The jump in art style between the First/Second Encounter and this game is HUGE.
The Encounters focused on getting stuff bloody, while 2 is a little tamer. In comparison, the charm hasn't changed at all, though. You'll still find yourself having fun destroying waves of enemies to good soundtracks. For 2005, the graphics are pretty impressive. Characters are all modeled to be cartoony in one way or another, but the real eye candy is the backgrounds.

Hell, if SS4 gets the same cartoony treatment, I wouldn't be mad at all. Croteam proves that they have the guts to experiment.

Just don't be like me and expect that a few enemies is the end of a fight. I'm the type to get driven by story, but this franchise gets driven by soft bullet hell.

The jump in art style between the First/Second Encounter and this game is HUGE. The Encounters focused on getting stuff bloody, while 2 is a little tamer. In comparison, the charm hasn't changed at all, though. You'll still find yourself having fun destroying waves of enemies to good soundtracks. For 2005, the graphics are pretty impressive. Characters are all modeled to be cartoony in one way or another, but the real eye candy is the backgrounds. Hell, if SS4 gets the same cartoony treatment, I wouldn't be mad at all. Croteam proves that they have the guts to experiment. Just don't be like me and expect that a few enemies is the end of a fight. I'm the type to get driven by story, but this franchise gets driven by soft bullet hell.