''MDK2'' is a 2000
third-person shooter
Third-person shooter (TPS) is a subgenre of 3D computer graphics, 3D shooter games in which the gameplay consists primarily of shooting. It is closely related to first-person shooters, but with the player character visible on-screen during play. ...
,
action-adventure
The action-adventure genre is a video game hybrid genre that combines core elements from both the action game and adventure game genres.
Typically, pure adventure games have situational problems for the player to solve to complete a storyli ...
video game
Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, controller, keyboard, or motion sensing device to generate visual feedback. This fee ...
developed by
BioWare
BioWare is a Canadian video game developer based in Edmonton, Alberta. It was founded in 1995 by newly graduated medical doctors Ray Muzyka, Greg Zeschuk and Augustine Yip, alongside Trent Oster, Brent Oster, and Marcel Zeschuk. Since 2007, ...
and published by
Interplay Entertainment
Interplay Entertainment Corp. is an American video game developer and Video game publisher, publisher based in Los Angeles. The company was founded in 1983 as Interplay Productions by developers Brian Fargo, Jay Patel, Troy Worrell, and Rebecca ...
for the
Dreamcast
The is a home video game console released by Sega on November 27, 1998, in Japan; September 9, 1999, in North America; and October 14, 1999, in Europe. It was the first sixth-generation video game console, preceding Sony's PlayStation 2, Nint ...
,
Windows
Windows is a group of several proprietary graphical operating system families developed and marketed by Microsoft. Each family caters to a certain sector of the computing industry. For example, Windows NT for consumers, Windows Server for ser ...
and
PlayStation 2. It is a sequel to the 1997 game ''
MDK''. First released for the Dreamcast in March 2000, it was later released for Windows in May, with newly selectable difficulty levels and the ability to manually
save. In March 2001, a slightly reworked version, featuring
level design
In video games, a level (also referred to as a map, stage, or round in some older games) is any space available to the player during the course of completion of an objective. Video game levels generally have progressively-increasing difficulty t ...
modifications and
gameplay
Gameplay is the specific way in which players interact with a game, and in particular with video games. Gameplay is the pattern defined through the game rules, connection between player and the game, challenges and overcoming them, plot and pl ...
tweaks, was released for the PlayStation 2 as ''MDK 2: Armageddon''. The PC version was released on
GOG.com
GOG.com (formerly Good Old Games) is a digital distribution platform for video games and films. It is operated by GOG sp. z o.o., a wholly owned subsidiary of CD Projekt based in Warsaw, Poland. GOG.com delivers DRM-free video games through it ...
in September 2008, and on
Steam in September 2009. A port of the PlayStation 2 version was released for
Wii via
WiiWare
WiiWare was a service that allowed Wii users to download games and applications specifically designed and developed for the Wii video game console made by Nintendo. These games and applications could only be purchased and downloaded from the Wii ...
in 2011. Also in 2011, a
HD remastered version was released for Windows. Called ''MDK2 HD'', this version features new
3D models
In 3D computer graphics, 3D modeling is the process of developing a mathematical coordinate-based representation of any surface of an object (inanimate or living) in three dimensions via specialized software by manipulating edges, vertices, an ...
,
textures, improved
lighting
Lighting or illumination is the deliberate use of light to achieve practical or aesthetic effects. Lighting includes the use of both artificial light sources like lamps and light fixtures, as well as natural illumination by capturing daylig ...
, and remastered music, and was released on
Beamdog
IdeaSpark Labs Inc. (trade name: Beamdog) is a Canadian video game developer founded in 2009 by BioWare co-founder Trent Oster and former BioWare lead programmer Cameron Tofer. Beamdog's distribution service was launched in July 2010.
History
...
in October, and on Steam in July 2012.
The game begins moments after the end of the original ''MDK''. Believing they had vanquished the
alien invaders, Kurt Hectic, Dr. Hawkins and Max are shocked to find a single Minecrawler remains. Kurt heads to destroy it, but upon doing so, encounters a massive alien called Shwang Shwing, who reveals the invasion of
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the only astronomical object known to harbor life. While large volumes of water can be found throughout the Solar System, only Earth sustains liquid surface water. About 71% of Earth's surfa ...
is far from over. The main difference between ''MDK'' and ''MDK2'' is the ability to control three
playable characters
A player character (also known as a playable character or PC) is a fictional character in a video game or tabletop role-playing game whose actions are controlled by a player rather than the rules of the game. The characters that are not contr ...
(Kurt, Hawkins and Max), each with their own strengths and weaknesses. As such, the gameplay in the sequel is more varied than in the original game, with more emphasis on
platforming and
puzzles
A puzzle is a game, problem, or toy that tests a person's ingenuity or knowledge. In a puzzle, the solver is expected to put pieces together ( or take them apart) in a logical way, in order to arrive at the correct or fun solution of the puzzle ...
than straight run-and-gun shooting.
''MDK2'' received generally positive reviews across all systems, with critics praising the
graphics, variety of gameplay styles, level design,
boss fights
In video games, a boss is a significant computer-controlled opponent. A fight with a boss character is commonly referred to as a boss battle or boss fight. Bosses are generally far stronger than other opponents the player has faced up to that ...
