Ty the Tasmanian Tiger 2: Bush Rescue Review

I love platformers. I’ll even play bad platformers just so I can experience the wonder of running around in a CG world. I was not a fan of the original Ty the Tasmanian Tiger, however. It was as generic, boring, and frustrating as a platformer can get. It must have done something right, though, in order to merit a sequel. I’m a stickler for second chances, and I think Ty very much deserves a second chance.

In Ty’s first adventure, the overworld was decidedly simple and small. Here, the overworld is the main attraction. It is absolutely enormous. Krome Studios has done a remarkable job creating a world that just feels right. Half of the map is a large town while the other half is an intricate highway. You’ll travel the highway via Shazza’s truck, only being able to stop and get out at certain points. These stops become the different levels of the game. But you won’t just go from stop to stop, beating each area along the way. Bush Rescue focuses on a call list of different missions. Up to six missions are available at a time, marked on a map by a colored star. Mission objectives range from transporting an item within a time limit, clearing out a group of baddies, collecting items, or just relying on pure platforming skills. The missions make the game feel more open-ended, and you only have to complete certain ones to advance the story. The problem with these missions, however, is that they get increasingly redundant. One mission has you controlling a helicopter and picking up and dropping different items. This was a really fun mini-game the first time, but its setup was also used in about five other missions. Aside from a helicopter, Ty now has (limited) access to different mech suits (or bunyips). These give Ty stronger and more abilities. Twenty-one boomerangs also make the list. This time around, the ‘rangs are used more extensively, giving Ty a more refined and strategic feel. Beauty!

Ty 2 has the very same setup from the first game. Familiar territory is great, but that means all the problems from Ty 1 are still here. For the most part, Ty plays just fine. It’s the camera I have a problem with. It is absolutely nauseating. It swings around at such a sickening pace. I’ve got a strong stomach when it comes to playing video games, but two hours of this left me feeling queasy. There is an entire options menu dedicated to customizing the camera, but none of these tweaks seem to do any good. The camera is horrendously stubborn and does only what it wants to do. The different bunyips and vehicles, too, play a little awkwardly. The truck’s physics are baffling, and the bunyips are tirelessly slow and clunky. I’m hoping Krome can clean all this up for Ty 3.

I would say it takes, on average, seven hours to get to the final battle with Boss Cass. Don’t panic! With over 40 different missions and the biggest list of collectables since Donkey Kong 64, there’s plenty of room left for another five to seven hours. I’m not sure what collecting everything does, though. The game and the booklet don’t even explain why or what you are gathering. I guess it’s just something to do, but it’s not an easy something to do. After you complete a mission, it becomes a gray star on the map. When 20 gray stars appear on the map, it becomes really difficult to remember what is where. I can’t say Bush Rescue will become one of those games where you are drawn to play it again and again, but the first time through isn’t bad. As an added bonus, there is a two-player kart racing mode. With only seven tracks, stiff control, and overly tame course design, it’s nowhere near as fun as a game dedicated to kart racing. If Bush Rescue is the only game you own, then please: enjoy the multiplayer mode. If you already own Mario Kart or something similar, don’t even bother.

Bush Rescue is almost identical in looks to the first Ty game. This presentation works, but is admittedly kind of bland. However, the majority of Bush Rescue takes place in an impressively huge, seamless world. Load times do exist, but they are cleverly masked. Doors leading to other areas will take a minute before they open, much like in Metroid Prime. Granted, it’s not as slick, but I prefer this over a black load screen any day. The framerate only has an occasional glitch, which is surprising, considering that a lot of action can take place at any one time. On the other hand, there is some very noticeable pop-up. Plants literally spring to life as you drive down the road. It’s a weird effect, but it’s kind of cool at the same time. I do miss the pre-rendered cut scenes, though.

The sound department is the whole reason why I bought this game. I loved the music from Ty 1, and I expected to hear a similar quality in Bush Rescue. I couldn’t be more pleased with the end result. The first Ty’s music was downright awesome, but it tended to get on one’s nerves after too much listening. Bush Rescue’s soundtrack consists of more mellow tunes straight from the Outback, didgeridoos and all. It’s very ambient and fitting, and I could listen to it all day if I had to (not that I ever would). When the action picks up, so does the music, and it tends to fall into heavier, upbeat, but sourly repetitive guitar riffs. The voice acting, once again, is top notch and gives the game a lot of character. A few of the returning cast members seem voiced by different people, though, which is a shame.

Final Comments

Bush Rescue is a step in the right direction, but there’s still a whole flight of stairs that needs to be climbed before this franchise really takes off. Regardless, I am surprised at the amount of progress Krome has made. If this is any indication of things to come, then Ty 3 should be a real treat. As for Bush Rescue, I can’t say I enjoyed it very much, but I know it’s supposed to be more of a kid’s game. On those grounds, Bush Rescue does very well. It’s an easy, fun experience with a lot of promise. But this franchise is still in need of improvement and is yet to be a real contender against existing platformer stars.