You’ve worked hard all year, so, surely you deserve a relaxing holiday? Well, yes, you’d think so. However, when you have an evil villain as a nemesis, things rarely go to plan. This is what you can expect in Dyna Bomb 2. It’s a colourful affair with plenty of collectables, lots of secrets, and oodles of monsters.
Developed by 7 Raven Studios and published by Totalconsole, this is an arcade platformer with some strategic elements. What’s more, it can be played solo or locally with a friend. This is great as it enhances its appeal whilst making it a family-friendly title.
Dyna Bomb 2: a simple tale of revenge.
After their success against Dr. Brutus, Jack and Ela thought they had saved the day. With their confidence brimming and some well-deserved slaps on the back, they decided to take a break. However, as they order some coconut coolers, the nightmare begins again! Dr. Brutus is hellbent on revenge and begins to bomb the holiday resort. Consequently, the two heroes must act to save the day. They grab their armour, bombs, and jet packs and set about thwarting his evil plans.
As you can tell, the story isn’t a masterpiece, nor will it win awards for originality. Yet, it is still fun, witty, and works with the genre and theme. You control either of the heroes as you traverse an array of levels and worlds. There are 8 worlds to explore that comprise 9 stages. Alongside this, there is a gargantuan boss to battle in each zone and secret areas to unlock. Furthermore, you have plenty of tasks to do if you are a completionist. Subsequently, it is one title that’ll keep you playing for hours.
Bombs, gems, and patience.
What makes Dyna Bomb 2 so good is its blend of fast-paced action, resource management, and collectables. Every stage has a set number of monsters, gems, ammo, and secrets. Moreover, each level is timed to add an element of pressure and risk. Now, if you are too slow or you fail to gather/kill everything, it matters not. After all, these goals are aimed at perfectionists and are only essential if you wish to find every secret.
I mentioned a tactical layer to the gameplay that comes from the limited ammo mechanic. Consequently, you can’t be trigger-happy as you’ll quickly exhaust your supplies. Instead, you must be mindful and patient while learning your enemy’s moves and capitalising on their weaknesses.
Your foes and the bosses comprise a hearty selection of weird and wonderful creations. You’ll encounter armoured beasts, flying foes, and gun-wielding maniacs. Furthermore, the bosses will test your resolve and skills as they repeatedly kick your ass. As such, you must identify their weaknesses and use your powers to destroy them.
Upgrades and the “grind”.
Concerning special powers, Dyna Bomb 2 has an array of permanent and temporary upgrades to improve the protagonists. You can increase your fuel, add rockets, become a gem magnet, and more. These improvements make the gameplay exponentially easier and are essential to progress. However, they come at a mighty high cost! Subsequently, this element of the game may not appeal to everyone.
Sadly, there is a distinct reliance on “grinding” for gems and golden balls. Both of these collectables are used while upgrading your heroes and are therefore essential. Yet, the balance between cost and reward is unfairly skewed. Accordingly, if you wish to perfect or complete a stage, you’ll waste hours saving gems only to lose it all by dying. Luckily, though, this is made much easier in co-op mode. With two of you working towards a common goal, it isn’t so difficult, nor does it feel overwhelming.
Dyna Bomb 2 is ridiculously colourful.
Dyna Bomb 2 embodies arcade gaming. Thanks to its bright colour palette and in-your-face scenery, it looks amazing. Furthermore, there is a Manga/Anime edge to its aesthetics that aligns wonderfully with the unusual sprites. What was also incredible was the fantastic stage design. With many levels to explore and plenty of convoluted and complex areas to discover, I rarely got bored.
The energy and OTT approach continues in the jovial audio. A whacky soundtrack combines loud but fun music with zany sound effects. The result? An often unbearable cacophony of sound that works perfectly.
Good controls that need some minor tweaks.
Mostly, Dyna Bomb 2 does a great job with its controls. Essentially, they are responsive, well-considered, and easy to understand. However, the combat element is flawed, as there is no aiming mechanic. Instead, your missiles or bombs follow a set path. Subsequently, this can be frustrating, especially when ammo is scarce to find. Other than this, I liked the limited fuel for the jet pack, and how easy it was to pick up and play.
With so many collectables, Dyna Bomb 2 is a busy game. Furthermore, the “perfection” accolade on each level is tough to accomplish. On top of this, there are many secrets to uncover and new suits to unlock. Consequently, it oozes both replay value and longevity.
Dyna Bomb 2 doesn’t break the mould.
I thoroughly enjoyed everything about Dyna Bomb 2. Yes, it was occasionally irritating, and the “grind” was unreal, but it was still fantastic. However, its concept doesn’t break the mould, nor does it stand out from its peers. Instead, it’s one of those games that is fun without blowing your mind. All in all, it is challenging and enjoyable and I recommend you to buy it here! Can you defeat Dr. Brutus by playing him at his own game? Grab your bombs, upgrade your suit, and be victorious.