, the game's sense of humor, and its fidelity to the original ''MDK''. The most commonly criticized aspects of the game were the difficulty level, which was felt to be too high, and the platforming sections, which many critics found frustrating and too exacting. Hawkins'
levels in general were seen as inferior to Kurt's and Max's. In 2007, Interplay announced plans for a third game, but it was never made.
Gameplay
For the most part, ''MDK2'' is a run-and-gun
third-person shooter
Third-person shooter (TPS) is a subgenre of 3D computer graphics, 3D shooter games in which the gameplay consists primarily of shooting. It is closely related to first-person shooters, but with the player character visible on-screen during play. ...
. However, unlike the original game, ''MDK2'' features three
player characters, each with their own unique set of abilities, skills, weaknesses, and style of
gameplay
Gameplay is the specific way in which players interact with a game, and in particular with video games. Gameplay is the pattern defined through the game rules, connection between player and the game, challenges and overcoming them, plot and pl ...
. As such, the general
game mechanics
In tabletop games and video games, game mechanics are the rules or ludemes that govern and guide the player's actions, as well as the game's response to them. A rule is an instruction on how to play, a ludeme is an element of play like the L-sha ...
are more varied than in the first game, with the inclusion of more
platform
Platform may refer to:
Technology
* Computing platform, a framework on which applications may be run
* Platform game, a genre of video games
* Car platform, a set of components shared by several vehicle models
* Weapons platform, a system or ...
and
puzzle-based elements than before. Except for the last
level of the game, which can be played with any of the three playable characters, the player cannot choose which character to use in any given level; each level can only be played with a specific character, and as such, the
level design
In video games, a level (also referred to as a map, stage, or round in some older games) is any space available to the player during the course of completion of an objective. Video game levels generally have progressively-increasing difficulty t ...
of each level is specifically geared towards that characters' abilities.
;Kurt Hectic
Kurt's levels play very similarly to the previous game. As before, the player must frequently use his "ribbon chute", a
parachute contained within his outfit that can be used indefinitely. The chute allows Kurt to make long jumps, survive long falls, and utilize
updrafts. It deploys immediately, and retracts automatically when not being used.
Kurt's weaponry includes, but is not limited to,
grenades,
decoy dummies and
cloaking shields. Kurt's main defense is his "Coil Suit," a skin-tight armor made of a
Kevlar
Kevlar (para-aramid) is a strong, heat-resistant synthetic fiber, related to other aramids such as Nomex and Technora. Developed by Stephanie Kwolek at DuPont in 1965, the high-strength material was first used commercially in the early 1970s a ...
-like material. His weapon is a
chain gun
A chain gun is a type of autocannon or machine gun that uses an external source of power to cycle the weapon's action, rather than diverting excess energy from the cartridges' propellant as in a typical automatic firearm, and does so via a cont ...
, which is attached to his arm, and carries unlimited ammo.
His other weapon is a
sniper gun, which is created when he detaches his chain gun from his arm and mounts it onto his helmet. The sniper weapon can zoom up to a
mile,
and has the capability of supporting multiple types of ammunition, including
homing missiles,
mortar shells, sniping grenades and
bouncing bullets. However, when Kurt is in sniper mode, he is only able to
strafe, he cannot move forwards or backwards, and can thus be easily targeted by enemies.
;Max
Max, a two-legged, four-armed
genetically engineered
Genetic engineering, also called genetic modification or genetic manipulation, is the modification and manipulation of an organism's genes using technology. It is a set of technologies used to change the genetic makeup of cells, including t ...
robot
A robot is a machine—especially one programmable by a computer—capable of carrying out a complex series of actions automatically. A robot can be guided by an external control device, or the control may be embedded within. Robots may ...
ic dog, is the toughest of the three characters, with 200 health points.
His gameplay is focused on high-impact firepower; standing on his two back legs, he can equip and shoot up to four guns at once. He has access to numerous weapons, such an
uzi
The Uzi (; he, עוזי, Ūzi; officially cased as UZI) is a family of Israeli open-bolt, blowback-operated submachine guns and machine pistols first designed by Major Uziel "Uzi" Gal in the late 1940s, shortly after the establishment of the ...
s,
shotguns,
Magnums and
gatling guns. Ammo is limited for all weaponry except his default Magnum. He is also able to wear two different types of
jet pack
A jet pack, rocket belt, or rocket pack is a device worn on the back which uses jets of gas or liquid to propel the wearer through the air. The concept has been present in science fiction for almost a century and became widespread in the 1960s. ...
. The standard jet pack uses
fuel and when empty, must be refuelled at a fuelling pump. The
atomic jetpack does not use fuel, instead refilling automatically when not in use.
;Dr. Fluke Hawkins
Dr. Hawkins' levels focus on puzzle solving and platforming, with some elements of combat. He is the weakest of the characters, with only 60 health points.
Most of his gameplay revolves around combining objects to create new objects, which in turn allow him to proceed through the level. He has two independent inventories, one for his right hand and one for his left. As such, each hand can hold a different item at the same time. Items from one inventory can be combined with items from the other, but items within the same inventory cannot be combined.
