An innovative spin on the bat-and-ball genre
On the surface, LBreakout 2 might appear to be just another bat-and-ball Arkanoid clone, but if you dig down a bit you'll find plenty of new and exciting features that add a great deal to the tried and tested formula as seen in other examples like Aquanoid, Krypton Egg and Bunny Bricks. As ever, the basic principle is simply to bounce a ball off your moveable bat with the intention of destroying the numerous bricks situated at the top of the screen. If you miss the ball, then you lose a life but destroy all the blocks and you move on to the next more challenging level. Of course, there are varying types of brick to add to the challenge, like ones which require multiple hits or those which regenerate over time, while there are also plenty of upgrades and weapons to help you out, or even hinder your efforts, and which add some nice variety. Some of these are highly original, like the one which turns out the lights, forcing you to play in darkness and very cool and help the game stand out from the others on the market. The levels themselves are generally well designed, with some truly testing stages that require nifty reflexes so when you throw in a level editor to design your own levels, you have all the makings of a fine bat-and-ball game. The graphics aren't really any different from others of the genre but are effective and reasonably appealing. Sound however is somewhat disappointing, consisting merely of some pretty basic effects but fortunately, the frenetic gameplay and innovative touches help to overcome any such niggles and make this a fine Arkanoid clone.
