In this game, the mazes for the dungeons are randomly-generated, though certain portions have specific patterns, such as the mazes and rooms in Cid's tower. This means that each time the player enters the same dungeon, the path through the maze will be different, although the same items and monsters will be encountered. Though the game is an overhead 2D adventure, there are occasionally 3D cutscenes. There is a vast array of items that the player can discover. In the beginning of the game, Chocobo can only carry a few items. If he dies in the dungeon, the player loses all accumulated items and must start over. As the game progresses, the player will be able to rent storage space in town and send extra items there. Items in storage are not lost if the character dies. Chocobo can be equipped with various saddles for armor, and strap-on claws for weapons. Chocobo also has the ability to cast magic spells. There are also special furnaces where the player can forge unique weapons and Recycle Boxes where the player can combine items to get a new, randomly produced item. However, the result can sometimes poison the Chocobo, as the result of the combination is random. There are also feathers which provide various special abilities. Items can also be bought and sold in town. Combat is conducted in a turn-based manner, with player and enemy alternating, and the players Chocobo and allies can strike in any of eight different directions. There are several secondary characters, most of which will be recognizable to Final Fantasy veterans, including Final Fantasy mainstay Cid, a young white mage girl, Shiroma, and Mog, a moogle. Chocobo can also assume the form of some of the monsters from the game if he steps on certain traps. Deeper dungeons become more colorful and more powerful spells are obtainable. If the player lets the credits run at the end of the game, he or she will then be given the ability to play a new form of the game where it is possible to play any of the dungeons as one of the support characters. This second playthrough also has a secret dungeon with 30 levels.
Development and Release
announced Chocobo's Dungeon 2 in July 1998, alongside plans to release the game that December. Chocobo's Mysterious Dungeon, the game's predecessor, had been released the previous year. Chocobo's Dungeon 2 became the first Mystery Dungeon title released outside Japan. IGN was surprised that the word “mysterious” was removed from the title, and wonderered why the game was being released in America as the previous title had moderate sales in Japan, and the original had never been released at all outside Japan. They also noted that it seemed to generate the least amount of “fanfare” or press attention of Square’s announcements at the 1999 Tokyo Game Show. Longtime Chocobo character designer Toshiyuki Itahana made designs and models for the protagonist of Chocobo’s Dungeon 2. The music was composed by Kenji Ito, and was well reviewed by RPGFan, saying the music was lighthearted, enjoyable, and no tracks were “skippable”. On release, the game came packed with demos of game such as Parasite Eve or Bushido Blade 2. A version of the game was planned for the Wonderswan Color, but was never released.
Story
Characters
There are many characters in Chocobo's Dungeon 2, and each of them helps Chocobo in a different way at one point in the game. For example, Mrs. Bomb lets Chocobo stay at her house. Some characters join Chocobo and can be controlled by a second player or the AI. These include Mog, Shiroma, and Cid. There are also characters that Chocobo can summon by collecting feathers, such as Titan, Sylph, Ramuh and Bahamut.
Setting
Chocobo's Dungeon 2 is mostly based in a village. There is a beach near the village and a vast sea. Towering over the village is a large tower covered in ivy, Cid's Tower. North of the village is a huge forest, a swamp and a looming mountain, Snow Mountain. When progressing through the game, the overworld changes a few times.
Plot
At the start of the game, Mog takes Chocobo treasure hunting. They enter a monster-filled dungeon and Mog flicks a switch that separates him from Chocobo. Chocobo then meets the white mage Shiroma. She claims she has important work to do in the dungeon and leaves. Then Chocobo enters the dungeon again and finds Shiroma again. Shiroma decides to help Chocobo find his friend Mog. They succeed but due to Mogs greed he ends up sinking the dungeon into the sea and destroying Shiromas home forcing them to go to a nearby village where Shiroma's "Aunt Bomb" lets Mog and Chocobo stay. However, Shiroma is then kidnapped and it's up to Chocobo to save her. Chocobo gets the help of the local inventor Cid after helping him clear out the imps taking over his tower.
Reception
Chocobo's Dungeon 2 was received with generally negative reviews, such as IGN calling the game "boring", and saying that "It lacks just about every feature that is important in a masterful role-playing experience". GameSpot praised the game's graphical design, calling it endearing, and praising the game's replayability. GameFan called the game “slow paced, drab, and gloomy”, saying the gameplay is repetitive and boring and describing the dungeons as mono-colored. Chris Charla reviewed the game for Next Generation and stated that "If you're looking for something new, look elsewhere. If you're looking for something classic done with more advanced graphics, you've found it." Famitsu Weekly rated Chocobo’s Dungeon 2 as the 53rd best PlayStation game in November of 2000.
Legacy
designers considered basing Chocobo's Mystery Dungeon Every Buddy! around Chocobo's Dungeon 2, as it was cited as one of the more popular Chocobo Dungeon games in the series. The enemy creature Skull Hammer was incorporated into the PlayStation 4 sequel Chocobo's Mystery Dungeon Every Buddy!.
