Smugglers Run 2

I understand that smuggler's run 1 was a Playstation classic - and at the time it probably was. however its follow up would seem not to be overly impressive, from my perspective in its stand alone game rights. The game missions were very linear. Start, see a glowing circle. drive towards it, hit it. next level. Ok so that was the most basic of the basic, and there is a timer, but even though obstacles became more, and opposing vehicles got introduced, and more glowing targets appeared it still felt very limited and bland. I've said it in several of my reviews, it would seem that comparing to GTA series is although not intentional, almost unavoidable - we have been spoilt for game-ivity & variety.

The cut scenes. Ah yes the cut scenes. My left eyebrow arched and was raised 5mm more than usual up my cranium when the cut scene entered. It was a real life video clip.... and that was the worst fake-moustache I have ever seen. if it was supposed to be tongue in cheek - it would have been excusable - if not really that funny. however it was taking itself way too seriously which given the acting and that moustache - the player; me, found it very difficult to actually take it seriously.

the vehicles within... not too bad - there is a small variety depending on terrain, level of difficulty, progression through the game. the usual options are apparent: speedy but low armour, max strength but the speed of a turnip. slightly higher than average speed, handling , armour: 'the all rounder' etc etc. the same varieties are available in most driving games. The controls are standard - no hidden surprises. In certain rounds, there are enemy vehicles (police / border patrol etc etc)- which come and give you random batterings. they invariably lose and 'blow up' (note the inverted commas) in a not particularly spectacular fashion, only to be replaced by brand new enemies. not so much difficult as they are a distraction and well... annoying.

So a novel idea built upon, with a few good features ( terrains / scenery are actually quite impressive). I didn't play all the way through. I didn't have the patience or the interest & certainly not a splash of awe. so as a partial reviewer I will have to give a thumbs down. A 2 star rating equates to not the worst game I've ever played but still a couple of light years from the best.


SMUGGLERS RUN 2   October 15, 2002
4 out of 4 found this review helpful

This is a game for the fast and furious. There are three different areas you can drive,Desert,Jungle,Snow. You can also play lots of little games like turfwar.Smuggler mode is the main game. The objective of the game is to get money. You get money by-guess what?-smuggling contraband. Most of the levels are a race against time. When the time runs out, you lose and have to start from the beginning again. To get more time you pick up contraband and drop it off. Sounds simple, but there's the border patrol, a police force who go out of their way to slow you down by bashing against you; this makes you slow down, go off course and damage your truck, car or even bike. If you are damaged too much, your engine stalls; if the border patrol hit you once more when this happens, you are under arrest: you have to start again.You gain health back by not damaging yourself, you get more health every second until it is full again, but this is not a speedy process. Smugglers run 2 is a game truly worth checking out.
By Guy Davies


...a big disappointment   February 21, 2002
DeweyDecimalWolf (London)
3 out of 6 found this review helpful

Having really enjoyed the original (one of the best PS2 launch games) - Smugglers Run 2 fails to improve on virtually all of the former's elements and is actually worse in many areas. About the best thing you can say is that the fantastic draw distances have been retained and the local vegetation is more realistic (wow!). The main failing of the original was the slightly repetitive nature of the missions - this unfortunately has not been addressed AT ALL, which quickly leads to general boredom. After playing the fantastic GTA3 it seems farcical to be playing a game in a reasonably realised environment in which you can do virtually nothing... The cut scenes are embarassing beyond belief and their emphasis on "plot" just serves to point out the paucity of imagination at work when you come to play each mission. These cut-scenes are not "tongue in cheek" (as some reviews have claimed)they are just BAD. I've got no idea whether there have been claims about an increased size in playing environments - all I can say is that they feel a LOT smaller. The landscapes are far more repetitive and there are fewer vehicles, people and animals roaming around...
Part of the original Smuggler's Run charm was in discovering a whole little world in which you could play around in (admittedly to little purpose) - GTA3 has proved that you can have all that and much, much more: Smuggler's Run 2 by comparison is an appallingly lazy sequel which for those of us with fond memories of the original is a major disappointment.


an improvement but a disappointment   January 6, 2002
Dan Caspersz
3 out of 3 found this review helpful

they've tried to build on a winning formula, but they've lost something with this sequel. the first game was straightforward fun. Smuggler's Run 2 has better graphics, a more stylised interface and well produced cut sequences. but it loses something; it's just not as much fun. it's a darker, dirtier game. weather effects should make for a more atmospheric, engrossing experience. they tend to make it more frustrating and less enjoyable to play.

the escalating difficulty of the missions is a problem too, you'll be coasting along nicely through the missions, and then suddenly they become far too difficult far too quickly.


A real love/hate experience   November 26, 2001
Chris Snowdon (England)
5 out of 7 found this review helpful

Smuggler's Run was a great old-school game in that it was incredibly simple and very compelling. An offroad police chase with you as the bad guy, it maintained its momentum over 33 levels. This is basically more of the same with substantially better graphics and a thin plot tagged on. What made the original so good was the fact that many of the levels were so hard but the artificial intelligence of the police cars led to a different game each time. The pleasure of cracking each level outweighed the frustration of being beaten each previous time. This is largely true of this sequel. There are also more vehicles to choose from and they have counter-measures (e.g. speed boost, oil slick) to fight of the pursuers. It should be a 5 star game. What stops it being this, in my view, is the fact that on several levels the game is so tough that only a lucky break after hours of play will get you through. Level 18, in particular, combines an easy 3 minutes in any vehicle of your choice followed by a very hard 3 minutes in a car that handles like a shopping trolley. It will take many people a VERY long time to crack this level and having to play the easy half again and again is infuriating. That the game's makers have seen fit to make the player go through this shows more of a contempt for the user than a urge to test the user's skills.