His main weapon is an atomic
toaster
A toaster is a small electric appliance that uses radiant heat to brown sliced bread into toast.
Types
Pop-up toaster
In pop-up or automatic toasters, a single vertical piece of bread is dropped into a slot on the top of the toaste ...
, which shoots
radioactive
Radioactive decay (also known as nuclear decay, radioactivity, radioactive disintegration, or nuclear disintegration) is the process by which an unstable atomic nucleus loses energy by radiation. A material containing unstable nuclei is consi ...
toast.
Plot
The game begins moments after the conclusion of ''MDK'', with Kurt, Max, and Dr. Hawkins celebrating their victory over Gunther Glut, and thus saving
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the only astronomical object known to harbor life. While large volumes of water can be found throughout the Solar System, only Earth sustains liquid surface water. About 71% of Earth's surfa ...
from the
alien invasion
The alien invasion or space invasion is a common feature in science fiction stories and film, in which extraterrestrial lifeforms invade the Earth either to exterminate and supplant human life, enslave it under an intense state, harvest people ...
. However, in the midst of their celebrations, they discover a remaining Minecrawler heading towards
Edmonton
Edmonton ( ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Alberta. Edmonton is situated on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region, which is surrounded by Alberta's central region. The city ancho ...
. Kurt destroys it, but as he awaits to return to the ''Jim Dandy''
space station, he is taken prisoner by a massive alien. Meanwhile, on board the ''Dandy'', Hawkins discovers that communications with Kurt are being jammed by a nearby alien ship. Max heads to the other ship to free up the communications. However, upon doing so, he too is taken prisoner by the same alien. The alien then contacts Hawkins on the ''Dandy'', telling him his name is Shwang Shwing, and the invasion of Earth is not over.
Shwing sends a group of aliens onto the ''Dandy'', but Hawkins is able to fight them off and
teleport Kurt back to the ship. He then sends Kurt to the alien ship to save Max. However, shortly after Kurt's departure, Hawkins is taken prisoner by the aliens still on the ''Dandy''. Kurt frees Max, and together they fight Shwing. During the battle, they learn Hawkins has been taken prisoner. Shwing initiates the
auto destruct sequence, and jumps into an energy stream, followed by Kurt, whilst Max heads back to the ''Dandy'' to save Hawkins. Upon destroying a
robot
A robot is a machine—especially one programmable by a computer—capable of carrying out a complex series of actions automatically. A robot can be guided by an external control device, or the control may be embedded within. Robots may ...
ic dog constructed by the aliens, Max frees Hawkins, and uses a device on the dog to open a portal into which he heads. Meanwhile, Hawkins remains behind to take back control of the ''Dandy''. After finally ridding the station of aliens, he finds the co-ordinates of their home world and sets course.
Meanwhile, Shwing emerges from the energy stream on the home world, Swizzle Firma, with Kurt following close behind. Kurt destroys his ship, and an injured Shwing tells Kurt the attacks on Earth have been ordered by Emperor Zizzy Ballooba. Meanwhile, Max emerges from the portal on Swizzle Firma, and learns Ballooba plans to launch a
doomsday device
A doomsday device is a hypothetical construction — usually a weapon or weapons system — which could destroy all life on a planet, particularly Earth, or destroy the planet itself, bringing " doomsday", a term used for the end of planet Earth ...
at Earth which will obliterate the entire planet. Max kills Shwing as he attempts to launch the device, and then destroys the device itself. He then meets up with Kurt and heads to Ballooba's palace. Meanwhile, Hawkins pilots the ''Dandy'' to Swizzle Firma and contacts his colleagues. Aiming the station's guns at the palace, he attempts to teleport Kurt and Max back to the ''Dandy'', but accidentally teleports himself to the planet, and so heads to meet with Kurt and Max.
The three storm Ballooba's palace. Upon confronting Ballooba, he admits he's only trying to destroy Earth for his own amusement, because, since he mastered
space and time Space and Time or Time and Space, or ''variation'', may refer to:
* '' Space and time'' or ''time and space'' or ''spacetime'', any mathematical model that combines space and time into a single interwoven continuum
* Philosophy of space and time
S ...
, he has become bored. A battle ensues between the three heroes and Ballooba, with the heroes emerging victorious. The closing sequence depends on which character the player uses for the final battle. Kurt resumes his duties as janitor of the ''Dandy'', perturbed by the idea of becoming a
celebrity
Celebrity is a condition of fame and broad public recognition of a person or group as a result of the attention given to them by mass media. An individual may attain a celebrity status from having great wealth, their participation in sports ...
. Max becomes the new emperor of Swizzle Firma, forming an interplanetary alliance with Earth. Hawkins is welcomed back to Earth, no longer shunned by his peers, and gets to work on his lifelong ambition - creating an
atomic robot
zombie
A zombie ( Haitian French: , ht, zonbi) is a mythological undead corporeal revenant created through the reanimation of a corpse. Zombies are most commonly found in horror and fantasy genre works. The term comes from Haitian folklore, in w ...
army.
