Lost in Blue 2 (DS) Review
Posted by Ramon Aranda on 05.10.2007
Will the latest adventure grab you like "Lost", or will you feel lost?
Title: Lost in Blue 2
Publisher: Konami
Type: Adventure
Players: 1 -2 (Single player story, 2 player mini-games)
In Lost in Blue 2, you start off as either the male or female protagonist depending on your choice. You are at sea when a lightning storm suddenly destroys your boat and dumps you onto a deserted island. As you begin your adventure, you find the other character and together you must fight to stay alive. In your journey, you will explore the island while gathering food and supplies to eat and make tools. Your goal is to stay alive long enough to learn of the mysteries of the island, and to find a way home.
Graphics
The game's graphical engine looks to be on par with the original Lost in Blue though it appears just a tad bit smoother. There isn't too much detail going on and the environment is pretty plain here as you're surrounded by tons of grass water, and some trees. The graphics only shine when you're utilizing the touch screen to interact with something. At those times, the game gets you an up-close shot of whatever you're interacting with (i.e. fishing, digging in the sand etc.) If you've ever played Trace Memory, you'll know what to expect as far as visuals go. I would've liked for the island to look a little more exotic though, like something out of "Lost" especially since this is already a sequel. The DS has so much more potential and it would've been nice if the developers managed to push the graphical capabilities to present a more lush and beautiful island.
Gameplay
Players of the original title will know what to expect here. You must collect items such as wood, bark, stones etc. to create tools that you can use to hunt and fish. You can also search the island for food such as fruits, vegetables and meat. When you first begin your adventure, you can find coconuts lying around but you can also shake tress down to see if any more coconuts will fall off. You may eat them as soon as you pick them up; give them to your companion or simply save them for a later time. You can also find clams in the sand that vary in size and type. As you progress, you'll be able to find different types of food and spices to make a heartier meal. Speaking of meals, you can either eat some of the food raw, or you can choose to bake it, just make sure you don't keep meat products in your bag too long or they'll go rotten.
Lost in Blue 2 makes very good use of the DS' controls. To start a fire for instance, you click on the left and right shoulder buttons as you twist the twigs onto the tree bark. Once you get some smoke going, you blow into the DS' mic and try to get the fire started. You'll be using the touch screen to do more than just move your character since you'll be using your stylus as a bow and arrow, spear, fishing rod, and frying pan. What makes this game intriguing is the notion of being on a deserted island and being able to use the DS' controls and features to the fullest. It's an excellent idea in theory but the game once again falters in some key areas as did the original Lost in Blue.
To survive long enough to escape the island, you must keep yourself and your companion healthy. This means making sure you both eat well every day, drink enough water to stay hydrated and just as importantly, get enough rest to be able to explore the island. The unfortunate part is that the experience is hampered by constant whining and nagging. It's like you cook a nice meal and thirty seconds later, one of the characters (or both) starts bitching about being hungry again. Didn't you just have fish, fruit salad and vegetables? What makes it worse is that every time you sleep or rest, your stomach empties itself and you're complaining about starving again. On the other hand, if you're hungry and you try to sleep or rest, your stamina level won't increase a damn because you're too hungry to eat. Don't forget to drink water too because you may be too thirsty to eat or walk....what?!?! I don't understand why the developers felt the need to make it so damn difficult to do what makes this game fun...explore the island. The first game had the same problem in that you have to spend days and days just keeping yourselves alive and it becomes irritating and repetitive. As you stay longer on the island and create more tools, you'll be able to kill some animals to eat bigger meals, but even with that, the game gets pretty annoying. It's really a shame, and I hate to admit it, but I'd almost like to see a part 3 for the DS or the Wii with this problem fixed. C'mon guys!
Sound
A smooth, almost relaxing theme plays throughout your adventure. As you health starts to deteriorate, the music tone changes to reflect that mood. You an also hear sound effects from what you'd expect on an island: the waves hitting the rocks, birds chirping, and the cool breeze of the wind. Konami also added a little bit of voice over work for simple things like being greeted by your partner, and when you talk to yourself while exploring.
Lasting Appeal
You always have the option of choosing either the male or female characters. So even after you have beaten the game, you can replay it from the other person's perspective. On the other hand, there isn't too much of a difference when playing with either character so you may find yourself wanting something else by the time you're well into the second game.
Fun Factor
It would have been ideal for LiB2 to include co-op mode either through Nintendo's WiFi network or even through local play. Since this sequel isn't too much different from the original, a simple addition of a feature like co-op would've been a good treat. Since your characters whine and moan throughout the game, the fun factor diminishes almost immediately as everything becomes more of a chore. Multiplayer, though included in small mini games was a necessity for this type of game and I hope that it can be included if Konami is brave enough to attempt to get the formula right in a third game.
The 411
Lost in Blue 2 had so much potential given that this was sequel to a game with unlimited ideas that fell flat. For some reason, the development team decided to rehash the first game with added functionality rather than adding to the storyline and making it easier to explore. I really wanted to like this game but again was thoroughly disappointed about halfway through. There may be some of you out there that will find joy in what the game has to offer, but if you're like me, you'll probably come away shaking your head knowing that this game could've been so much more.
Graphics
6.0
Relatively plain, though the sequences of interaction look much better.
Gameplay
5.0
Uses the DS' controls to the fullest, however the main characters's complaining ruin the game.
Sound
5.0
Nothing really special; what you'd expect from being on an island.
Lasting Appeal
5.0
Long adventure if it can keep you interested.
Fun Factor
4.5
The characters won't shut up, you hardly have time to explore, but hunting is fun to do.
