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Good: Passable action/platforming gameplay, brief load times

Bad: Average in almost every way

The original Death Jr. was the first officially showcased game for the PSP system, but it wasn't exactly the best showpiece. Despite some decent gameplay, it offered up nothing new for the action/platforming genre. Death Jr. II is a slight step up, but is still far from a must-buy.

This time around, players can play as either Death Jr. or Pandora. With very few exceptions, these characters play identically. Both have weapons that allow them to grab onto ledges, slide down wires, and hover jump. Nothing is offered in terms of controls that gamers haven't seen countless times before.

Certain platforming sections are extremely flawed. One in particular requires you to hook onto an extremely small ledge, and then propel yourself up to a plateau of sorts. No matter how perfectly aligned myself with the ledge, it still wouldn't allow me to hook onto it. It was merely a matter of trying over and over until the game finally recognized that I was doing what I was supposed to.

By collecting energy (either by killing enemies or finding it in levels), you can upgrade and buy new weapons. It's also possible to find parts and assemble them into a new gun, such as the Flaming TP Launcher. Shooting these guns is a hassle, as it uses an odd sidestepping system. Hitting both trigger buttons initiates it, but it's difficult to get a lock on intended enemies.

There isn't a huge amount of difficulty in the gameplay. Most of the time, you're just running from point to point killing enemies, occasionally stopping to find a key item. Occasionally, you'll encounter some decent boss fights that do a good job of breaking up the monotony.

One of my main complaints with the PSP is the long and frequent load times. Thankfully, Death Jr. II loads up entire levels extremely quick. On the visual end of things, it's neither striking nor bland. Some levels have far more personality than others, and are filled with some interesting enemy designs. Voice-acting is certainly average, and won't get you interested in the generic comic book-style story.

As average as it is, it's really hard to give a solid recommendation for Death Jr. II. While not being a "bad" game by any means, it's the same generic platforming that we've seen for years.

Graphics: 7.0

Sound: 5.0

First Play: 7.0

Replay Value: 5.5

Gameplay: 7.0

Overall: 6.9