This captivating sequel to the PlayStation cult fave has you traipsing trippy worlds, collecting a cornucopia of rampaging monkeys with an array of bizarre gadgets. Like its predecessor, solid platform elements and refreshingly innovative controls combine with lollipop-cute art direction and honest-to-God tear-jerking charm, resulting in a polygonal fantasia that shouldn't be overlooked for its lack of a marketable mascot. Ape Escape 2's premise is simple: Outfitted with intelligence-enhancing helmets, an army of super chimps, led by an angry albino imp named Spectre, has ditched Monkey Park for better worlds where they can be free to play games, hang in trees, or munch bananas on the beach without being hassled by The Man. Your job is to find the critters and catch them with a net that transports them home. What makes Ape Escape 2 rule is that it simply feels like no other game, thanks to an intuitive analog control scheme in which pressing or rotating the right stick both aims and activates your various gadgets. Said gadgets range from a monkey radar and speed-enhancing hula hoop to an aromatic ape-attracting banana boomerang. Mucho joy comes from figuring out ways to utilize the gizmos to solve puzzles and locate monkeys. The fantastic level designs allow for exploration without demanding aimless meandering and require repeat visits as you'll often come across obstacles which can't be overcome until you receive the necessary gadget later on in the game. An already satisfying gaming experience is made even more robust with riotous mini-games like the PaRappa-inspired Monkey Dance and Monkey Soccer, and tons of unlockables such as concept art, sound tests, and monkey fables provide between-level thrills. This game will bring only happiness.
