After six nearly identical Mega Man Battle Network games and one followup that was presumed to reboot the series (but didn't, really), is it any surprise that Mega Man Star Force 2 is pretty much the same game that Capcom has been churning out for the past seven years?

Picking up two months after the events of the previous Star Force title, we once again take control of Geo Stelar, the young boy who has befriended an alien named Omega-Xis (Mega for short). Mega is an FM-ian, an energy being that exists in the "EM Wave World," a sort of parallel dimension. By fusing with Mega, Geo becomes Mega Man and can enter the Wave World to battle viruses and enemy FM-ians. It sounds a bit confusing (and it kinda is), but it's pretty much the same setup as the real-world/cyber-world gimmick from the Battle Network games. This time around, Geo stumbles into a new adventure that pits him against a new enemy who intends to harness the power of an ancient civilization.

The story may be different, but the gameplay is the same as it ever was. As Geo, you wander around the real world, interacting with your friends and moving from place to place to trigger new story events. When it's time for action, you merge with Mega and begin roaming the Wave World's maze-like pathways and engaging in battles. As always, these two segments are seen from the same isometric perspective. With plenty of reused sprites, this sequel is virtually indistinguishable from its predecessor.


The graphics become considerably less GBA-esque when you enter battle mode. Here, the sprites are replaced by polygonal models, and the perspective shifts to behind Mega Man. The fights in the Battle Network and Star Force series aren't the typical robot-blasting shootouts that you'd find in the other Mega Man series. Instead, they're a blend of action and card-based combat. Before each battle, six "Battle Cards" are shown on the screen; each one has its own function like performing an attack, altering your stats, or healing you. A simple rule set dictates how many you can bring into the fight with you at once. When the match starts, both Mega Man and the enemies freely move around the battle grid, attacking, dodging, and counterattacking. As Mega Man's default blaster is extremely weak, proper use of Battle Cards is essential to winning the fights.