Development
Immediately after the critical and commercial success of the original ''MDK'', publishers
Interplay wanted to begin work on a sequel. They approached
Nick Bruty, who had written and co-
designed the first game for
Shiny Entertainment
Shiny Entertainment, Inc. was an American video game developer based in Laguna Beach, California. Founded in October 1993 by David Perry, Shiny was the creator of video games such as ''Earthworm Jim'', '' MDK'' and ''Enter the Matrix''. Perry ...
. However, Bruty was reluctant to go straight into another ''MDK'' game, explaining "I hadn't liked rushing from ''
Earthworm Jim
''Earthworm Jim'' is a series of platform games featuring an earthworm named Jim who wears a robotic suit and battles the forces of evil. The series is noted for its platforming and shooting gameplay, surreal humor, and edgy art style. Four game ...
'' to its
sequel
A sequel is a work of literature, film, theatre, television, music or video game that continues the story of, or expands upon, some earlier work. In the common context of a narrative work of fiction, a sequel portrays events set in the same ...
without a creative break, and I felt the game suffered because of that." In any case, his new development studio,
Planet Moon Studios, was already working on ''
Giants: Citizen Kabuto''. Bruty asked Interplay if they would consider waiting until he was finished on ''Giants'' before beginning on ''MDK2'', but they chose to press on without him, handing development over to
BioWare
BioWare is a Canadian video game developer based in Edmonton, Alberta. It was founded in 1995 by newly graduated medical doctors Ray Muzyka, Greg Zeschuk and Augustine Yip, alongside Trent Oster, Brent Oster, and Marcel Zeschuk. Since 2007, ...
.
''MDK2'' was officially announced on October 18, 1998 when Interplay confirmed BioWare was developing the sequel for
Dreamcast
The is a home video game console released by Sega on November 27, 1998, in Japan; September 9, 1999, in North America; and October 14, 1999, in Europe. It was the first sixth-generation video game console, preceding Sony's PlayStation 2, Nint ...
and
Windows
Windows is a group of several proprietary graphical operating system families developed and marketed by Microsoft. Each family caters to a certain sector of the computing industry. For example, Windows NT for consumers, Windows Server for ser ...
, using its own
game engine, the Omen Engine. At the time, BioWare was thought by some to be an odd choice to take over the franchise, as they were still a relatively young company (having been founded in 1995), and had yet to release their breakout game, ''
Baldur's Gate
''Baldur's Gate'' is a series of role-playing video games set in the Forgotten Realms '' Dungeons & Dragons'' campaign setting. The game has spawned two series, known as the ''Bhaalspawn Saga'' and the ''Dark Alliance'', both taking place mostl ...
'', which was in the final stages of development.
Greg Zeschuk
Gregory Zeschuk is a Canadian businessman who was a VP at Electronic Arts and General Manager at BioWare Austin until 2012. He co-founded video game developer BioWare in Edmonton in 1995 with Ray Muzyka and Augustine Yip, after all three earned ...
, co-founder of BioWare, stated "our aim with ''MDK2'' is to explore new directions and expand beyond the constrictive environments established in other
3D games."
He later explained "Bioware is aiming to create the ultimate
single-player experience with ''MDK2''. We're carefully crafting a tight, but humorous, world inhabited by the most frightening and entertaining creatures yet seen in a 3D game."
![Greg zeschuk bioware](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e4/Greg_zeschuk_bioware.jpg)
In July 1999,
IGN interviewed Zeschuk. He emphasised the development team's relative inexperience with 3D
action games was not a handicap;
Addressing the similarities between ''MDK2'' and the original game, he explained "The key characteristics we retained in ''MDK2'' were the humor and the light-hearted style of the game. The reasoning is pretty straightforward - the humor and style of ''MDK'' set it apart."
He praised the original game, stating "There isn't much I would change about ''MDK''. It could have been a little longer, it would have been well served by more character development and it really needed a method to tell the story of the game. We're directly addressing all of these areas in ''MDK2''."
Speaking of how much ''MDK2'' was influenced by ''MDK'', he explained "I can't even begin to explain the strength of the visual influence that the original ''MDK'' has over ''MDK2''. I was very impressed when I first saw ''MDK'' and I'm even more impressed after having played it many times. In many ways, in ''MDK2'' we're striving to reach the goal Shiny set with the original by using new and improved technology."
Explaining why BioWare had elected to have three
playable characters
A player character (also known as a playable character or PC) is a fictional character in a video game or tabletop role-playing game whose actions are controlled by a player rather than the rules of the game. The characters that are not contr ...
, he said,
The introduction of two newly playable characters also removed the need for
minigame
A minigame (also spelled mini game and mini-game, sometimes called a subgame or microgame) is a short game often contained within another video game. A minigame contains different gameplay elements, and is often smaller or more simplistic, than t ...
s, which were an important element of the original ''MDK''; "Our initial opinion is the huge variety of gameplay styles generated by our focus on three characters should replace the need for sub-games. A key focus during our development of ''MDK2'' was to get away from the sense of perpetual strafing and shooting - in addition to the character solution, we've added quite a few puzzles to the game."
