Destroy All Humans! 2 – Reprobed
Game Reviews | Sep 21st, 2022
Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Windows (Reviewed on Xbox Series X)
Developer: Black Forest Games
Publisher: THQ Nordic
Genre: Action/Adventure
Rating: Teen
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Two years after releasing the amazing remaster of the first “Destroy All Humans!”, THQ Nordic and Black Forest Games have teamed up once again to bring the wacky probing action of Crypto and friends to modern consoles with the release of “Destroy All Humans! 2 – Reprobed”.
Continuing with the trend of remastered releases with modern quality fixes, THQ Nordic does a masterful job with the best rerelease to date. The original sequel overall was superior to the original game in many ways. New abilities like body snatching, new weapons, globe-spanning adventures and the introduction of characters such as Natalya Ivanova and Reginald Ponsonby-Smythe added depths to missions as well as added humor for Crypto to bounce his *ahem* wits against. Couch co-op is back in “Reprobed” but I was a little disappointed that online co-op was not added as a feature since the game was rebuilt from the ground up, but that seems to be the trend nowadays with retro remakes.
After the protagonist of the first game dies (Crypto 137), Cryptosporidium-138 (137s clone) takes his place and continues posing as the President of the United States. Learning of the Furon Empire and their presence on earth and fearing the alien threat, the KGB destroys the Furon mothership with a nuclear missile. Crypto 138 must fight off the KGB around the globe and get revenge for the destruction of his mothership with the help of hippies, Russian super spies, his superior officer Pox and alien-worshipping ninjas to name a few.
As I mentioned before, “Destroy All Humans! 2” was a great sequel that added upon the groundwork of the first game, and “Reprobed” really looks and feels superior once again. While one of the marks against “Reprobed” is that the missions are repetitive at times and the action sequences and overall destruction aren’t as abundant as in the first game, seeking out side quests helps to alleviate these issues if you take the time to find them.
While the game is titled “Destroy All Humans!”, I like the fact that Crypto starts to enjoy the company of the monkeys he was sent to destroy. With a 60s setting that spans cities similar to San Francisco, London and Tokyo…the pop culture references, goofy NPCs and zany unlockable outfits fill the game with just the right kind of childish humor although a warning does appear pre-game to warn you that some of it may be dated. Us 90s kids apologize for that. Sorry.
It was an absolute blast to revisit “Destroy All Humans! 2 – Reprobed”. It’s been nearly two decades since playing the original, and I can still say how much fun this game is and how it’s not as frustrating at times as the first game. The freedom of a less linear open world feel to the levels and mission structure as well as the new cast of friends and foes for Crypto to interact with adds much more depth to the game. Built with the Unreal Engine, “Reprobed” looks fantastic and plays great on the Xbox Series X. The attention to detail in everything from era specific clothing to detailed rhinestones in the glasses of the Elvis costume is top notch. Black Forest Games outdid themselves once again.
If you’re looking to waste some time as a murderous globe-trotting horny alien seeking revenge for the death and destruction of his friends and mothership, “Destroy All Humans! 2 – Reprobed” is your game. It’s great seeing these underrated games get the modern love and care that they deserve and we still have a couple more “Destroy All Humans!” games out there just waiting to be remastered. Also, the world absolutely deserves a brand new game or games in the franchise. The 80s and 90s still need to be destroyed.
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