CT Special Forces 2 Back in the Trenches

They say that imitation is the best form of flattery and attempting to ape from the best, especially when it comes to video games, isn’t a shameful thing.  That is, of course, if you don’t do it right but for the most part the team behind the CT Special Forces games have taken all the things we love about SNK’s addictive Metal Slug and given us an action game you won’t be able to put down.  CT Special Forces 2: Back In the Trenches for the Game Boy Advance isn’t any different from the original but it still has action written all over it.  Is this enough to keep action gamers happy, though?

CT Special Forces 2 puts you in control of four members of a Counter Terrorist Special Forces unit as they once again go up against a dangerous terrorist group known as the Network.  Having dealt with them in the first game, it seems that the Network is gathering its forces once again and is targeting various countries.  Smelling disaster, the allied nations send in the unit to stop the terrorist threat any way they can, whether it is by air or land.

Played in a 2D perspective, the game once again cleverly mixes Metal Slug-styled shooting action with a variety of driving and shooting sequences.  You can even pilot a helicopter for providing air support or rescuing hostages, which feels like an altogether new game.  This mixing of genres keeps the game from being a simple platform game with heavy gunplay, although the ground missions alone will not fail to entertain.  As for the piloting missions, you take control of a helicopter with machine gun and fire bomb-launching capabilities and going up against enemy copters as well as armored tanks and military trucks give this game an old-school feel . . . and trust me, it’s not bad at all.

Each character brings something new to the table.  For example, playing as Raptor puts you on enemy territory fighting against foot soldiers using grenades and an assortment of weapons such as assault rifles, shotguns or even bazookas.  Scattered throughout the levels, you’ll come across paratroopers, infantrymen, knife-wielding maniacs and even enemies on jeeps.  Luckily you can climb into an armored transport and use it against the enemy just as easily.  There’s even a Sniper Mode later in the game that allows you to see through a powerful scope to shoot enemies from great distances.  Surprisingly, this mode works beautifully although, personally, I wish there were more sniper moments scattered throughout the game.  There is also a parachute mode that’s pretty inventive.

As Avenger or Aguila One, the two pilots in the group, you’ll be flying helicopters on various support missions as well hostage rescue missions.  The support missions have you flying as an armed escort for a group of trucks or clear a hotspot filled with tanks and enemy trucks.  These missions are still very fun despite the fact that they’ve been done before and the fact that they’re pretty short and don’t wear out their welcome all to soon make the missions a nice break from the running-and-shooting of the Raptor and Stealth Owl missions.  The other helicopter missions come in the form of hostage-rescue sequences that have you attempting to set your helicopter down long enough for the hostages to climb inside.  This mode is a much welcome addition to the CT Special Forces series and could have very well have been cool as a separate game.

One major complaint, though, the save feature still comes in the form of passwords that are given to you after completing a level.  They change the further you go but if you want to relive favorite missions the passwords won’t take you to the level the password was given.  Another complaint is directed at the enemy AI . . . the enemy isn’t smart enough to figure out that they’re being shot at and often attempt to rush you as you riddle them with bullets.  This isn’t to say that they’re not challenging enough to fight, but the majority of the time you’ll get killed out of a lucky stray bullet or a grenade that was lobbed way in advance.

Once again I have to mention Metal Slug but when you see CT Special Forces 2 in action, you’ll know exactly why.  The game resembles it in mostly every way, including the vehicles your familiar-looking characters jump into during the heat of battle.  The characters themselves looks pretty good and watching the muzzle of their tiny guns fire and watching the spent bullet casings fall won’t fail to make an impression.  The environments are actually decent to look at although in the majority of the helicopter missions they look way too plain.

Sound-wise, the game blends a decent mixture of military-styled tunes with loud and exaggerated sound effects.  The game will take you back to when the arcades were ripe with these kinds of action games and the explosions just sound so much sweeter coming from the speakers of your GBA system.  The sound bytes and cries of pain haven’t really changed but that’s okay.  Overall, this is nothing new or impressive.

Once again this is a case of not judging a game by its cover since CT Special Forces 2: Back in the Trenches is a solid action game with a lot to offer fans of shooting games.  This sequel is a lot longer and there is more variety (parachute jumping mode is really awesome but the helicopter hostage rescue missions are pure gold).  If you’re a fan of the Metal Slug games, CT Special Forces 2 will be right up your alley.

Gameplay: 8.0
This game is all about the action and you’ll see plenty of it whether you’re taking on terrorist thugs on their own territory or escorting a row of trucks transporting relief aid to civilians.  The game smartly places you in the role of different members of your CTSF unit so you’re not only fighting on the ground but also on helicopters.  To top it all off, you get a wide assortment of weapons and can control enemy vehicles.

Graphics: 7.0
The game’s visuals are a bit more colorful but we still see Metal Slug’s influence this game, most particularly in the characters.  Sure, they might look a little comical at first but you’ll come to appreciate how wonderfully detailed they are.  The environments are far more detailed and look great, although I wish they looked a bit better during the helicopter missions.  Still, the explosions and flames look good.

Sound: 7.0
Not only does this game look a lot like Metal Slug but it also sounds a lot like Metal Slug as well.  There’s thumping music that’s almost like a military march as well as the sounds of exaggerated arcade-styled shooting.  Kill bad guys and you’ll hear them roar in pain and when you destroy armored vehicles they blow up pretty loudly.  Basically, these are all the things we heard before the first time around.

Difficulty: Medium
The first game felt a bit easy due to the fact that the enemies weren’t exactly bright enough to offer a real challenge during combat.  For the sequel, the enemy AI is still a bit on the dumb side but now helicopter missions are a lot more challenging thanks to the tanks and enemy helicopters.  Yet on the ground the enemies still don’t duck for cover or turn back when they’re being shot.  Still, they can toss a pretty mean grenade and when an enemy jumps into an armored vehicle you better do the same. 

Concept: 8.0
The first CT Special Forces game did a number of things right but ended up feeling a little on the short side as well as lacking a bit in diversity.  The game’s 20 missions are a bit longer and switching between the four characters gives the game its much-needed variety.   While much remains relatively the same, the helicopter hostage rescue missions feel like an entirely different game altogether and you’ll want to play it again and again. There’s also a sniper mode and parachute jump mode so you can’t complain that there isn’t something different each level.

Multiplayer: 7.5
Once again the game sports a multiplayer mode using the GBA Link Cable and an extra Game Boy Advance system.  You can go up against a friend in Challenge mode but be warned that the second player must have his or her own copy of the game.  The game is basically a Time Attack mode where you can pick your own characters and map and see who beats each another’s score before the time runs out. 

Overall: 8.0
CT Special Forces 2 overflows with action and there’s a nice diversity within the game’s levels that makes this sequel superior to the original.  While the series still remains to follow in Metal Slug’s footsteps, the game is still entertaining enough to keep action fans more than satisfied. Oh, and don’t let the awful box cover art sway you from buying this game, there’s a lot to like about it.