Summoner 2

by THQ

Product Features

• Play Maia, Queen of Halassar, as she embarks on an adventure to defend her throne andfulfill her destiny
• Battle enemies in real time with an all-new, party driven combat system
• Build your party from a roster of 8 unique characters with special attacks and spells and control up to 3 characters at a time
• Tricks in your arsenal include powerful spells, alchemy and incantations for summoning the gods

Product Details

• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B00006JC3X
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.3 x 0.6 inches ; 3.2 ounces
• Media: Video Game
• Release Date: September 23, 2002
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,539 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

Amazon.com Review

Summoner 2 keeps all that was good in its predecessor and far surpasses it. On a purely technical level, the load times between scenes are faster, camera angles are consistently more flexible in the 3-D environment, and the battle reactions are cleaner and more responsive. But it's the story that's really blossomed. The swashbuckling goddess-queen Maia is more likable than dour Joseph from the first Summoner. (Her various outfits and weapons sure are cooler, at least.) There's more humor in the story, and it manages to strike its serious notes without sounding ridiculously overdramatic. The voice actors sound like they're really enjoying their roles too, and it was fun (for a change) to listen to the spoken sections. The storyline moves you along smoothly, and the bosses, while tricky, never seem insurmountable. Rather than just some big fight at the end, the goal of Summoner 2 seems to be to help Maia seek her destiny while being the most adored and accomplished--plus best outfitted--queen-goddess-swordsperson she can be. --Garland Withers

Pros:

• Vast gameplay with plenty of fun optional quests
• Well-organized quest and lore indexes for easy reference
• Lots of fighting styles and combination moves
• Flexible saving system allows you to back up your game easily

Cons:

• Occasional camera angle problems (but fewer than the first Summoner!)
• Easy to miss out on one-time chances at optional quests while following storyline
• Many long stretches that must be traversed again and again

Product Description

Summoner 2 keeps all that was good in its predecessor and far surpasses it. On a purely technical level, the load times between scenes are faster, camera angles are consistently more flexible in the 3-D environment, and the battle reactions are cleaner and more responsive. But it's the story that's really blossomed. The swashbuckling goddess-queen Maia is more likable than dour Joseph from the first Summoner. (Her various outfits and weapons sure are cooler, at least.) There's more humor in the story, and it manages to strike its serious notes without sounding ridiculously overdramatic. The voice actors sound like they're really enjoying their roles too, and it was fun (for a change) to listen to the spoken sections. The storyline moves you along smoothly, and the bosses, while tricky, never seem insurmountable. Rather than just some big fight at the end, the goal of Summoner 2 seems to be to help Maia seek her destiny while being the most adored and accomplished--plus best outfitted--queen-goddess-swordsperson she can be. --Garland Withers

Pros:

• Vast gameplay with plenty of fun optional quests
• Well-organized quest and lore indexes for easy reference
• Lots of fighting styles and combination moves
• Flexible saving system allows you to back up your game easily

Cons:

• Occasional camera angle problems (but fewer than the first Summoner!)
• Easy to miss out on one-time chances at optional quests while following storyline
• Many long stretches that must be traversed again and again

See all Product Description

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars I can't believe it's over!!!!, January 5, 2003

By 

angelaredhorse "redhorse29" (AZ) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Summoner 2 (Video Game)

I bought the first Summoner game and loved it, so I was looking forward to Summoner 2. Well, I really enjoyed Summoner 2 as well, except for the fact it's already over! Never have I completed an RPG in so short a time. I even embarked on several side quests, and I was NOT up all night playing this game! At least the game has replay value, due to all the side-quests. However, I was disappointed to discover you can only re-play the game with your ... "newbie" stats. Too bad it can't be like "Chrono Trigger" or "Chrono Cross", where your stats are higher the more you re-play the game. So what's the point of the "save" function at the very end of Summoner 2? Just so you can see Maia's final battle over and over again? It seems so pointless.

Like I said, I did enjoy the game. The storyline is excellent (as was the first Summoner plot), the characters are well-developed, the fighting is greatly improved (I've been waiting for years for another "real time" fighting rpg, like "Zelda" and "Alundra"!!), it's one of the hardest rpg's I've played in a looong time (Battle-wise I died many frustrating deaths, getting crushed by non-stop foes! FFX was a easy by comparison!), and I liked that several of the characters from the first Summoner appeared in Summoner 2! Yago is a playable character and Rosalind has a "cameo". The graphics are greatly improved as well. Nothing like FFX, but a big leap from the first Summoner.

I noticed Summoner 2 has the same annoying tick as the first game. You get to an exit, then can't leave because a party member is trapped in some far-off room you left ages ago! I'm looking forward to a Summoner 3, and hopefully this will be corrected by then! I really liked the characters being "interviewed"! That's original!
I just wish the game had been longer! Example: if you played Legend of Dragoon for 2 weeks, perhaps you made it to the 2nd disc by then. Play this game for 2 weeks and you'll complete it!

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great, great game, October 9, 2002

By 

Michael A. Nicholls (Hazel Park, MI United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Summoner 2 (Video Game)

I played the first Summoner and loved it. (Had some flaws, but still great.)
The improvements to this game are outstanding. The spell / item / quest item menu is a great improvement. I was beat by the first Boss, but that is why I liked it. You have to change your fighting style to kill the Boss. I went all the way thru Baldur Gate without dying (That is why I think that game was graphically great, but game play just does not cut it.) Summoner 2, the HUGH amount of quest is great. I like that you can stop the "Storyline" and get a break with some other quest. The choice of 8 different characters might be a little negative, due to you have Eight characters to "level-up", but that is small in my book. I like the VAST difference of each character. They are not just a `little' different, but completely different. Do not get me wrong, there are certain abilities that run between some, and others have very unique abilities. This game is not a hack and slash game, but a "thinkers" game.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Summoner2 is the reason I bought my PS2, November 21, 2003

By 

"zephy01" (New Zealand) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Summoner 2 (Video Game)

I loved this game! I was heart broken after playing Summoner 1 to learn that Summoner 2 was only going to be released on Playstation. So I saved up and bought one, played Summoner 2 and loved it.
You know all about the plot the graphics and the stlye of play. All I can add to it is that's it's not as bad as some have portrayed it. The graphics are kewl, the music is magical, the characters are stunning in their own right and the story is one of the best I've encountered. The plot twists and turns and leaves you wondering, right to the end.
The choice of characters can be a little daunting, but you can soon pick up which character is suited to what task and under what conditions he/she is best suited. Again, I liked the stealth and backstab ability of the thief character Sangril.
Like Summoner 1 there're side quests aplenty and they all add xp, so by the time the Boss Battles come you're ready to give them a challenge. The side quests do actually tie into the plot, and they're not the usual fed-x type of go there, speak to 'Name', get 'item' and return to beginning. You visit some amazing places and talk to some interesting people(?).
Like Summmoner 1, each character is suited to a particular part of the game and you'll often find your character alone or in the company of one other who sometimes don't get along, which I thought was a good touch.
Again, the chain combat system came into play, which I liked. The challenge of getting a good rhythm going is a hard one, but once mastered you should be able to defeat most enemies before they get a chance to hit you.
I'll be playing Summoner 2 again this summer and as I'm still trying to figure out the story, so I'll probably be going back more than once.