Zone of the Enders: The Second Runner MARS Reviews

Zone of the Enders: The Second Runner MARS is ranked in the 44th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
TrustedReviews
Trusted Reviews
Top Critic
Sep 6, 2018

The addition of PSVR is gimmicky, but fun, with VR shining in cabin-based games like this one, was re-jigged to be. The rest of the game despite showing its age heavily in places manages to feel a fresh experience, as surprisingly nothing has really come out in all this time that comes close to how slickly agile aerial mech combat feels here.

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8.5 / 10.0
Sep 7, 2018

Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner - Mars may have flown under the radar in 2003 but it now has the chance to shine again 15 years later. Just know that the budget price reflects the fact that not a whole lot has been added: so if you didn't like it then you won't suddenly be smitten.

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60 / 100
Sep 8, 2018

Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner --- M∀RS is one of the best looking mech games out there, despite being a remaster of a 15-year-old game. Its fast, flashy combat still looks and feels good, but is constantly undermined by an extremely unwieldy camera. With its short, linear campaign, dull story, and terrible dialogue, The 2nd Runner seems stuck in 2003, despite its slick graphical upgrade.

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Twinfinite
Joseph Yaden
Top Critic
2.5 / 5.0
Sep 9, 2018

Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner M∀RS is a faithful remaster of a game that time has not been kind to. It fails at modernizing it for 2018 standards, making it feel like a clunky mess to play.

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8.1 / 10.0
Sep 9, 2018

Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner M∀RS is (still) the best mecha videogame.

Review in Italian | Read full review

7.4 / 10.0
Sep 9, 2018

Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner is a classic action game that holds up beautifully.

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85 / 100
Sep 10, 2018

A great remastered version for one of the most beloved games of the PS2.

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Simon Brown
Top Critic
8.5 / 10.0
Sep 11, 2018

A polished, well put together remaster of a game that never really got a fair shake during its original release. If you like mecha punching each other or the idea of piloting one in VR is your thing you can do a lot worse than giving Zone of the Enders The 2nd Runner: Mars a go.

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5 / 10
Sep 11, 2018

Hideo Kojima has been accused at various points of promoting style over substance, and in this remaster of Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner that's more apparent than ever. For all of its fantastically designed mech, and its tight and often enjoyable combat, Zone of the Enders 2nd Runner is an ugly, poorly-told and overly short slice of nostalgia that can't be saved by the introduction of VR.

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7.5 / 10.0
Sep 11, 2018

Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner M∀RS is a solid remaster that fans of the original shouldn't hesitate to pick up. Having said that, the game hasn't aged all that well. Combat can quickly get repetitive, and new abilities are hardly used before another new one comes along. Top it all off with a campaign that only takes 6-10 hours to complete, new players may wonder what all the fuss was about when the original released (especially with the script's hilariously bad translation). Still, this release is the most complete version of Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner to date.

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7 / 10.0
Sep 12, 2018

Konami wants to show its best past, but the company does it by eluding the original creative team. Zone of the Enders MARS: The Second Runner works well with virtual reality, but we miss some extra content and more effort to maintain the cult work.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

72 / 100
Sep 12, 2018

15 years after its original release, ZOE 2nd Runner is still a good robot combat game. Thanks to a great remaster in 4K it doesn´t look too outdated, except for the anime sequences. We enjoyed the VR mode, which allows us to play the entire game in first person perspective.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

5 / 10.0
Sep 12, 2018

Make no mistake about it, Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner MARS is a game that will only really be appreciated by fans of the series.

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8.5 / 10.0
Sep 13, 2018

Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner M∀RS is the definitive way to play the best entry in the Zone of the Enders franchise

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5 / 10
Sep 13, 2018

Zone of the Enders comes to the current gen in better shape than ever, but still an artifact of its time.

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8 / 10.0
Sep 13, 2018

Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner – MARS is, in the end, the best possible version of the classic mechas title. The sci-fi game brings renewed joy to the players once again with a mix of anime scenes in this sequel. Even if the gameplay gets a bit tough in the beginning, it is easily managable. Furthermore, the feeling of immersion is very impressive, especially if we use a virtual reality device.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

8 / 10
Sep 15, 2018

Granted, outside of the Gundam games, there is little variety for mech combat games, but what is found in Zone of the Enders The 2nd Runner: Mars can be described as an old, almost forgotten game, being polished up into a fine piece of treasure. It's a hidden gem to many and a doorway to nostalgia for others. The updated gameplay that runs at a smooth 60fps and native 4K makes it feel as though it is an imagination developed in today's time. The work of Hideo Kojima is lovely, even from slightly older eyes, and it's an exciting movement from Konami that raises hopes for other works of art to be re-released soon.

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70 / 100
Sep 16, 2018
Sep 17, 2018

Perfectly playable in its original third person view or in brand new updated first person VR support, this mecha game is what the Gundams wish they could be.

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4 / 5.0
Sep 17, 2018

Despite its issues I honestly enjoyed my time with Zone of the Enders 2.

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