Virtua Cop 2
Encyclopedia
Virtua Cop 2 is a light gun
arcade game
, released in 1995 and developed internally at Sega
by their AM2 studio. It was ported to home systems on the Sega Saturn
in 1996. It was released in PC
in 1997 and Dreamcast in 2000. It was later bundled with Virtua Cop
in Virtua Cop: Elite Edition
for PlayStation 2
in 2002.
This game was known as Virtua Squad 2 for the North American PC release.
The game was succeeded by Virtua Cop 3
.
Note: Sega Saturn Magazine published in the UK, put up a friendly competition to give Janet Marshall a tag name. The name chosen was Janet "Hubcaps" Marshall.
Last year it looked as though the Virtua Squad had finally put an end to the E.V.I.L Syndicate’s reign of crime over Virtua City. The gangleaders were all either behind bars, in intensive care, or under 6 feet of dirt. And the Virtua City Police Special Investigations Unit got a new member in the shape of Janet Marshall, an expert in criminal psychology profiling.
Then trouble started brewing in unlikely places.... The vice-president of the Virtua City Bank was killed in shady circumstances that were only officially termed "accidental". And the swollen accounts of the now-defunct E.V.I.L Syndicate, which he had been suspected of laundering, were emptied overnight. The missing funds amounted to more than the GNP of most small countries.
Meanwhile, on the other side of town, alarms break the quiet and calm of the Virtua City air. A daring daylight raid on the biggest jeweler’s in the state! And at the site of the new subway construction, there’s been an unusual amount of unexplained activity involving some very suspicious-looking materiel. Looks like the E.V.I.L is reborn.
Stage 1: Beginner:
You interrupt a jewelry heist in progress, and follow the thieves in a running car-chase firefight.
Stage 2: Medium:
Rescue the mayor of Virtua City from vicious kidnappers. Follow them to their hideout in the yacht harbor, and blast them off the Fiesta Deck.
Stage 3: Expert:
Pursue the crooks into the subway system, and even deeper into the heart of the Virtua City underground. Destroy the subterranean terrorist HQ.
Final Stage:
The stage is one final battle against the main villain.
.Proving Ground.- This training environment is still in its developmental stages, but it is already capable of confronting a trainee with a variety of life-threatening “situations.” Each Proving Ground stage is designed to simulate a hostile urban environment thronging with gun-crazy punks. The goal of each stage is to blast through the crowd of flunkies while hunting down and taking out your rival player. Don’t worry about getting wounded in the crossfire though - every trainee gets body armor, and the guns fire paint pellets.
Videator and future videogames journalist Martin Mathers appeared on the British videogames television show GamesMaster
and participated in a challenge to complete a stage on two separate Virtua Cop 2 cabinets at the same time. Mathers performed admirably, but ultimately failed the challenge after shooting a bystander and losing a life. After the camera captured him venting his frustrations (although inaudible, he can clearly be seen to be mouthing expletives), he cut a post-challenge promo joking that he had taken pity on the bystander and performed a mercy killing, due to the apparent likeness to British pop singer Peter Andre
. This challenge can be seen on the GamesMaster DVD given away on the tenth anniversary issue of GamesMaster magazine
in 2003.
Light gun
A light gun is a pointing device for computers and a control device for arcade and video games.Modern screen-based light guns work by building a sensor into the gun itself, and the on-screen target emit light rather than the gun...
arcade game
Arcade game
An arcade game is a coin-operated entertainment machine, usually installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars, and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, and merchandisers...
, released in 1995 and developed internally at Sega
Sega
, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...
by their AM2 studio. It was ported to home systems on the Sega Saturn
Sega Saturn
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console that was first released by Sega on November 22, 1994 in Japan, May 11, 1995 in North America, and July 8, 1995 in Europe...
in 1996. It was released in PC
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
in 1997 and Dreamcast in 2000. It was later bundled with Virtua Cop
Virtua Cop
Virtua Cop is a lightgun shooter arcade game created by Sega-AM2, and headed by Yu Suzuki. Its original incarnation was an arcade game in 1994 and it was later ported to the Sega Saturn in 1995, and Microsoft Windows in 1997...
in Virtua Cop: Elite Edition
Virtua Cop: Elite Edition
Virtua Cop: Elite Edition is a compilation/deluxe edition of two light gun games by Sega for the PlayStation 2. It includes Virtua Cop and Virtua Cop 2 packed with bonus unlockable artwork. Known as "Virtua Cop: Re-Birth" in Japan, this game was released in Japan and Europe.-Features:The Elite...
for PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
in 2002.
This game was known as Virtua Squad 2 for the North American PC release.
The game was succeeded by Virtua Cop 3
Virtua Cop 3
Virtua Cop 3 is the third game from Sega's Virtua Cop franchise.-Background:Virtua Cop 3 is only available in arcades. The game is available in standard and deluxe cabinet formats...
.
Gameplay
The game features three levels through which the player's movement is automated on a predetermined path. It is the player's job to shoot the criminals that appear before time runs out and they shoot back. Along the way there will be various objects in the background that can be broken if shot, some of which will reveal power ups afterwards. At the end of each level there is a boss battle, as well as one extra final boss battle after all three levels have been finished.Michael Hardy (Rage)
Two years later, this cop has grown up with his partner, James Cools and a newcomer cop, Janet Marshall. He could do better than anyone else, including his part-time job and his duty training. He is known to be a quick draw when things get underfire. Rage is an all-around character in the game.James Cools (Smarty)
Like his partner, Michael who worked the same side for the good as well as he does, this doesn't stop him from beating by some bad guys. Although Rage is quicker on the draw in a gunfight, Smarty is known to be the top shot in the police force.Janet Marshall (Janet)
A newly-installed special VCPD detective in the Virtua Cop special investigations squad (although the only female cop in the squad), Janet fights for her deceased partner.Note: Sega Saturn Magazine published in the UK, put up a friendly competition to give Janet Marshall a tag name. The name chosen was Janet "Hubcaps" Marshall.