PC release
In May 2000, after the release of the Dreamcast version but prior to the release of the PC version, BioWare announced two significant changes had been made to the game. The Dreamcast version had been criticized for being too difficult, and so for the PC version, Bioware were adding four difficulty settings ("Easy", "Medium", "Hard" and "Jinkies"), as well as the ability to manually
save anywhere (although the
autosave
Autosave is a saving function in many computer applications and video games which automatically saves the current changes or progress in the program or game, intending to prevent data loss should the user be otherwise prevented from doing so manua ...
checkpoints from the Dreamcast versions would remain in place). Unlike most other PC games released at the time, the PC version of ''MDK2'' requires an
OpenGL-compliant
graphics accelerator
A graphics processing unit (GPU) is a specialized electronic circuit designed to manipulate and alter memory to accelerate the creation of images in a frame buffer intended for output to a display device. GPUs are used in embedded systems, mob ...
to run. the PC version of ''MDK2'' also support for the
EAX Version 2.0
3D positional audio technology by
Creative Labs
Creative Technology Ltd. is a Singaporean multinational technology company headquartered with overseas offices in Shanghai, Tokyo, Dublin, and Silicon Valley (where in the US it is known as Creative Labs). The principal activities of the compa ...
, as well as
Hardware T&L technology found in
GeForce 256
The GeForce 256 is the original release in Nvidia's " GeForce" product-line. Announced on August 31, 1999 and released on October 11, 1999, the GeForce 256 improves on its predecessor ( RIVA TNT2) by increasing the number of fixed pixel pipeli ...
/
GeForce 2 series and
Radeon R100 series
The Radeon R100 is the first generation of Radeon graphics chips from ATI Technologies. The line features 3D acceleration based upon Direct3D 7.0 and OpenGL 1.3, and all but the entry-level versions offloading host geometry calculations to a ...
out of the box.
''MDK2: Armageddon''
In September 2000, after the game had been released for Dreamcast and PC, but prior to its
PlayStation 2 release, ''IGN'' held an online discussion with Greg Zeschuk, line producer Derek French,
lead programmer David Faulkner, and programmer Charles Randall. Zeschuk said the PlayStation 2 version, titled ''MDK2: Armageddon'' would feature the same difficulty tweaks as found in the PC version (adjustable difficulty levels and the ability to save anywhere), as well as slight
redesign
A design is a plan or specification for the construction of an object or system or for the implementation of an activity or process or the result of that plan or specification in the form of a prototype, product, or process. The verb ''to design'' ...
within most of the
levels and some gameplay tweaks. Zeschuk stated "''MDK2: Armageddon'' is an improved version of ''MDK2'', with specific features for the PS2. It's not a completely new game. But it is an improved, customized game."
Faulkner and Randall explained the game was still utilizing the Omen Engine, with Faulkner saying of programming for the PlayStation 2 "The PS2 is certainly good at pushing
polys, no doubt about that. And the two
vector processor
In computing, a vector processor or array processor is a central processing unit (CPU) that implements an instruction set where its instructions are designed to operate efficiently and effectively on large one-dimensional arrays of data calle ...
s can handle the physics and geometry we have with room to spare. The trick is the
video memory
Dynamic random-access memory (dynamic RAM or DRAM) is a type of random-access semiconductor memory that stores each bit of data in a memory cell, usually consisting of a tiny capacitor and a transistor, both typically based on metal-oxid ...
, mainly. All of the cool visual features, like a high-res
framebuffer
A framebuffer (frame buffer, or sometimes framestore) is a portion of random-access memory (RAM) containing a bitmap that drives a video display. It is a memory buffer containing data representing all the pixels in a complete video frame. Mode ...
,
FSAA and high-res
textures all take a lot of video memory. It's a real juggling act trying to get it to do all that at once."
Faulkner explained "the PS2 math capabilities are like
Intel
Intel Corporation is an American multinational corporation and technology company headquartered in Santa Clara, California. It is the world's largest semiconductor chip manufacturer by revenue, and is one of the developers of the x86 seri ...
's
SSE, but on
steroids. The math processors can be used to optimize any kind of math operations, which, in a 3D game, means a lot. So they will basically be used to speed up a lot of the 3D transformations and
lighting
Lighting or illumination is the deliberate use of light to achieve practical or aesthetic effects. Lighting includes the use of both artificial light sources like lamps and light fixtures, as well as natural illumination by capturing daylig ...
."
In November, ''IGN'' held a second online chat with Zeschuk, Falkner, programmer Marc Audy,
lead tester Karl Schreiner, and tester Derrick Collins. Zeschuk stated
Sony
, commonly stylized as SONY, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. As a major technology company, it operates as one of the world's largest manufacturers of consumer and professiona ...
had recently looked at the game and been very impressed; "They felt the gameplay improvements we've made (overall better balancing and reworking parts of every level), combined with the difficulty levels and slick controls really make ''MDK2: Armageddon'' for PS2 the definitive version of the game."
