It’s been awhile since we last caught up with a certain furry hero from the Australian Outback and it’s about time he made a comeback.  Ty the Tasmanian Tiger joined just a small handful of platform games on the Xbox but it was, much like Dr. Muto or even Voodoo Vince, a memorable platform game with a charismatic hero and some pretty innovative ideas.  So as a fan of platformers it was great to see that EA has released a sequel.  Ty the Tasmanian Tiger 2: Bush Rescue puts us back in the land down under with Australian mechs (now that’s something we don’t get to see very often, Aussie mechs) and a much bigger world to explore.

Bush Rescue starts off with a bang.  The Outback has finally seen some peace and quiet after the evil Boss Cass was put away by our hero Ty but that soon changes when giant mechs and those nasty Frill Lizards from the first game attack.  Ty immediately finds out that the attack was a diversion as another familiar foe breaks Boss Cass out of jail.  In the few days that follow, the good animals of the land discover that Boss Cass has set himself up as President of his own land and thus able to invade the land freely under the guise of diplomatic immunity.  In response to this, the good animals, led by Ty, form Bush Rescue in order to keep Australia safe from Boss Cass and his evil henchmen.

It’s quite a story and it’s told well but it is just the beginning of Ty’s adventures as a Bush Rescue team member.  The first thing you’ll notice after the introductory level is that you’ll be given the complete freedom to explore your surroundings and this game covers an impressive amount of ground.  While Jak II has the game beat in terms of things to do, the activities and territory in this game isn’t anything to sneeze at since you’ll encounter everything from a city with shops to the various lakes and flatlands.  The land is so big that you could easily get lost if the game didn’t include a mini-map.  Since you’re not forced to complete tasks given to you right away, exploration is a good way to find extra opals you can use to purchase things such as new boomerangs.

Ty still uses his boomerangs to knock enemies down or, when you switch to a first-person perspective, to hit a switch that unlocks a door or opens a new path.  He can even bite his enemies or use those powerful teeth to perform a sort of bite combo on a series of elevated platforms or even do a dive bite.  One of the things that separate this game from other platform games is his use of his dual boomerangs.  Ty can glide through the air with his boomerangs and can even hit multiple enemies.  You’ll also have the chance to find or, if you’re anywhere near the Rang Shop in Burramudge Town, buy new boomerangs.  Each rang possesses some kind of unique attack or can be used in other ways.  For example, the Frostyrang can be used to freeze enemies while X-Rang or Infrarang is used to see enemies that normally can’t be seen with Ty’s own eyes.

Early in the game, Ty even gets to slide into the seat of a Battle Bunyip (a battle mech), which is just one of the four mechanized Bunyips our furry friend can operate.  There’s a sub Bunyip and one fit for wading through lava or a wall of fire.  The Lifter Bunyip can lift objects so Ty can throw them at enemies.  Aside from the cool mechs, there are three vehicles that Ty gets to drive (a tough four-by-four, a turbo-charged cart and he can even fly a helicopter.  The vehicles are a nice change, particularly the cart (which, incidentally, is used in Cart Racing--the game’s only two-player multiplayer mode), since you can certainly use a vehicle to get certain spots a little more quickly. 

Cool mechs and vehicles aside, exploration plays a big part in the game since the various mission objectives you receive can be accomplished at your own pace and any which way you want.  As a member of Bush Rescue the objectives are usually centered on Boss Cass’ attempt to destroy the good animals of the Outback.  You’ll be rescuing koalas from evil Frill Lizards and their more powerful and menacing brothers (the giant Über Frills) and checking out reports of various incidents throughout the land.  And once again Ty must deal with Boss Cass himself, although this time he’s come even more prepared (I don’t want to spoil the surprise).

The usual platform gaming collecting is essential in this game, mainly because the opals are used as currency in this game.  The boomerangs are also used in more specific ways so you’ll often be running back into town to purchase new boomerangs.  Trader Bob even sells some power-ups so Ty will not really have much trouble completing an objective.  The controls are excellent so performing bite combos, jumping into mechs and jumping from platform to platform is done right.

Visually speaking, Bush Rescue is not a bad looking Xbox game.  The characters are beautifully rendered both during the game’s action and in cinematic cut scenes.  Ty encounters a number of different characters throughout the game and watching them take part in the action (like Ty’s brother Sly) is just plain neat.  Speaking of plain, the environments, while incredibly massive and colorful, are just too bland.  There’s a lake that doesn’t really ripple and trees that look pasted on.  The only real interaction Ty has with his surroundings is the paw prints he leaves behind.

Sound-wise, the voice acting is stellar and it’s great to hear some pretty decent dialogue in a platform game (the Australian accents are delightful in this game).  There’s also a pretty decent score that reflects the region’s national music and it hardly ever gets repetitive or boring.  As for the sound effects, they’re detailed enough that you’ll hear the wildlife around you.  The mechs stomp on the ground with heavy thuds and the carts engines roar loudly as they zoom through the valleys. 

Ty the Tasmanian Tiger 2: Bush Rescue is an amusing platform game that is well worth the bargain price.  It not only has a collection of great characters and a cool story but it shows a lot of promise.  Sure it might not be up there with the recent platform games released on the PS2, but for the Xbox this is as good as it gets.  Check this one out, you won’t be disappointed.  

Gameplay: 8.0
The game runs smoothly enough . . . just what you’d expect from a really good platformer.  The use of boomerangs is also incorporated in the story so it’s important you get the ones that will help complete your specific objective.  Using vehicles is completely optional but why wouldn’t you want to race in a cart or drive the Fourbie?

Graphics: 8.0
Beautifully rendered characters fill this somewhat dull-looking land.  There’s a lot to look at but with plain textures make up the game’s many environmental details.  The visual effects, on the other hand, really outshine the massive landscape.

Sound: 8.2
The game’s score works wonderfully with the game, as does the voice acting that’s not too cutesy.  In fact, the dialogue is actually pretty good.  As for the sound effects, they’re nicely detailed especially when it comes to the mechanical whirling of the mechs.

Difficulty: Medium
The Frill Lizards no longer run away like in the first game and there’s far more challenging objectives to complete this time around.  Über Frills are massive and will certainly give Ty quite a workout.  As for the mission objectives, you’ll be pleasantly challenged.

Concept: 7.5
Australian mechs!  A cart racing mode!  Grand Theft Auto-styled exploration and interaction!  There’s much to love about this game, all right.  There are also a great variety of boomerangs that add to the combat.  The best part is that you can choose what objectives to complete.

Multiplayer: 8.0
The multiplayer action comes in the form of a two-player cart game that’s just too fun to put down.  Chose a cart and a location and race through a crazy course filled with other racers that can catch power-up that can have you shooting missiles or freezing rivals in a no-holds bar race for the finish.  Think Mario Kart with some Freaky Flyers tossed in for extra zaniness.  My only complaint is that they should have allowed up to four players.

Overall: 7.8
Gamers young and old will find a lot to love about Ty the Tasmanian Tiger 2: Bush Rescue.  It’s free-roaming landscape, charming characters, solid platform action and fun multiplayer cart racing mode will hook you right away, mates.  Bush Rescue is a bargain for $20 so pick this one up is you want a decent platform game for your Xbox.