Smoke Attack 2

Smoke Attack 2, the sequel to Smoke Attack, is a top down scrolling shoot ‘em up with an ‘anti-smoking’ message woven in. Your hero is a small cutesy sprite, with a jetpack and the gameplay basically involves flying around multi-directional levels, neutralizing all the enemies in the level with oxygen bubbles (the enemies shoot cigarettes at you no less). Once all the enemies for the level have been neutralized, you move onto the next and so on.

Graphically Smoke Attack 2, just as the first in the series, is superb with a great amount of detail drawn into the landscapes and enemies. The animation is also topnotch. It is easy to see how much effort has been put into this side of the game, although admittedly, while themed differently, it is graphically very similar to the first. Nonetheless this takes away none of its impact if you are playing the series for the first time. Those who have played the first should know what to expect.

The sound, again, is almost identical to the first game, with the witty sound effects taking a front seat and a quiet soundtrack playing in the background.

And (surprise, surprise) the gameplay is also identical to the first game – kill all the enemies in the level, find the occasional key to open up a new part of the level and collect the various bonuses and power-ups lying around. While the gameplay structure works rather well – if you have extensively played the first you may not be quite so tempted this time, since the gameplay is just so similar in style. They could have almost released this as an ‘extra levels’ pack, because when it comes down to the bare bones of it – that is exactly what it is.

As similar as this was to its predecessor, I still enjoyed it (partially because it is made so stylishly and partially because I genuinely loved the gameplay structure of the first). Others may not hold the same view and give this one a miss. If you haven’t had a chance to check out the first Smoke Attack, it wouldn’t do you any harm to try out the second one first (confused yet?).

Good graphics. Good sound. This game is really lovely.

It is fun to play.

Good game.