Ty the Tasmanian Tiger 2: Bush Rescue - Playstation 2 (PS2) Reviews


	Platform PS2 Genre Action Publisher EA Games Developer Krome Studios ERSB E (Everyone) Released October 2004

- Great voice acting that proves there's nothing better than an Aussie accent - Colorful vibrant characters - Bonus kart mode

- Lack of difficulty - Simplistic gameplay - Storyline isn't very deep

Review: Ape Escape 2 (PS2) Review: Jak III (PS2) Review: Sly 2 - Band of Thieves (PS2)
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Ty the Tasmanian Tiger 2: Bush Rescue

Score: 7.0 / 10

Two years after the debut of Ty, the Tasmanian tiger is back for another go. The original was a beautiful polished game but was a little too simple and short. It boasted only 17 levels and was over in well under 10 hours. The successor tries to shake that reputation by boasting a grand total of 44 levels. However, those 44 levels seem too simple – even for the younger audience this game is geared towards.

The game starts where Ty the Tasmanian Tiger ended. Boss Cass's minions are uprising and planning to break Boss out of prision. It's up to the Burramudgee Bush Rescue team to stop this evil plot from hatching. But alas, their efforts are futile. Cass escapes from prison. The team wants to put him back in. But Cass is pretty crafty and declares he is starting his own country. The true reason behind that declaration is the diplomatic immunity that comes with it. The Bush Rescue team does not let a small setback affect them. Ty goes head on to investigate Cass and figure out a way to get him stripped of his presidency and thrown back into jail.

A lot of you may be wondering what the Burramudgee Bush Rescue team is. The Bush Rescue team is the newly formed group of good guys that are out to stop Boss Cass. The leader of the Bush Rescue team is Ty, the main character. Ty is the danger loving Aussie hero that will stop at nothing to restore good to the world by defeating Cass. He's accompanied by brother Sly who supplies him with the best boomerangs available from his store Sly's Shack. Sly and Ty used to be at odds with one another but that was resolved the last time Ty made a video game appearance. Professor Julius is the next member of the Bush Rescue team. He's their chief scientist and provides them with many futuristic gadgets. Shazza is the chief mechanic in the team and to top it off, she's a great driver to boot. Maurie is the guy who works the radio and is a father figure to the team. Dennis is the rich contributor that pays for everything the Bush Rescue needs. And last but not least is Ranger Ken, an outdoors tough guy that is always there if the Bush Rescue team needs some muscle. You will get to know all these character throughout playing through this sequel.

Ty isn't defenseless on this treacherous quest. Besides possessing a ferocious Tasmanian Tiger bite, he also has use of his trusty boomerangs. This does seem like a typical Australian stereotype but it isn't offensive in the way it is portrayed

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and because of the target audience Ty 2 was intended for. Ty's boomerangs are updated fifteen times through the game. Each boomerang has a special attribute that helps you defeat enemies easier or remove obstacles from your path. For example, the Freezerang is so adept at chilling that it can put out infernos and create icy stepping stones for you to walk over water. On the other end of the spectrum, the Doomerang is the most powerful boomerang in the game and does an incredible number on any baddies you face.

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Ty also has several Bunyips at his disposable. Bunyips are mechs that Ty can step into to give him a boost in the fight against Boss Cass. There are 6 Bunyips, which Ty gets to command, in parts of the game. There are two different types of Bunyips - Combat and Exploration. An example of a combat Bunyip would be the Shadow Bunyip that boasts a devastating pulse laser cannon blast. On the other hand, a Sub Bunyip is more suited for exploration - specifically deep sea exploration. There are also 3 different vehicles that you use to navigate through different environments. The Fourbie is Shazza's four wheel drive truck that also boasts a top-of-the-line navigational system. The Go Cart is an agile and mini vehicle that moves around fast and is great for tight squeezes. Last but not least the Helicopter is valuable for reaching hard to reach areas for rescuing.

Now onto the quality of the game. The best word to describe Ty 2 graphically would be average. While it does contain colourful environments, it is obvious it could have fared better. The character models look slightly dated and lack large amount of details. The whole overall lighthearted mood of the game does make these nitpicks a little irrelevant. Even though I referred to it as average, graphically I would say it is successful because it never subtracts from the game like poor visuals and a low framerate would.

Sound is simply the best part of Ty 2. This game features some of the best voice acting I have ever seen. Each character boasts a great Australian accent and they use a lot of Aussie lingo. Yet through all that, they each have their own style and really come across as diverse people. In fact, I found myself attempting futilely to mimic the accent and insert Australian slang into my everyday speech. It didn't work out as well as I thought it would but it shows how good the voice acting is in this game. The soundtrack however isn't much to speak of and pales in comparison to the voice acting.

The biggest flaw I find with this game is the difficulty. It is simply too easy. You will never have a problem in any part of the game and it feels like you are 'going through the motions'. But I have to give a good mention to the extra gameplay they threw in this game. Right from the beginning, a kart racer mode is accessible. While it isn't that deep, it is a fun way to kill some time if you get bored of the main story. The controls aren't perfect in the mode but they are respectable.

Ty the Tasmanian Tiger 2: Bush Rescue is slightly better than your average, generic platformer. The great voice acting elevates this game to stand out a little but the rest of it isn't mentionable. It's geared toward younger gamers specifically because the level of difficulty and simplicity alleviates boredom. If you are a serious gamer, who loves engaging plot lines and intriguing gameplay, you would be better off looking elsewhere.

- Stefan Shetty

(February 13, 2005)