. I haven't played the first game in the series so I can't comment on how it compares but taking this sequel on its own merits, it's a good game that could have been better and could really have done with a more substantial plot to add depth to the game.

The game's got some unlockable weapons and difficulty modes, plus an instant action mode that just keeps throwing bad guys at you, as if the main story mode was anything different. It's not necessarily something you'll be compelled to keep playing, though, since all the blasting nearly overstays its welcome on the first time through. So Dead to Rights II isn't worth full price, and on top of that, it's a pretty disappointing follow-up to an action game that tried to do more than what most all the other action games were doing at the time.

Dead to Rights II provides some mindless shooting with all of the clichéd elements you've come to expect from a third person action game. Far from an extension of the first game, it’s more of a trimmed down, director’s cut that simply removed elements that gamers disliked in the first version.

My first reaction after receiving Dead to Rights 2 went something like this (slight variations are possible): "Hmm, what have we here? Dead to Rights, wasn't that some B-title from several years ago? And now a sequel? Jeez, Louise...". I was expecting a mediocre game and for once my gut feeling was right...

Dead To Rights II is a sequel that lives up to its celluloid inspirations by taking the formula of the first game, paring it down to its bare essence and stuffing it with as much visceral gameplay as possible. The thing is, while it’s not Shakespeare, there are enough people that go for this kind of thing to justify flooding the market with its ilk.

Dead to Rights II feels like a game of missed opportunity. This is repetitive gaming (enter a room, shoot hordes of bad guys, pick up something, shoot the hordes that arrive late to the party, move to the next area, repeat), to say the least. While the elements were cliché enough, the game feels like it still could have been a decent shooter. But with long load times, suspect AI, and very linear gameplay, the title moves over onto that “pass” list. However, if you were a big fan of the first title, and crave that mindless, twitch-gaming fix similar in nature, then Dead to Rights II offers that.

Dead To Rights II is a classic example of a game that isn't any good yet manages to be enjoyably passable for long enough that you might come away with the mildly mistaken impression that it's actually good. If not that, at least you might get the genuine impression that you really did enjoy it, right up until you realise that that's all you're getting and boredom sets in.

Dead to Rights 2 is a lesson in what happens when there is an unwillingness to evolve or risk new ideas. Jack Slate and his world are carved from such a recognizable cookie cutter that nothing feels impressive and every aspect of the game is quietly forgettable. If you like the series, do yourself a favor and go replay the first one rather than justify its sequel with your attention.

Si le premier épisode n'était pas bien original, il avait cependant une identité propre grâce à plusieurs petites idées fort sympathiques. Le deuxième épisode oublie tout ceci vu qu'il laisse de côté le scénario, les mini-jeux du premier opus ainsi que la diversité environnementale. Au final, Dead To Rights II n'est qu'un beat'em all lambda avec de gros problèmes de caméra, une difficulté mal pensée (finir le jeu en Normal ou en Dur relève de l'exploit) et un manque d'ambition.

I don't know how this is even possible, but Namco managed to strip away all of the noteworthy material, leaving players with nothing more than shoddy controls, horrible graphics, and a mentally-challenged dog at their side. I've seen famed video game franchises plummet from grace before, but Dead to Rights falls faster than them all.

All I can say is that if this version was released first, I doubt very much there would have been a sequel.

All things considered, it's probably a blessing that Dead To Rights II is a short game. Most players will easily nail the coffin shut in a weekend. In that respect, it makes for a reasonable rental, but not much else.

If you're into mindless shooting and action, Dead to Rights II might be a pleasant weekend diversion. However, if you're looking for a game that improves on the original, delivers an interesting story, varied gameplay, and is worth $50, you need to look elsewhere.

If you are interested in playing this game and you are into playing mindless shoot-em-ups, then this is the game for you. But sadly this game makes me think it was made to show how crappy it would actually look if it WAS made before the original. Namco has had two years to better learn the PS2's technology , and it seems to me they have merely tried to push out a prequel to a lackluster game that should never have been made in the first place. Take the review with a grain of salt and try it out yourself; it won't be too long before it's in that bargin bin!

Don't buy this game. Really, please don't. I am seriously begging you to not buy this game. Playing it doesn't even make you feel dirty, it literally makes you unclean to the point that dirt has bonded to your skin and you can't scrub it off no matter how hard you try or how many bars of Zest you go through. Actually, now that I think about it, the best part about Dead to Rights 2 isn't the packaging; it's the fact that I can trade it in for something leagues better. Don't waste your $50 on this one. Don't even waste $10 on this one when you see it in the bargain bin (and believe me, you will). This game is far too boring and crappy to even consider buying, period. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go take the longest shower of my life.