Background
During the events of the first, the original Virtua Cops, Michael "Rage" Hardy and James "Smarty" Cools shut down the E.V.I.L Inc. criminal empire. Three of its leaders, King, Boss, and Kong are all in the maximum security federal pen. And the final, fourth member of the E.V.I.L Inc. gang, international terrorist Joe Fang is believed to have been killed in a helicopter crash, though his body was never found. After the downfall of E.V.I.L Inc., a comprehensive investigation of their black market and gun-running activities was launched in the Virtua City bank.Last year it looked as though the Virtua Squad had finally put an end to the E.V.I.L Syndicate’s reign of crime over Virtua City. The gangleaders were all either behind bars, in intensive care, or under 6 feet of dirt. And the Virtua City Police Special Investigations Unit got a new member in the shape of Janet Marshall, an expert in criminal psychology profiling.
Then trouble started brewing in unlikely places.... The vice-president of the Virtua City Bank was killed in shady circumstances that were only officially termed "accidental". And the swollen accounts of the now-defunct E.V.I.L Syndicate, which he had been suspected of laundering, were emptied overnight. The missing funds amounted to more than the GNP of most small countries.
Meanwhile, on the other side of town, alarms break the quiet and calm of the Virtua City air. A daring daylight raid on the biggest jeweler’s in the state! And at the site of the new subway construction, there’s been an unusual amount of unexplained activity involving some very suspicious-looking materiel. Looks like the E.V.I.L is reborn.
Summary
The newly reformed E.V.I.L threatening the peace and safety of Virtua City. Its new leaders are currently unknown. Can they be allowed to continue their fiendish reign of terror?Stage 1: Beginner:
You interrupt a jewelry heist in progress, and follow the thieves in a running car-chase firefight.
- Boss: Bobbie Louise, the leader of the assault on the jewelry store downtown. Bobbie Louise is one big customer, but don’t be fooled - he’s no slowpoke.
Stage 2: Medium:
Rescue the mayor of Virtua City from vicious kidnappers. Follow them to their hideout in the yacht harbor, and blast them off the Fiesta Deck.
- Boss: Aero-Divers, a high-tech paramilitary unit calling the shots in the mission to kidnap the Virtua City mayor. They prefer aerial combat tactics that make full use of the manueverability afforded by their rocket belt packs. They swarm all over their opponents in overwhelming group formations.
Stage 3: Expert:
Pursue the crooks into the subway system, and even deeper into the heart of the Virtua City underground. Destroy the subterranean terrorist HQ.
- Boss: Garse Bradley, the commander of a paramilitary terrorist organization, Bradley has a secret underground base in the bowels of Virtua City. Caution is advised in dealing with this heavily-armored commando. Garse’s favorite is a tank which he will use against the cops.
Final Stage:
The stage is one final battle against the main villain.
- Final Boss: The Mastermind, the man behind the recent chain of events and resurrected E.V.I.L. Nothing much is known about him, except he has a nasty grudge against the Virtua Cops. He is using a high-tech rocket belt pack similar to that of Aero-Divers.
Combat Training Mode
In a city plagued by crime, it isn’t unusual for the Virtua Cops to find themselves facing down crowds of gun-wielding thugs single-handed. To keep their skills honed to a razor edge, the Virtua City PD has developed a combat training simulator, known as the “.Proving Ground.- This training environment is still in its developmental stages, but it is already capable of confronting a trainee with a variety of life-threatening “situations.” Each Proving Ground stage is designed to simulate a hostile urban environment thronging with gun-crazy punks. The goal of each stage is to blast through the crowd of flunkies while hunting down and taking out your rival player. Don’t worry about getting wounded in the crossfire though - every trainee gets body armor, and the guns fire paint pellets.
The GamesMaster Challenge Event
In 1997, former Games WorldGames World
Games World was a British computer games-based television programme, made by Hewland International and broadcast on Sky One each weekday from 1993-98...
Videator and future videogames journalist Martin Mathers appeared on the British videogames television show GamesMaster
GamesMaster
GamesMaster was a British television show, screened on Channel 4 from 1992 to 1998, and was the first ever UK television show dedicated to computer and video games.-Origins:...
and participated in a challenge to complete a stage on two separate Virtua Cop 2 cabinets at the same time. Mathers performed admirably, but ultimately failed the challenge after shooting a bystander and losing a life. After the camera captured him venting his frustrations (although inaudible, he can clearly be seen to be mouthing expletives), he cut a post-challenge promo joking that he had taken pity on the bystander and performed a mercy killing, due to the apparent likeness to British pop singer Peter Andre
Peter André
Peter James Andrea , better known by the stage name as Peter Andre, is an English-born Australian musician, singer-songwriter, television personality and businessman. As a recording artist, he has achieving four top 10 UK albums and ten top 10 singles.-Early life:Andre was born at Northwick Park...
. This challenge can be seen on the GamesMaster DVD given away on the tenth anniversary issue of GamesMaster magazine
GamesMaster (magazine)
GamesMaster is a monthly multi-format computer and video game magazine published by Future Publishing in the United Kingdom.GamesMaster is the biggest selling multi-format video games magazine in the United Kingdom, outselling its sister publication Edge.-History:The magazine was launched in...
in 2003.