A Crypto worth investing in
By Paul Hunter
THQ Nordic and Black Forest Games revived the Destroy All Humans! IP two years ago with a remake of the original cult classic on PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC. It was a solid entry that focused on revamping the graphics for a new generation while subtly tweaking the gameplay and mission structure for the better.
This summer, the duo is back with Destroy All Humans! 2 - Reprobed, a remake of the much better second game on current-gen platforms, PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC. The sequel takes a similar approach to the previous remake: most of the updates are graphical, although minor updates were also made to the gameplay, UI, cutscenes and mission flow. Let's dig in and get the probing underway, here are three things I liked about the game...and two I didn't.
Destroy All Humans! 2 gets right into the hilarity with you playing as Cryptosporidium-138 (a.k.a. Crypto-138), the first alien Furon to have 'fully-functioning' genitalia, referred to in-game as "The Package". Seeing the Furon empire as a threat, the Soviet Union destroys their Mothership with a nuclear missile, killing Orthopox-13, a highly-intelligent Furon and Crypto's superior. Fortunately, Pox was able to download his consciousness before being killed, and along with Crypto, they hatch a scheme to destroy the Russian KGB.
It's an absurd opening, yes, but nothing compared to the ridiculous dialogue and missions that follow in this 15-hour adventure. You'll undertake silly missions like battling a militant hippie named Coyote Bongwater, fly around in your saucer hypnotizing humans into joining your alien Arkvoodle cult, anal probing the lead KGB agent Ivan Oranchov, levitating ninjas to smash them into Japanese gongs, and, of course, spend a least a dozen missions trying to woo the voluptuous rogue KGB agent, Natalya Ivanova.
Amping up the chuckles is how during cutscenes you're often given dialogue options, and they're intentionally designed to go one step too far. Crypto is a gruff and violent alien and conversations lean into this hard: You're often given the option to insult whoever you're talking to, which Crypto does in creative ways, and then you can usually opt to continue degrading them, totally derailing the conversation. You can also demand humans to beg and worship you, threaten to turn them into monkey pies, ask for 'venus butterfly' sexual favours, or threaten to disintegrate them with your wide array of advanced weaponry. If you're into crude jokes and satirical humour, this game has both on lock.
Even better, the cutscenes have been redone with new, more cinematic angles and close-ups. The lip-syncing is also improved and specific story beats have been slightly changed to improve the narrative flow. The characters now have a more cartoonish appearance, which I think better fits the game's goofy nature, although I do foresee some fans preferring the more serious original looks.
The gameplay sees improvements, too, such as Crypto's jetpack lasting longer and his flying saucer having greater maneuverability. The user interface has been cleaned up as well, including your weapon info being moved to the bottom right corner right next to the new telekinesis power button prompt reminders. Menus have also been organized for faster navigation.
Crypto's arsenal also receives upgrades, such as how the Dislocator gun now comically makes enemies bounce around, taking damage with each slam and harming anything they smash into. The Free Love spell, which makes humans erupt into a hypnotized dance party, is now glasses that Crypto wears and can be used on everyone. And finally, the Meteor Shower gun now produces a huge city-block-wide shower of space rocks, instead of one big rock in the original game. All weapons can be enhanced using the redone weapon upgrade trees, which can unlock enhanced powers not seen in the PS2 version.
Reprobed even refreshes the look of Crypto's many cosmetic suits—and features all new ones. There are dozens of hilarious outfits you can unlock by completing missions and their side objective, including a pumpkin helmet, a hazmat suit, hippie attire, an evil clown mask, and even a full Elvis impersonator get-up. Even better, whatever suit you pick is reflected in the cutscenes. There's nothing like threatening to kill the human race while wearing a pink rainbow unicorn suit called "Mr. Sparkle Butt". I'm not even kidding!