Speaking of his earlier problems with video memory, Faulkner said "the video memory situation has improved dramatically since last time. The problem was that there was too little video memory to fit all our textures, and the machine can't use a texture unless it's specifically in video memory. What we've found since then is that the PS2 has enough
bus
A bus (contracted from omnibus, with variants multibus, motorbus, autobus, etc.) is a road vehicle that carries significantly more passengers than an average car or van. It is most commonly used in public transport, but is also in use for cha ...
bandwidth
Bandwidth commonly refers to:
* Bandwidth (signal processing) or ''analog bandwidth'', ''frequency bandwidth'', or ''radio bandwidth'', a measure of the width of a frequency range
* Bandwidth (computing), the rate of data transfer, bit rate or thr ...
to transfer each texture from
main memory to video memory as it's needed. That's on the order of hundreds of
MB per second. We hadn't anticipated that the PS2 had that kind of brute horsepower on its bus. We had to reorient our thinking after that. So now we have almost more texture memory than we know what to do with."
Gameplay tweaks introduced in ''MDK2: Armageddon'' include bigger switches, weaker and repositioned enemies, and wider ledges in platforming sections. Additionally, red arrows have been used to mark the important parts of the levels, and flashing circles point out where to shoot certain
bosses. The game also features fully customisable controls, which take advantage of the pressure sensitive
analog stick
An analog stick (or analogue stick in British English), sometimes called a control stick or thumbstick, is an input device for a controller (often a game controller) that is used for two-dimensional input. An analog stick is a variation of a joy ...
s of the
DUALSHOCK 2
The DualShock (originally Dual Shock; trademarked as DUALSHOCK or DUAL SHOCK; with the PlayStation 5 version named DualSense) is a line of gamepads with Haptic technology, vibration-feedback and analog controls developed by Sony Interactive Enterta ...
.
Wii port and ''MDK2 HD''
On June 25, 2010, Interplay announced it was partnering with
Beamdog
IdeaSpark Labs Inc. (trade name: Beamdog) is a Canadian video game developer founded in 2009 by BioWare co-founder Trent Oster and former BioWare lead programmer Cameron Tofer. Beamdog's distribution service was launched in July 2010.
History
...
to release a port of ''MDK2'' for the
Wii through
WiiWare
WiiWare was a service that allowed Wii users to download games and applications specifically designed and developed for the Wii video game console made by Nintendo. These games and applications could only be purchased and downloaded from the Wii ...
, and a
HD remastered version for Windows through Beamdog. The Wii version features brighter
graphics, and the game has been optimised for control with the
Wii Remote
The Wii Remote, also known colloquially as the Wiimote, is the primary game controller for Nintendo's Wii home video game console. An essential capability of the Wii Remote is its motion sensing capability, which allows the user to interact wi ...
and
Wii Nunchuk
The Wii Remote, also known Colloquialism, colloquially as the Wiimote, is the primary game controller for Nintendo's Wii home video game console. An essential capability of the Wii Remote is its Motion controller, motion sensing capability, which ...
. Essentially a port of ''MDK2: Armageddon'', the game features no new content. Due to the limited space available for the title on WiiWare, the audio has been
compressed, and graphically,
shadows
A shadow is a dark area where light from a light source is blocked by an opaque object. It occupies all of the three-dimensional volume behind an object with light in front of it. The cross section of a shadow is a two-dimensional silhouette, ...
have been removed to maintain a constant framerate.
The game was released on May 9, 2011.
The HD version was developed by
Overhaul Games
IdeaSpark Labs Inc. (trade name: Beamdog) is a Canadian video game developer founded in 2009 by BioWare co-founder Trent Oster and former BioWare lead programmer Cameron Tofer. Beamdog's distribution service was launched in July 2010.
History
...
, although several of the original developers consulted on the project.
Programmer, co-producer and co-designer of the original game, and
COO of Overhaul Games, Cameron Tofer stated, "''MDK2'' holds a special place in all our hearts – the team was really close, and it was the first time many of us were able to create an action game at BioWare. We think ''MDK2 HD'' has the sort of visuals, humor and great gameplay that can draw in not only existing fans of the game, but a brand new audience that just wasn't able to experience its magic the first time around."
The game features high-definition
3D models
In 3D computer graphics, 3D modeling is the process of developing a mathematical coordinate-based representation of any surface of an object (inanimate or living) in three dimensions via specialized software by manipulating edges, vertices, an ...
, reworked textures, improved lighting, and remastered music tracks. ''MDK2 HD'' was originally released exclusively on Beamdog in October 2011, and was later released on
Steam in July 2012.
Reception
''MDK2'' received mainly positive reviews across all systems. The Dreamcast version holds an aggregate score of 88% on
GameRankings, based on twenty-six reviews.
The PC version holds a score of 86%, based on twenty-nine reviews,
and 83 out of 100 on
Metacritic
Metacritic is a website that aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created by Jason Dietz, Marc ...
, based on twenty-three reviews.
The PlayStation 2 version holds a score of 80%, based on thirty-five reviews,
and 80 out of 100, based on nineteen reviews.
The Wii version holds a score of 80%, based on four reviews.
