Saru! Get You! 2 (Ape Escape 2) continues the monkey hunt with finesse. Stylish characters, abundant gadgets and inventive levels. A Japan Studio platformer brimming with charm.
Your verdict
Category
Platformer1 player7+
Description
A 2001 direct sequel that hands the monkey-net over to Hikaru, sent to recapture Spike's escaped apes. Inseparable from the DualShock 2, the game leans heavily on twin-stick gadget play in the spirit of its PS1 forebear.
Ape Escape 2 review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
4/5
Music
★★★★★
"Excellent"
3/5
Story
★★★★★
"Solid"
Ape Escape 2 sets its action in everyday places overrun by Pipo monkeys, small towns, beaches, parks, as colorful as toys and readable at a glance. Each monkey sports a diode helmet and loud trousers that betray its mood, a cartoon detail that makes the hunt amusing and the capture almost a little comedy.
Ape Escape 2's music runs on chipper electronic pop, sparkling melodies, danceable beats and little repeated motifs that stick in the head long after playing. Each level gets a jaunty tune rather than an ambience, matching the zany energy of the monkey hunt and its resolutely light tone.
Gameplay
"Excellent"
Fun
"From the very first seconds"
Hunting down prankster monkeys with lunatic gadgets, from net to radar: the concept is as original as it is irresistible, and the dual-stick handling delivers a unique sensation. Every successful capture triggers a little burst of joy, and the ever-present humour enchants. Colourful, clever and endearing, a gleeful platformer-adventure of overflowing inventiveness.
Released in 2002 on PS2 and known in the West as Ape Escape 2, Sony's project fully exploits the dual analogue stick to capture prankster monkeys with ingenious gadgets. The net, the radar and the motorised devices turn every hunt into an approach puzzle, and the variety of levels keeps the curiosity alive. The colourful art direction, the good natured humour and the handling specific to the DualShock pad forge a strong playful identity. The pace proves uneven and the difficulty stays gentle. An original and endearing platformer, recommended for fans of the genre and for those curious about a clever use of the controller.