By the midpoint of the story, you'll get a range of comedy weapons, including the classic anal probe that makes humans grab their butts until their brain stems pop out. Then there's my favourite gun in the game—the Gastro Gun—that deploys a holographic version of Gastro (the Furon Mothership's janitor) who flies around blasting enemies. Much like Ratchet & Clank's Mr. Zurkon, Gastro is super chatty and loves hurling insults or bragging about all the humans he's killing.
Eventually, the campaign will start throwing heavily fortified enemies at you, including tanks, armoured missile launchers and bipedal mechs. But don't worry because Crypto's arsenal expands to include high-powered weapons ready to take on the toughest opponents. For instance, there's the Ion Detonator that's on a timer and explodes with AoE damage, or you can grab it with your PK levitation and lob it at enemies for an instant explosion. If you have the patience to complete the multi-mission Arkvoodle sidequest, your reward is the Burrow Beast, a weapon that calls upon a monstrously hungry underground worm demon that devours humans like they're corner store candies.
Combining all these weapons (and more!) together is where the real fun of Reprobed's combat lies. You can summon Gastro and the Burrow Beast to join you in battle at the same time, while you unleash additional chaos with your zapper gun and disintegrator ray. Or you can do silly things like get an entire army base dancing to 60's disco while you call in a meteor strike to wipe out all the hypnotized idiots.
Crypto can also his PK in absurd ways, like having all the humans battling you suddenly forget that you're the enemy. Or you can lure a KGB agent around a corner, use PK to snatch their body, and then walk right into a Russian base pretending to be one of them. If you're feeling particularly devious you can even PK enemies to make their brains explode, and even better, the humans are 'contagious' and make their nearby buddies' brains pop as well. There are so many creative ways to destroy all humans and experimenting with your weapons and PK powers is the best way to take them out in a silly or sinister fashion.
The game has other annoying bugs too, like how your proximity sensor, used to locate collectibles, often just randomly decides not to work. To fix this, I figured out that you can reload the current map, but I had to do this at least 20-plus times because the proximity sensor failed all the time. Ugh!
Thankfully, the remake has added four difficulty levels so you can tweak the challenge to your liking. Veteran is the default setting, but you can choose Recruit for an easier time or Mercenary and Conqueror for even bigger challenges.
Final Score: 7.5/10 - Good
Developer: Black Forest Games
Publisher: THQ Nordic
Genre: Action
Modes: Single-player, Multiplayer
ESRB Rating: T (Teen)
A key was provided by the publisher.
By Paul Hunter
THQ Nordic and Black Forest Games revived the Destroy All Humans! IP two years ago with a remake of the original cult classic on PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC. It was a solid entry that focused on revamping the graphics for a new generation while subtly tweaking the gameplay and mission structure for the better.
This summer, the duo is back with Destroy All Humans! 2 - Reprobed, a remake of the much better second game on current-gen platforms, PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC. The sequel takes a similar approach to the previous remake: most of the updates are graphical, although minor updates were also made to the gameplay, UI, cutscenes and mission flow. Let's dig in and get the probing underway, here are three things I liked about the game...and two I didn't.
Liked: The Potty Humour
I think the humour in Destroy All Humans! 2 is laugh-out-loud funny, but also recognize it'll be polarizing. After all, this is a 2006 game packed with offensive and cringeworthy dialogue from a bygone era where penis jokes and sexually-charged innuendos were all the rage. The bottom line is if you played and enjoyed the original game you'll surely laugh your butt off revisiting the hilarious one-liners Reprobed regularly doles out. Newcomers though might be shocked at just how edgy games were fifteen years ago!Destroy All Humans! 2 gets right into the hilarity with you playing as Cryptosporidium-138 (a.k.a. Crypto-138), the first alien Furon to have 'fully-functioning' genitalia, referred to in-game as "The Package". Seeing the Furon empire as a threat, the Soviet Union destroys their Mothership with a nuclear missile, killing Orthopox-13, a highly-intelligent Furon and Crypto's superior. Fortunately, Pox was able to download his consciousness before being killed, and along with Crypto, they hatch a scheme to destroy the Russian KGB.
