Runner2, also known as Bit.Trip Presents… Runner2: Future Legend of Rhythm Alien, is a side-scrolling platformer video game created by Gaijin Games in 2013. It serves as a direct continuation of the game Bit.Trip Runner.

Gameplay

Runner2 consists of five distinct worlds, each comprising of fourteen ordinary levels and five additional stages, making up a total of ninety-five different stages. The main objective throughout each level is to guide the chosen character to the end of each level unharmed, without hitting any obstacles or falling off the screen. The character runs automatically, and to reach the finishing line safely, the player must perform a range of actions, both simple and complex. These actions include jumping, sliding, kicking, hanging from rails, deflecting projectiles with a shield, and slide-kicking. Although most obstacles require the player to perform a specific action to survive (like jumping over ground-based enemies, sliding under hovering enemies or fireballs, or kicking stop-sign walls), the player can either deflect square “beat” blocks to earn points or slide under them.

Story

Runner2 takes place directly after BIT.TRIP RUNNER and right before BIT.TRIP FATE. As Commander Video and his friends are chasing Timbletot into the Hyper Sphere, Timbletot shoots them with a Reality Unfusion Beam. Commander Video, shielding his allies gets teleported to an unknown dimension.

How long is Runner2?

When it comes to the core goals, Runner2 has a duration of approximately 6 and a half hours. For gamers who aim to explore every aspect of the game, it would take around 25 hours to achieve full completion.

Reception

Runner2 received favorable reviews from various sources. IGN described it as one of the best music games ever created and noted how the synchronization between the music and gameplay can be mesmerizing. GameSpot also praised the game’s soundtrack and gameplay, highlighting how players can react instinctually with button presses. Neal Ronaghan of the Nintendo World Report commented on the game’s exceptional graphics and gameplay, calling it one of the top side-scrolling platformers in recent times.

By March 2014, over a million units of the game had been sold.