Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Gaming
  3. Reviews

Hands on with Conduit 2

By
Conduit 2
Image used with permission by copyright holder

If you own a Wii and are a fan of first person-shooters, your options have been somewhat limited of late. You have Goldeneye and a handful of others, but that is about it. The genre is the proverbial red-headed stepchild of the Wii, and to stand out in the field, developers know that they need to come up with something special to make a mark and convince gamers to give them a try. Sega and developer High Voltage think they have done just that with Conduit 2.

The game is a sequel—that is probably fairly obvious because of the “2” and all…it’s not like the movie Leonard Part 6 or anything…Anyway, while it is a sequel, and the story picks up right where the last game left off, Conduit 2 appears to be head and shoulders above the original. Everything has been improved, from the graphics to the flow of the game, and the multiplayer shines. Conduit 2 pushes the Wii as hard as any game I have seen, and while the campaign should turn heads, it is the multiplayer that could turn this game into something special.

Recommended Videos

The original game was criticized for lacksidazical security that allowed hackers to run rampant throughout the game. High Voltage has promised a much more secure online experience, which should alleviate those issues. As for the multiplayer itself, it will feature both online and offline play. The traditional multiplayer gametypes will return, as will the popular bounty hunter mode. A new co-op game called “Invasion Mode” will allow you and your friends to fight off wave after wave of enemy, similar to the Horde Mode in Gears of War  2, and the Firefight mode from Halo. Conduit 2 will also allow voice chat.

Conduit 2
Image used with permission by copyright holder

The customization options for your online avatar are nearly overwhelming. Numerous color options are available, as are minor details that should allow each player to find a combination unique to them. Beyond the aesthetics though, players will be able to upgrade their characters with over 30 suit upgrades.  Over 20 weapons can be unlocked as well.

Related

As for the gameplay, Conduit 2 moved well, and the maps shown were colorful and offered several types of combat.  It is a bit too early to judge, but after seeing Conduit 2 at GDC, the Wii may have found its new online breadwinner.

As for the campaign, the story picks up immediately where the original ended. You once again step into the boots of Ford, as the Drudge continue to mow down the Earth. The most obvious difference in this game from the original is that Ford, who was stoic to a fault in the previous game, has a much more flushed out personality this time round. The plot will take you around the world, through ruined cities and ancient locations, all of which looked impressive on the Wii.

Check out new screenshots and the trailer below for a sneak peak at the game, and look for Conduit 2 for the Wii on April 19.


Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Ryan Fleming
Ryan Fleming
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Ryan Fleming is the Gaming and Cinema Editor for Digital Trends. He joined the DT staff in 2009 after spending time covering…
I spent 100+ hours in Hades. Here are my impressions of Hades 2
Melinoe being shot at by a witch.

The worst thing Hades 2 could do is ruin Hades. 

The original Hades, a critically acclaimed action game by Supergiant Games, is one of the best games of all time, and it would be a shame for the highly replayable roguelike to be surpassed by a sequel that is just Hades, but more. Thankfully, it doesn't look like Hades 2 will fall into that trap.

Read more
Frostpunk 2: release date, trailers, gameplay and more
A city in Frostpunk 2.

Winter, or should we say Frostpunk 2, is coming. The sequel to one of the most brutal takes on the city-building genre has been cooking for a long time, and fans have been eagerly anticipating any scrap of news about this chilling title. The original was one of the few games to mix survival and city simulation elements together, all wrapped up in a frozen backdrop that made every decision harrowing. So come, sit by the warmth of the furnace, and learn everything we know about Frostpunk 2.
Release date

Frostpunk 2 got a release date of July 25, 2024 during the Xbox Partner Preview showcase in March.
Platforms
As of the time of this writing, Frostpunk 2 is only confirmed to be coming to PC. However, the original game was also a PC exclusive before later being ported to console, so it is possible the sequel will follow a similar staggered release schedule.
Trailers
Frostpunk 2 Announcement Trailer

Read more
Frostpunk 2’s beta offers a gripping slice of stressful city-building
Key art for Frostpunk 2

Typically, playing city-based or civilization-building games is a relaxing experience for me. There’s an inherent satisfaction in something I created in Cities: Skylines 2 or Mini Motorways running efficiently based on my actions. I’m content with spending dozens of hours crafting a functioning world, and only occasionally having my skills tested in a high-intensity situation. Frostpunk 2 from 11 bit Studios is a city-builder where those feelings are often reversed. Most of my time playing its beta was extremely stressful, as I constantly had to make difficult decisions in order to preserve a society that established itself in a frosty postapocalypse.

For all 300 in-game weeks of playtime that Frostpunk 2’s Utopia Builder mode beta offers, I was constantly facing the looming threat of dwindling resources and multiple political factions all vying for my attention and power, all while trying to build a civilization up. While that got extremely stressful, I'm already gripped by my short time with Frostpunk 2.
Stay frosty
While the original Frostpunk was a real-time strategy game about rebuilding a single settlement, 11 bit Studios has previously explained that this sequel is about leading that established settlement into a thriving civilization. The world of Frostpunk has not gotten any more forgiving; it’s still a postapocalyptic place with intense frost and little in the way of resources. The mose I played, Utopia Builder, is Frostpunk 2’s free-building mode. In it, players aren’t tied down to a prewritten story; as such, this beta is designed purely to give players a look into most of Frostpunk 2’s gameplay system -- and it does that in spectacular fashion. At a basic level, players need to build up their city while earning money and providing enough heat, shelter, and food to minimize death.

Read more