8Bit/Digi

Another Giant Step on Mankind

Destroy All Humans! was one of those series that was born out of the open-world fade established by Grand Theft Auto III in the 2000’s. It was such a hit that an equally successful sequel followed. This ensured that the series would be remembered not for being a trend chaser but one with its own legacy.

Flash forward to now and Destroy All Humans! 2 has been remade just like its predecessor. 

Destroy All Humans! 2 – Reprobed is a remake that is a faithful recreation of the PlayStation 2* classic. With so many games believing that the best open-world games need to be bigger and grander (funny how little this has changed), this game beams us down to reality. Sometimes an open world can be fun with a small map but packed with action while having a sense of humor. 

*Note: Even though the game was also released on the Xbox, I only played the PS2 version back in the day. 

A Groovy Invasion 

It’s the 1960’s and players take on the role of Cryptosporidium-138 (who is also known as Crypto for short) who continues the work of his predecessor. The Furon’s have secretly established themselves on Earth. Their presence has also gotten the attention of numerous intelligence agencies, including the KGB.

To counter the Furon “threat”, the USSR launches a nuclear attack on the mothership and attempt to take out Crypto. After regrouping with Pox and recovering their gear, it’s time for revenge. It’s during this quest for payback do they learn that the Soviet Union has been working with the Blisk, the Furon’s age-old nemesis (thus changing the overall mission).

From a narrative perspective, Destroy All Humans! 2 – Reprobed still holds up by blending cultural references of the 1960’s with those of the 2000’s. The world-building does an excellent job of recreating what we think the late 60’s were like (based on pop culture). Bringing this offbeat invasion to life is a solid cast of iconic voice actors from the original. Richard Steven Horvitz from Invader Zim returns as Pox while Courtenay Taylor and Anthony Head join in on the mayhem. Also one can not overlook the performance of Steve Blum. 

Re-planning the Invasion 

The original Destroy All Humans! 2 was a great example of a sequel that builds upon its predecessor while also improving the overall experience. Reprobed is no different but also corrects many of the issues of the original.  

From a visual perspective, it’s a complete upgrade even when compared to its predecessors’ remake. It’s a colorful world that reflects upon the period it’s trying to emulate. Meanwhile, everyone’s design is a cartoonish version is the archetype of such characters from works of that era. They are detailed but also look silly in all the right ways. 

The gameplay is a mix of standard combat and stealth action (depending on the situation). Players could either progress through the main story or roam free to do what they please or complete some side missions. As the story progresses, Crypto is given new weapons and skills that could also be upgraded. Classic weapons and skills do return but you will also get access to some new goodies. The levels are broken down into several mini-open world maps that are inspired by different cities around the world.

Wrath of the Blisk!

The Destroy All Humans! 2 remake hits all the right marks, but at times gets too dependent on the nostalgia factor. This is evident by the (again) untouched camera focus when using the flying saucer and the boring boss fights.

Like with its predecessor and the original, the camera angle when operating the flying saucers always feels out of focus. It can never be adjusted to a proper angle that allows you to see your surroundings. No, it has not been slightly tweaked, it feels the same. As a result, do expect to take hits from Anti-Air guns and missiles without getting a good look at where they are positioned.

When compared to Destroy All Humans!, the sequel had the most boring boss fights. With the exception of some (like fighting Blisk-enhanced Agent Oranchov), most of the boss fights are boring. They feel less like a challenge and more of a chore or mission to complete. Overall, they lack what is supposed to make a boss fight memorable or challenging. 

Crypto is Back!

If you played the original game back in the day, you will appreciate the effort made to restore this classic. If it was before your time, give this game a chance as you will enjoy this little taste of the 2000’s. 

Like its predecessor, Destroy All Humans! 2 – Reprobed is another fine example of a remake done right by modernizing the gameplay and graphics but respecting the overall experience. It’s the same great game we all played back in the day only with a major visual upgrade. The gameplay and control functions have been better refined to offer a great experience. 

Hopefully, we could see some original entries in this beloved franchise sometime in the future. 

Disclaimer: Evolve PR provided the game used for this review.

This review is the critique and thoughts of one writer. If you want to see how other critics felt then check it out on OpenCritic.

8Bit/Digi is an independent media outlet that provides an insight into the gamer community of the San Francisco Bay Area.

Destroy All Humans! 2 - Reprobed (PC)

9

Excellent

9.0/10

Pros

• Same offbeat story and humor.
• Improved visual details and gameplay functions.
• Return of its solid cast of iconic voice actors.

Cons

• Poor camera focus when using the flying saucer.
• Most boss fights are boring.