Ty the Tasmanian Tiger 2: Bush Rescue - Xbox

A surprise hit and welcome game for 2002, Krome's original Bush adventure delivered an uncomplicated, light-hearted platform romp that ultimately saw Aussie protagonist Ty throwing archenemy Cass behind bars. Ty the Tasmanian Tiger 2 picks up shortly after its predecessor left off, and with Cass once again free of his chains, all is not well...

Ty 2 marks a significant change over the first game for several reasons. Where the 2002 offering was a linear game in some ways similar to Crash Bandicoot, the sequel can be more easily compared with, say, Jak and Daxter or the Ratchet series of games.

Though from the beginning your objectives are clearly marked out, players are free to wonder the new game world and take on as many optional side-quests as they see fit. Via a PDA of sorts, players can keep track of the missions they have taken on board and easily identify which will earn them valuable gems and which will drive the story forwards. The inclusion of such missions, and the addition of vehicles such as trucks and even submarines, shows subtle similarities to the much-loved Jak II, which most of you will know to be a good thing indeed.

To sum things up, Ty 2 is indeed a better game than the original, thanks to efforts of the guys at Krome. And though these alterations are certainly welcome in Ty 2, the simple control system, visual style and comical cut-scenes help to remind players that despite the changes and references to other games in the genre, Ty the Tasmanian Tiger 2 is a game of its own. more