It's an absurd opening, yes, but nothing compared to the ridiculous dialogue and missions that follow in this 15-hour adventure. You'll undertake silly missions like battling a militant hippie named Coyote Bongwater, fly around in your saucer hypnotizing humans into joining your alien Arkvoodle cult, anal probing the lead KGB agent Ivan Oranchov, levitating ninjas to smash them into Japanese gongs, and, of course, spend a least a dozen missions trying to woo the voluptuous rogue KGB agent, Natalya Ivanova.
Amping up the chuckles is how during cutscenes you're often given dialogue options, and they're intentionally designed to go one step too far. Crypto is a gruff and violent alien and conversations lean into this hard: You're often given the option to insult whoever you're talking to, which Crypto does in creative ways, and then you can usually opt to continue degrading them, totally derailing the conversation. You can also demand humans to beg and worship you, threaten to turn them into monkey pies, ask for 'venus butterfly' sexual favours, or threaten to disintegrate them with your wide array of advanced weaponry. If you're into crude jokes and satirical humour, this game has both on lock.
Liked: The Enhancements
Black Forest Games did an excellent job modernizing Destroy All Humans! 2, in particular the graphical fresh coat of paint. You can see how big the upgrade is by looking at YouTube comparisons (like this one) showing the PS2 version vs. Reprobed. A night and day improvement. The remake features remade character models, all-new high-res textures, greatly enhanced foliage and urban density, plus an excellent day/night lighting cycle.Even better, the cutscenes have been redone with new, more cinematic angles and close-ups. The lip-syncing is also improved and specific story beats have been slightly changed to improve the narrative flow. The characters now have a more cartoonish appearance, which I think better fits the game's goofy nature, although I do foresee some fans preferring the more serious original looks.
The gameplay sees improvements, too, such as Crypto's jetpack lasting longer and his flying saucer having greater maneuverability. The user interface has been cleaned up as well, including your weapon info being moved to the bottom right corner right next to the new telekinesis power button prompt reminders. Menus have also been organized for faster navigation.
Crypto's arsenal also receives upgrades, such as how the Dislocator gun now comically makes enemies bounce around, taking damage with each slam and harming anything they smash into. The Free Love spell, which makes humans erupt into a hypnotized dance party, is now glasses that Crypto wears and can be used on everyone. And finally, the Meteor Shower gun now produces a huge city-block-wide shower of space rocks, instead of one big rock in the original game. All weapons can be enhanced using the redone weapon upgrade trees, which can unlock enhanced powers not seen in the PS2 version.
Reprobed even refreshes the look of Crypto's many cosmetic suits—and features all new ones. There are dozens of hilarious outfits you can unlock by completing missions and their side objective, including a pumpkin helmet, a hazmat suit, hippie attire, an evil clown mask, and even a full Elvis impersonator get-up. Even better, whatever suit you pick is reflected in the cutscenes. There's nothing like threatening to kill the human race while wearing a pink rainbow unicorn suit called "Mr. Sparkle Butt". I'm not even kidding!
Liked: Weapon Variety
Similar to Sony's Ratchet & Clank series, Destroy All Humans! is all about the weapon variety. This second entry features a plethora of funny and devastating weapons that are a total blast to use. Your starter weapon is the trusty Zap-O-Matic electrical stun gun that can chain to multiple humans and wipe out a whole squad fast. Early on you also obtain the improved version of the Dislocator that can make humans, or even cars, bounce around while damaging itself and everything it smashes into. And, of course, Crypto has his Free Love ray that makes humans break out into an impromptu dance party, complete with psychedelic disco ball lighting and hilarious club music.By the midpoint of the story, you'll get a range of comedy weapons, including the classic anal probe that makes humans grab their butts until their brain stems pop out. Then there's my favourite gun in the game—the Gastro Gun—that deploys a holographic version of Gastro (the Furon Mothership's janitor) who flies around blasting enemies. Much like Ratchet & Clank's Mr. Zurkon, Gastro is super chatty and loves hurling insults or bragging about all the humans he's killing.