Dreamcast
IGN's Brandon Justice scored the Dreamcast version 9.4 out of 10, giving it an "Editor's Choice" award, and calling it "a must own." He praised the "breath-taking combination of killer
artwork and creative level design," and argued the game improved on the original in every way. He was especially impressed with the boss fights, the controls and the level design. He concluded "''MDK2'' is this generation's best example of a pure action shooter, and goes down in my book as one of the genre's most complete titles to date. Awesome visuals, creative design, killer boss encounters, excellent control, tons of variety, and even a dash of challenge thrown in for good measure. Nearly every aspect of BioWare's sensational sequel shines in a way that sheds a painfully revealing light on their competitors' glaring inadequacies."
Game Revolution's Duke Ferris scored the game a B+, praising the graphics, but criticizing the difficulty level, writing "you have unlimited lives in ''MDK2'', and it is a strictly linear game with fixed checkpoints. This means that when you get to a hard section, your only choice is to do it over and over again until you get to the next checkpoint. After playing the exact same level for the 30th time, this can get frustrating." However, he concluded, "the non-frustrating times in ''MDK 2'' are simply tons of fun. The game is genuinely funny, has great
voices and a terrific
comic book
A comic book, also called comicbook, comic magazine or (in the United Kingdom and Ireland) simply comic, is a publication that consists of comics art in the form of sequential juxtaposed panels that represent individual scenes. Panels are of ...
flair."
''GameSpots Ben Stahl scored it 8.3 out of 10, calling it "a sizable improvement over the original game," and arguing "''MDK 2'' is a solid shooter with one of the most creative play mechanics to appear in any game thus far." He praised the graphics, the music and the sound effects. Although he was critical of "how needlessly difficult it is," he concluded "''MDK2'' is a worthwhile experience. The offbeat humor and silly aspects enhance the great storyline and give the game a very likeable nature while the different game mechanics keep it from being a mundane shooter. The graphics and sound are truly excellent, making it one of the best-looking and best-sounding Dreamcast games yet."
Matt Sammons reviewed the Dreamcast version of the game for ''
Next Generation'', rating it four stars out of five, and stated that "A beautiful, action-packed game with constantly changing gameplay. Not to be missed."
PC
Eurogamer
''Eurogamer'' is a British video game journalism website launched in 1999 and owned by alongside formed company Gamer Network. Its editor-in-chief is Martin Robinson.
Since 2008, it is known for the formerly eponymous games trade fair EG ...
's Tom Bramwell scored the PC version 9 out of 10, praising its fidelity to the original, but also lauding BioWare's willingness to try new things. He called the graphics "simply breathtaking," and concluded, "With so many interesting things to do and unique puzzle-driven gameplay, the fact that it still harbours a linear style of play can be discounted to a certain extent. Reinvigorate your childhood fantasies of living in a
cartoon and pick up ''MDK2'' - there ain't much better in the genre."
IGN's Stephen Butts scored it 8.3 out of 10, calling it "one of the best
console
Console may refer to:
Computing and video games
* System console, a physical device to operate a computer
** Virtual console, a user interface for multiple computer consoles on one device
** Command-line interface, a method of interacting with ...
experiences on the PC in a while." He praised the controls and boss fights, but criticized the difficulty and platforming sections. He concluded "when a game comes out for the PC that manages to retain all the simplicity and energy of its console brother, then you owe it yourself to give it a try. ''MDK 2'' is definitely such a game."
''GameSpots Erik Wolpaw scored it 7.8 out of 10, writing "It improves on the original's technology and expands its gameplay without losing the off-kilter sense of humor that helped make ''MDK'' so unique." He was critical of the platforming sections, but wrote "it's a testament to the great amount of imagination displayed throughout the majority of the game that you'll gladly suffer through these occasional tiresome segments to see what comes next." He praised the boss fights, the addition of the manual save feature, and the choice of difficulties, concluding "while console-style action games are becoming more common on the PC, good ones are still rare. ''MDK2'' may be slightly short, but it makes up for it by being relentlessly ingenious."
Kevin Rice reviewed the PC version of the game for ''
Next Generation'', rating it four stars out of five, and stated that "Not revolutionary, but a near-perfect example of excellent design and control coupled with psychedelic creativity. Superb."
PlayStation 2
IGN's Chris Carle scored the PlayStation 2 version 8.7, giving it an "Editor's Choice" award. Although he felt the graphics weren't as good as the Dreamcast version, he did feel the
particle effects
A particle system is a technique in game physics, motion graphics, and computer graphics that uses many minute sprites, 3D models, or other graphic objects to simulate certain kinds of "fuzzy" phenomena, which are otherwise very hard to repro ...
were better. He praised the sound, voice acting, controls and level design, arguing "''MDK 2: Armageddon'' is a great action title that is certainly worth twenty hours of your time."
''GameSpots Ben Stahl scored it 7.6 out of 10, calling it "a more rewarding and less frustrating version of what was an excellent Dreamcast game." However, of BioWare's addition of helpful arrows during puzzles and boss fights, he wrote "it would have been better if Bioware had actually tweaked the puzzles instead of simply pointing out the answer." He was also critical of the absence of the manual save feature from the PC version, and found some of the levels repetitive. He concluded "It's a bit disappointing that the year of development time between the Dreamcast and the PS2 versions of ''MDK2'' wasn't put to better use. While the difficulty issues have been addressed to some extent, there are still areas that need work. Still, ''MDK2: Armageddon'' is a solid shooter with plenty of ingenuity and slick presentation."
