Cyber Citizen Shockman 2
Earlier this year we took a look at the original Cyber Citizen Shockman, originally released in the mid-1980s on the PC-Engine. Thanks to Ratalaika Games once again, we now take a look at its sequel, Cyber Citizen Shockman 2: A New Menace. While the Shockman series remained Japan-exclusive, there was one title released in the United States under the title "Shockman." The original never made its way outside of Japan but the sequel, Cyber Citizen Shockman 2, did. Since it was the first game released in the West, it naturally had the name "Shockman." This was a common occurrence with Japanese games receiving English versions, as notoriously known with Final Fantasy among others.
Unfortunately, part of the nuances in early localizations was the desire to make the original script as "relatable" to the Western audience as possible. The biggest differences are the protagonist's names, Tasuke and Kyapiko. In the original Shockman release, they were known as Arnold and Sonya respectively. Another issue was the comically outdated translated script that featured broken English and out-of-context information regarding the plot. The original Shockman release is included with a revised script recreated to match closely the original dialogue.
An example of the changes between Shockman and Cyber Citizen Shockman 2 is within the opening cutscene. Taking place two years after the events of Cber Citizen Shockman, Tasuke, and Kyapiko return to the professor's lab on the promise that they will be turned human again. However, a threat known as the Rhyo Empire threatens world domination so it's up to Shockman to save the day. And the professor gets kidnapped. They need him alive to fulfill his end of the bargain after all.
In the original Shockman script, regardless of the character the player chooses, the dialogue will always assume that Shockman is Tasuke. When I chose "Sonya," upon discovering that she was Shockman, the enem exclaims "Get him!" even though they see her in civilian clothes prior. Telling everyone in an emergency broadcast to leave when the Earth is being invaded sounds goofy. Telling everyone instead to seek shelter for an oncoming threat? Far better. Other nuances like "Ryo Gang" instead of "Rhyo Empire" also exist. There's no reason to play the original Western localization when the new updated one is far better.
The gameplay is different this time around as instead of a "choose your level in any order" approach, Shockman 2 is a linear 2D platformer. While the original was flawed, I at least commended its uniqueness. Clearing certain stages gave me access to bonus power-ups that benefited me in future levels. In Shockman 2, you begin with a blaster and you end the game with a blaster. It's a run-and-shoot platformer similar to Gunstar Heroes and perhaps Contra and Metal Slug if we're dialing things down a bit.
There are times when Shockman 2 breaks its monotony by turning into a horizontal shoot-em-up, not unlike Darius. These levels were some of the best in the game as it served as a break from the main gameplay. Most of the criticisms I had from the first game are mirrored here. Each level requires the player to simply get from A to B with a boss battle at the end. There's little strategy involved in any of the fights except "aim here, shoot, and get out of harm's way."
Rinse and repeat until the boss is defeated, although sometimes trying to find the boss's hitbox can be a touch annoying. The fights with Shockman's rival, for example, reminded me of the fight with X vs. Zero. Fighting someone who matches your every move is annoying, especially with a disjointed hitbox. Most of the time the player doesn't even need to kill all the enemies on the screen to advance. Taking damage and abusing invincible frames means that most levels can be cleared in record time should the player be consistent.
Perhaps the two saving graces for Shockman 2 are the art direction and the dialogue. Much like the original, it's quirky "Saturday morning cartoons" Tokusentai-inspired action shows. A lot of the questionable dialogue from the first game is removed and there's an ounce of a cohesive plot to follow. I liked that there were more scenes with Tasuke and Kyapiko as their childlike personalities are more prominent here than before. While the game was short in length, it was once again a satisfying afternoon playthrough much like the original.
With the release of Cyber Citizen Shockman 2, the next expected release is Cyber Citizen Shockman 3, which was released a year after in 1992. Much like the first game, the third game was never released outside of Japan, so it will be interesting to see what happens next with Tasuke, Kyapiko, and "The Doc." I didn't expect to enjoy such a quirky series, but fans of the first game will enjoy the second one for the same historic value.
Cyber Citizen Shockman 2 is available for the Nintendo Switch, Sony PlayStation 4, and Xbox One on September 22, 2023.