Although it's over before you realize it, Giga Wing 2 is a fun experience and an admirable successor to the first game.
War has erupted between the world's Union government and the Serbenian Republic. With sinister, unearthly motives, the Republican army is able to consolidate much of its military power through means of a mysterious artifact known simply as "the Ark". Fearing the catastrophic implications of such a device, five young ace pilots have been called forth to stop the Republic by any means necessary and route the source of the Ark's destructive power. While the story is in no way related to the original game, it nonetheless shares its unique distinction from most other arcade shooters by giving the player a reason to bruise their thumbs. In other words, you're not only selecting between five different fighter planes (each with their own individual characteristics); you're also choosing which story to follow for the fighter pilot that mans the cockpit; seeing your way through as many as ten endings. If you can forgive the clumsy translation and cardboard characters, you can at least take in the interesting plot and the pretzel twist at the very end of it.
The gameplay draws obvious similarities to the original game. Each ship comes packed with their standard, upgradeable weapons and bombs, but when screen-flooding bullets become too much to handle, the player can call upon a temporary shield to deflect enemy fire for enormous score multipliers. For Giga Wing 2, the player also has the option of using a Reflect Laser, which absorbs bullets and answers back at most enemies with a consolidated seek laser that deals enormous damage. Considering the often cheap difficulty of the game, having these indispensible tools at your disposal will greatly increase your chances of survival---even amidst the face of enormous impossibilities. Per usual, you and a friend can tackle the game together to defeat these overwhelming challenges in two-player simulaneous sessions. However, Giga Wing 2 takes this a step further with the inclusion of four-player support. Yes, you heard me right---up to four players can play Giga Wing 2 at the same time. Good intentions regarded, slowdown and on-screen confusion hinder the experience somewhat, making it difficult for four players to enjoy as thoroughly as they would hope. It may not exactly be a fitting party game alternative, but it's still an interesting gameplay variation that affords some friendly scoring competition.
Giga Wing's scoring system trumps other shooters (and most other games of different genres) in a sense that the player can achieve a personal record that meets or exceeds the quantrillions. Believe it. You want the ultimate claim to indisputable bragging rights? Giga Wing 2's got you covered. To get that far in the scoring scale, the player must make fervent use of the reflect laser, destroy enemies in succession and collect medals to build up score multipliers. While some people might see a quantrillion score as a bit overblown and unnecessary, you can't help but admit that such ridiculous scores are well-earned when you think of how difficult Giga Wing 2's gameplay can be with screen-flooding bullets and numerous cheap deaths; even when the game itself gives you unlimited credits and the ability to continue at the exact point of when and where you lost your very last life.
The graphics are a surprising departure from the first game---utilizing full-on 3D similar to the likes of shooters such as Ikaruga and Raiden III. While it doesn't necessarily trump the gorgeous 2D of the original release, it's nicely done overall with some neat camera tricks and scaling effects---such as when you're crashing through the glass roof of the Factory stage. The music is also quite good---deviating away from spunky, new-age techno and opting instead for a dramatic, orchestral tone that appropriately fits the brooding tone of Giga Wing 2 with some truly haunting, memorable themes.
My only major gripe with Giga Wing 2 is that the game can be completed in less than 30 minutes. While each of the game's five characters have their own individual branching ending that extends the replayability factor somewhat, the player only ever has the opportunity to enjoy five or so shooting stages, and those in themselves are disappointingly short. However, the action found therein can be best emphasized by three important "F"s: fast, frenetic and frenzied. And, even in the midst of its short length, there's an great deal of unlockable content that can be earned by fulfilling certain conditions such as Gallery artwork, hidden gameplay modes, even playable ships from the first Giga Wing. Still, it would have been great if the game were longer than five short levels.
Giga Wing 2, when everything's said and done, is a graciously fun trip and one of the finer arcade shooters to hit the Sega Dreamcast. While it may not exactly thrive all that much in originality, the story-driven premise, quadrillion score possibilities and introspective bullet reflect system sets it apart from other shooters in many respects. If you're a Dreamcast owner (and I know many of you are---check your closets!) jonesing for a satisfyingly difficult and enthralling arcade shooterfest, Giga Wing 2 is certainly a worthy choice.