Cracking run 'n' gun action
If you like fairly obscure Korean games like Lars: The Wanderer and Lychnis, then this cracking Metal Slug/Gunstar Heroes homage is definitely worth seeking out. Although it doesn't do anything that the two aforementioned games don't, its lack of originality can be forgiven as it's simply extremely well done. It certainly improves on the rather shoddy first game in the series, Antman, and provides plenty of hardcore action. There's probably some kind of story here, but it's a bit tricky to fathom exactly what's going on, due to the game being in Korean (although a German version is also available, but which is quite rare). However, it's the gameplay which is the star here, and what you have is a classic run 'n' gun platformer, where your goal is simply to make your way through several side scrolling levels, blowing the hell out of anything which gets in your way. There's a nice range of weapons to find, most of which seem directly lifted from Gunstar Heroes, while you can also perform lots of slick moves, like grabbing enemies, sliding around and so on. Like Metal Slug, you gain powerups by rescuing hostages, while there is also a much appreciated two player mode. Antman 2 is not quite as good as its inspirations, but it comes pretty close. The visuals are quite charming, with some cool environments and baddies, while the weapons are highly satisfying to use. The gameplay comes at you fast and furious, with little in the way of let up, and proves quite challenging, even for genre veterans. Overall, a nice curiosity which is a heap of fun.
