Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner
Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner (Japanese title Anubis: Zone of the Enders) is a video game that was developed and published by Konami for the PlayStation 2 in 2003. The sequel to Zone of the Enders, the game was produced by, and is closely associated with, Hideo Kojima. The game is based around mecha combat. The mechas were designed by Yoji Shinkawa, also the character and mechanical designer for the Metal Gear Solid series. The sequel picks up where the last game left off. The controls and graphics are improved to enhance the gameplay. Although instead of going city to city like the first installment, the sequel will be divided into sections, one after each boss. A variety of weapons have been added to the game. This definitely gives an edge to the sequel.
MechasJehuty: An Orbital Frame secretly developed on the space colony on Jupiter's orbit. It has escaped the attacks of BAHRAM 2 years ago, thanks to Leo Stenbuck. But it has been lost since. Dingo discovers Jehuty on Jupiter's satellite Callisto. It is considered the mech that controls the fate of the entire human race. Jehuty's normal form of attack are energy blasts fired from its hands. These can be either small bolts, a spread of beams that can home in on the enemy, or a huge, powerful ball of energy that can be hurled at a target. Jehuty also has a blade attached to its right elbow that can be swung forward over the hand for close combat. Jehuty can also download attack programs that give it additional weapons.
When Jehuty is upgraded by Lloyd, it gets even more powerful, and gains three "bits', which also fire at enemies, and can help attack enemies in close combat. It can also use powerful weapons such as the Vector Cannon, and gains the abilty to Zero Shift, compressing and releasing space in order to move great distances instantly. - Anubis: The strongest Orbital Frame controlled by Nohman. A twin mech developed along with Jehuty.
Anibus' abilities are similar to Jehuty's, only much more powerful. In addition, it is able to Zero Shift. - Ardjet: Orbital Frame piloted by Ken. Comes with a tough exterior armor. Ardjet is primarily armed with wisps, small remote drones that can act as missiles or grab onto an orbital frame or other target.
- Vic Viper: Mech piloted by Leo. Morphs into humanoid mode and flight mode. the Vic Viper, also known as the V2, is not an Orbital Frame, but is an extremely powerful LEV, capable of nearly matching the more powerful Frames in combat.
Vic Viper is patterned off of the ship in the Gradius series, and it's weapons reflect that. Aside from the Gauntlet subweapon, all of it's weapons used in flight mode are powerups used by ships in the Gradius series(missiles, lasers, Ripple beams, and Options). - Nephtis: Orbital Frame piloted by the Viola A.I. An enhanced version of the Orbital Frame Neith piloted by the original Viola.
- Inhert: Lloyd's prototype frame. Unlike conventional Orbital Frames, the cockpit is at the head. It uses magnetic rays in its powertrain. Its armor consists of a special gel (the black substance on the surface).
- LEV Phantoma: A UNSF military LEV.It was the strongest of mechs until BAHRAM Orbital Frames were invented. Now it is an out-of-date mech that cannot match Orbital Frames at all.
- Zakat: BAHRAM's gigantic Orbital Frame for destroying bases. It played a central role in BAHRAM's overtaking of Mars. It is controlled by 4 runners. Zakat is spherical in overall shape, armed with a powerful shield and multiple beam cannons.
Characters
- Dingo Egret
An ice miner on Jupiter's satellite Callisto.
A former member of BAHRAM, Dino disappeared after his unit was wiped out in a UNSF ambush. He passes his days as an ice miner around Jupiter's moons, until he finds the hidden Orbital Frame Jehuty.
Just as he finds the Frame, BAHRAM does as well, and attacks the mining operation to retrieve it. Dingo activates Jehuty and takes it into battle, wiping out the BAHRAM drones and driving off Ardjet. He infiltrates the BAHRAM battleship, but is defeated by Anubis and Nephitis. Outside of their orbital frames, Nohman tries to get him to join him once more, but Dingo refuses and Noman shoots him. Dingo wakes up several weeks later in the cockpit of Jehuty, hard-wired into it's life-suppourt system. Ken Marinaris, claiming to be a UNSF spy, asks him to help the UNSF stop BAHRAM. - Nohman Commander of BAHRAM. He pursues the project of completing "Aumaan" -- the invincible military fortress to secure the victory of BAHRAM. He is the frame runner who pilots "Anubis".
In truth, Nohman has no desire to liberate or conquer Mars. His ultimate plan is to destroy humanity, and the entire solar system with. Aumaan is just the weapon to do that. - Ken Marinaris Ken Marinaris is an Orbital Frame runner who claims to be a spy for the UNSF. She pilots the Orbital Frame Ardjet, and is the first to battle against Dingo and Jehuty on Callisto. When Dingo is seriously wounded by Nohman, Ken revives him and hides his body. As the BAHRAM fleet returns to Mars, she has him wired into Jehuty's systems, and convinces him to help her fight against BAHRAM.
In actuality, Ken is no spy, she is in fact a normal BAHRAM OF runner, but found herself disagreeing with Nohman's motives and methods. - Leo Stenbuck Leo Stenbuck was a boy living on Antillia, a space colony orbiting the planet Jupiter, when an attack on the colony by BAHRAM leaves most of his friends dead and himself accidentially in the cockpit of the Orbital Frame Jehuty. Leo found himself having to fight his way across the colony to the safety of a waiting UNSF ship, doing a lot of growing up on the way.
Two years later, Leo is still fighting for the UNSF, this time in the cockpit of the Vic Viper. He is surprised and angered to find Dingo with Jehuty on mars, and quickly attacks him in an attempt to retrieve his old Frame. - Viola AI An Artificial Intelligence based on the battle abilities and thought patterns of Viola, a BAHRAM officer who died fighting against Leo and Jehuty during the incedent on Antillia. She almost never speaks, and seems to have been programmed with a hatred or obsession with Jehuty.
- A.D.A. The AI built into Jehuty. Before the battles on Antillia, A.D.A. was cold and mostly emotionless, but quickly warmed up to her young pilot, who was a great influence on her. She is helpful to both Leo and Dingo, and will often help them in battle by managing Jehuty's weapons.
A.D.A. cares a lot for Leo, a fact that Dingo often teases her about. In return, she. teases him about his interactions with Ken Marinaris. When Jehuty was captured by the UNSF, A.D.A. was given a single directive: To make her way into the fortress Aumaan, and destroy it by self-destructing Jehuty. Leo hid Jehuty on Callisto in an attempt to prevent her from doing so. - Lloyd Runner who pilots Inhert. A BAHRAM scientist who conducts research on Orbital Frames.
He's worked with Dingo when Dingo was a BAHRAM test pilot. While having doubts about BAHRAM's dictatorship, he does serve BAHRAM loyally. He has the key to filling in the gap between the performances of Jehuty and Anubis. - Taper A UNSF soldier who somehow finds his way onto BAHRAM's battleship. Ken tries to have Dingo use him as a contact with the UNSF.
Taper is a loyal soldier, but is probably too panic-prone for his own good.
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