Chester Barber reviewed the PlayStation 2 version of the game for ''
Next Generation'', rating it four stars out of five, and stated that "This is easily one of the best action games available for PS2. Although it's not very different from the DC version, if you've never played it, you owe it to yourself to try it."
Wii
''Nintendo World Reports Jared Rosenberg scored the Wii version 8.5 out of 10, praising its use of the Wii's controls, but criticizing the graphics, writing "It is obvious that the game is over 10 years old. Character and enemy models are noticeably low polygon, and the textures seem muddy and
N64-like at times." However, he concluded "''MDK2'' is a well-designed action platformer that will take quite a bit of time to get through its 10 levels. Varied play mechanics keep the shooter fresh and the humorous story should occasionally put a smile on your face. It can be challenging and at times frustrating, but overall, it is a fun romp."
Nintendo Life
Gamer Network Limited (formerly Eurogamer Network Limited) is a British mass media company based in Brighton. Founded in 1999 by Rupert and Nick Loman, it owns brands—primarily editorial websites—relating to video game journalism and oth ...
's Jon Wahlgren scored it 8 out of 10, calling it "one of the strongest titles yet to hit WiiWare." He was somewhat critical of the "frustrating" platform sections, and found Hawkins' levels "a tedious detour from what makes the game enjoyable." However, he praised the game's variety and sense of humour. He concluded "''MDK2'' is at its best when it goes nuts with large, crazy enemies and bullets galore through its strange environments, but not so much when it comes to puzzle-solving or platforming."
Cancelled sequel
In 2006, Interplay revealed it was planning on developing an
MMOG
A massively multiplayer online game (MMOG or more commonly MMO) is an online video game with a large number of players, often hundreds or thousands, on the same server. MMOs usually feature a huge, persistent open world, although there are ...
set in the ''
Fallout
Nuclear fallout is the residual radioactive material propelled into the upper atmosphere following a nuclear blast, so called because it "falls out" of the sky after the explosion and the shock wave has passed. It commonly refers to the radioac ...
'' universe. However, the project was estimated at $75 million, money unavailable to the company. As such, in an effort to secure the capital, they explained in papers filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission on November 13, 2007 that they planned to leverage their stable franchises "through sequels and various development and publishing arrangements." Specifically, they announced they were restarting their in-house development studio, the money to do so coming from the sale of the ''Fallout'' franchise to
Bethesda Softworks, from whom they planned to license the ''Fallout''
IP for the MMOG. They specifically mentioned plans for sequels to ''
Descent
Descent may refer to:
As a noun Genealogy and inheritance
* Common descent, concept in evolutionary biology
* Kinship, one of the major concepts of cultural anthropology
**Pedigree chart or family tree
** Ancestry
** Lineal descendant
**Heritag ...
'', ''
Earthworm Jim 2
''Earthworm Jim 2'' is a 1995 run and gun platform video game and the sequel to ''Earthworm Jim'', and the second and final game in the ''Earthworm Jim'' series developed by original creators Doug TenNapel, David Perry, and Shiny Entertainment. ...
'', ''MDK2'' and ''
Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance II''.
In 2008, Interplay confirmed a "two-pronged growth strategy" which would see the company leveraging its portfolio of gaming properties to create sequels and raise money for the ''Fallout'' MMOG. The same four games were again mentioned, with
CEO Herve Caen stating "2007 set the foundation for our growth strategy. Going forward, we have the vision, unique intellectual property, and low debt and operational costs to help us pursue financing for our various projects." However, nothing further was heard about any of the possible sequels, which have presumably all been cancelled.
In 2010, following the release of ''
Mass Effect 2
''Mass Effect 2'' is an action role-playing video game developed by BioWare and published by Electronic Arts for Microsoft Windows and Xbox 360 in 2010 and PlayStation 3 in 2011. It is the second installment in the ''Mass Effect'' series and a ...
'', ''IGN'' asked BioWare's
Ray Muzyka
Raymond Alexander Muzyka is a Canadian investor, entrepreneur and physician. Originally trained as a medical doctor and practicing as an emergency department and family physician after graduation, he is the co-founder of video game developer Bio ...
if they had any plans to make ''MDK3'', to which he replied "You'll have to ask Interplay, they have the license for that."
A poster for the game featuring Dr Hawkins can be seen in the 2001 TV movie
How to Make a Monster.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mdk2
2000 video games
Action-adventure games
Alien invasions in video games
BioWare games
Dreamcast games
Interplay Entertainment games
Lua (programming language)-scripted video games
PlayStation 2 games
Run and gun games
Science fiction video games
Single-player video games
Third-person shooters
Video game sequels
Video games about dogs
Video games about extraterrestrial life
Video games developed in Canada
Video games scored by Jesper Kyd
Wii games
WiiWare games
Windows games