Do you know there have been a total of two other Frogger games bearing the name ‘Frogger 2’? No, nor did I and after playing Frogger 2 for the Xbox Live Arcade, I’d rather give those others a miss.
I seem to be picking the short straw when it comes to reviewing these Arcade titles because yet again we have another duff title on our hands. At the crazy price of 800 Microsoft Points it doesn’t come cheap either and one would have to wonder if this’ll land in the ‘Games to be removed’ by Microsoft pile; despite it only being released as they announced this particular method of removing older titles.
For those who aren’t aware, Frogger is a frog. He is green and amazingly doesn’t like water. A frog who doesn’t like water, how ridiculous! Well judging by the first level in the game, he dies upon impact with water. Strange I thought our amphibian friends love to have a swim…
The single-player mode consists of around 15 levels each containing two stages set in different locations and a boss battle thrown in for bad measure. The first level of the game is supposed to be the easiest, but in Frogger 2 the first level is a nightmare unless you refer to help guides on the Internet to find out where you are supposed to go. The creators have managed a massive flaw in the first level whereby the ‘through’ route is off-screen and very easy to miss, especially as a newcomer. This is just one of the many reasons why no thought has gone into Frogger 2 and why it should be avoided at all costs.
This is just the start really, while some stages are relatively straight-forward, the control system can make for a frustrating experience from start to finish (if you ever get there!). Movement is with the stick and LB and RB move the frog in a different direction while A is used to gobble items with its tongue. The controls are terrible and time-after-time you’ll be landing in deep water thanks to a minor mistake here and there.
And then we get to the boss battles which leave much to be desired. Tough is the only word to describe them and while it appears a small amount of thought has gone into them by the team, the result is an exceedingly difficult level which will see most players giving up.
In the sound department, things don’t get much better. If you love listening to hyper-speed music designed for children but just annoying enough to reach for your mute button, Frogger 2 is the game to buy.
The only reason you’ll progress is thanks to a handy checkpoint and save system after each level. Without this I wouldn’t touch Frogger 2 with a fishing net, let alone a 360 pad. Despite this you will manage to die countless times, which means getting that coveted ‘Use One life’ achievement is pretty much for the brain dead amongst us.
If single-player bores you, then you can head online and play with other like-minded individuals who purchased this game. And that won’t be many, so again you’ll struggle to get any online achievements or even play a game online successfully. Good luck if you really want to carry this out.
All-in-all Frogger 2 is a poor title which has slipped through quality control at Microsoft again. It isn’t quite as bad as other titles on the service which I’ve had the misfortune to review, but it does rank down there. It is playable, but only just for a few minutes. Frogger 2 is no classic and won’t be entering any halls of fame. Best avoided, like a dead frog.
