Video Game Review: Andro Dunos II

Developer: Picorinne Soft

Publisher: Just For Games

Genre: Shoot ‘Em Up

Reviewed For: Nintendo Switch

Also Available On: PC, PlayStation 4

There is certainly a respectable amount of shoot ’em ups on the Nintendo Switch. Whether players are looking for modern takes, bullet hells, or retro expereinces, there is something for everyone. Andro Dunos II offers an interesting experience that pulls upon classic arcade experiences while giving players something new.

Andro Dunos II is a sequel to the 1992 scrolling shooter Andro Dunos. It’s been 20 years since the original release, so this sequel is somewhat surprising. This is especially because the original Andro Dunos wasn’t anything special. The franchise isn’t a househouse name like R-Type or Gradius, so seeing it revived is certainly odd. Still, developer Picorrine Soft makes the most of the game’s little recognition and small budget to make a sequel better than the original arcade game.

At a glance, Andro Dunos II looks fairly generic, and when it comes to presnetation, maybe it is. Players take on the role of a pilot flying the Yellow Cherry as they fight in a war against an alien race. Everything from the visuals to the setting looks like it comes from the 90s.

Like the original, players have access to four weapons. There are some improvements made to the weapon structure this time around, as players can slowly gain access to upgrades as they blow up aliens. After finishing levels, players can decide what weapons to upgrade, allowing them to tweak their ship to their liking. While the customization is nice, it’s disappointing that there isn’t more variety when it comes to weapons.

The core gameplay loop is entertaining throughout. Players will go through a stage horizontally, blow everything up, beat a boss, and continue. The game has a fair amount of challenge, but isn’t as brutal as some of its peers are. It’s more accessible than one would think just by looking at the presentation. The level design is fantastic, and there is rarely a dull or poorly made section in any of the stages. The campaign from start to finish is well made.

The 90s aesthetics all come together thanks to the soundtrack by Allister Brimble. The style of both the era and the original game are both present here, with tunes that players will likely hum as they fly through space.

Andro Dunos II does suffer from a few shortcomings in addition to the little variety in guns. The controls can feel clunky, and there isn’t much way of tweaking them either. There also aren’t competitive features like leaderboards, making this a game that won’t have much replaybility for some players. It completely leans on what inspires it, and while that will excite fans of the genre, it doesn’t do much for newcomers. Still, this is one of the better horizontal shoot ’em ups to come out of the last couple of years. It’s worth checking out.