Eventually, the campaign will start throwing heavily fortified enemies at you, including tanks, armoured missile launchers and bipedal mechs. But don't worry because Crypto's arsenal expands to include high-powered weapons ready to take on the toughest opponents. For instance, there's the Ion Detonator that's on a timer and explodes with AoE damage, or you can grab it with your PK levitation and lob it at enemies for an instant explosion. If you have the patience to complete the multi-mission Arkvoodle sidequest, your reward is the Burrow Beast, a weapon that calls upon a monstrously hungry underground worm demon that devours humans like they're corner store candies.
Combining all these weapons (and more!) together is where the real fun of Reprobed's combat lies. You can summon Gastro and the Burrow Beast to join you in battle at the same time, while you unleash additional chaos with your zapper gun and disintegrator ray. Or you can do silly things like get an entire army base dancing to 60's disco while you call in a meteor strike to wipe out all the hypnotized idiots.
Crypto can also his PK in absurd ways, like having all the humans battling you suddenly forget that you're the enemy. Or you can lure a KGB agent around a corner, use PK to snatch their body, and then walk right into a Russian base pretending to be one of them. If you're feeling particularly devious you can even PK enemies to make their brains explode, and even better, the humans are 'contagious' and make their nearby buddies' brains pop as well. There are so many creative ways to destroy all humans and experimenting with your weapons and PK powers is the best way to take them out in a silly or sinister fashion.
Didn't Like: The Crashes and Bugs
As fun as Destroy All Humans! 2 is, it makes one unforgivable mistake: way too many hard crashes. The game hard crashed on me virtually every time I played it, at least a dozen times over the 15-hour campaign. Thankfully the game frequently auto-saves so I never did lose much progress, but still, it makes for an awful experience. Every time I had to reboot the game from scratch. What sucks, too, is you can often anticipate when the crashes are about to happen because the gameplay slows to a crawl. Knowing that yet another crash was imminent was just so infuriating.The game has other annoying bugs too, like how your proximity sensor, used to locate collectibles, often just randomly decides not to work. To fix this, I figured out that you can reload the current map, but I had to do this at least 20-plus times because the proximity sensor failed all the time. Ugh!
Didn't Like: Poor Enemy AI
Another downside is how bad the enemy AI is. Humans will walk straight into your Zap-O-Matic blasts and die quick deaths, and since the gun recharges in seconds you're essentially invincible as long as you're not totally reckless. In the developer's defence, the AI is faithful to the original game, but it's been 15 years since and we expect enemies to be more than just fodder these days. Also infuriating is how huge the difficulty spike is in the final two areas, which makes the first three zones feel like child's play.Thankfully, the remake has added four difficulty levels so you can tweak the challenge to your liking. Veteran is the default setting, but you can choose Recruit for an easier time or Mercenary and Conqueror for even bigger challenges.
The Verdict
Destroy All Humans! 2 - Reprobed is a saucy game full of foul-mouthed characters and silly antics. Fans of the original, which I'm definitely one of, will love this new remake that totally revamps the graphics while retaining the classic gameplay. It was a blast (literally!) revisiting this world-hopping cult hit with a slick new look. It's too bad the game is so bug-ridden though as those moments stunk of serious Ark-doo-doo. Still, with probing this fun, I was easily compelled to see this invasive operation all the way through.Final Score: 7.5/10 - Good
Destroy All Humans! 2 - Reprobed details
Platform: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PCDeveloper: Black Forest Games
Publisher: THQ Nordic
Genre: Action
Modes: Single-player, Multiplayer
ESRB Rating: T (Teen)
A key was provided by the publisher.