Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner

The sequel to Zone of the Enders is based on mecha battles, with the player once again controlling the "Orbital Frame" Jehuty. Unlike its predecessor, the game now focuses on action elements. The player doesn't have to protect civilians in distress, and instead Jehuty has more weapons than in the previous game. The plot takes place two years after the events from Zone of the Enders and focuses on Dingo Egret, a former member of the Martian military organization BAHRAM, whose leader Ridley "Nohman" Hardiman wants back with him. Nohman shoots Dingo after his refusal, but agent Ken Marinaris saves Dingo by linking his body to Jehuty and forcing him to work to defeat BAHRAM. The game had a new director, Shuyo Murata, whom producer Hideo Kojima appointed to offer a different experience. The team worked to take into account the criticism that the original Zone of the Enders had received, which led The 2nd Runner to include more action elements. The game received generally positive reviews due to the improvements compared to its predecessor. The critics praised the game's graphics and gameplay elements, but criticized its short length and presentation. Despite the critics' positive reactions, the game sold only moderately. North America and Japan received the regular ZOE2 version, but the regular edition of ZOE2 was never released in Europe. Europe received the ZOE2 Special Edition directly.