Neon Genesis Evangelion: 2nd Impression Game
Neon Genesis Evangelion: 2nd Impression is a video game based on the Neon Genesis Evangelion series. This game is a sequel to Neon Genesis Evangelion: 1st Impression and was developed for the Sega Saturn and released on March 7th, 1997. Like its predecessor, the game mainly uses FMV cutscenes to tell its story, though battle sequences now use 3D models rather than FMV with an interactive overlay.
Development
Like with the previous entry, the script of 2nd Impression was written by Hiroshi Yamaguchi, a scriptwriter that has also worked on well-known anime like Dragon Ball Super and Gurren Lagann. The role of director is credited to Kiyoshi Murayama. New animated scenes for the game were produced by Ashi Productions (also known as Production Reed). 2nd Impression also makes use of 3D models that were created by Takashi Iwade, who would eventually become the FX lead artist for the Yakuza series.
Gameplay
Most of the gameplay in 2nd Impression is identical to 1st Impression, especially when it comes to the FMV cutscenes. At some points, playback of a scene is paused and the player is allowed to select one of several different possible ways for the protagonist Shinji to react to a situation, resulting in various outcomes. These sections of the game act similarly to a modern visual novel, although the story is shown through animated scenes instead of text and still visuals. The main difference between 2nd Impression and 1st Impression is that the sequel uses a completely different battle system that makes use of 3D models.
Battle System
The battle system in 2nd Impression is completely redesigned and bears no resemblance to the one used in 1st Impression. While the previous game required the player to spin a slot machine and watch for cues shown by the opponent to attack and defend, 2nd Impression uses a more classic turn-based system.
Instead of allowing the player to choose how they would like to attack freely, the player now has to choose how they attack via a simple spinning roulette and a timed input. This roulette displays the weapons available to the player (often a close-combat and ranged weapon) and shows three different colors that can change every time the player makes an attack. These three colors are green, red, and orange. Green designates that it is safe to attack if the player times the roulette to land within that section correctly. Orange is a warning that the opponent is about to attack, although the player can still attack at the expense of taking damage. Defending is possible, but unlike its predecessor, it can be done with a simple button press. Red is often in between sections of green and, when hit, will result in Shinji getting a critical hit on the enemy.
Plot Summary
The story of 2nd Impression takes place after the 11th Angel, Ireul is defeated. After a few introductory cutscenes, a character unique to the story of 2nd Impression is introduced as a new transfer student in Class 2-A, Mayumi Yamagishi. Mayumi appears to be a quiet, fairly soft-spoken girl with long, straight dark brown hair and glasses.
During the lunch break that day, Shinji wanders around the library and accidentally bumps into the new transfer student, knocking the books she was carrying onto the floor. They have a short conversation while they pick everything up and Mayumi admits that her main hobby is reading. Meanwhile, at NERV, an Angel is detected and the Evangelion pilots are called in to prepare for battle. In the middle of the battle, Shinji is alerted that there is a civilian wandering the battlefield, which ends up being Mayumi. Shinji transports her to a safer location and resumes battle until the Angel is seemingly defeated. Later that night, Shinji lays restless in his bed, thinking to himself about what happened throughout the day. He is concerned about how he lacks self-confidence and thinks about what he can do to become stronger and more confident.
On the way back to school he finds Mayumi once again, this time leaving from a book store. As they begin walking to school together, but Mayumi pauses for a moment and holds her hand to her abdomen, thinking to herself that something feels off. When Shinji notices this and voices concern, however, she simply dismisses the issue and they continue on their way. In a dream shown later that night, Mayumi monologues to herself that she likes books because they are essentially perfect worlds with no insensibility or vulgarity.
The following morning is the day of the cultural festival, however, a sudden explosion is heard outside, and immediately afterward, Mayumi falls to the floor, clutching her abdomen in pain. The Evangelion pilots are once again called into battle, though the Angel that appears is the same one they thought they destroyed already. The Angel then transforms. Ritsuko hypothesizes that it went through a metamorphosis to make the weapons used by the Evangelion Units less effective. After several attempts of attack, the Angel shows no signs of damage and Shinji is told to temporarily retreat. During this time, Mayumi finds him and asks him to kill her, as she has come to realize that the core of the Angel is inside of her. Shinji refuses and returns to battle the Angel once again.
As Shinji and the other pilots continue fighting the Angel, Mayumi is spotted on top of a building. She prepares to jump off of it, but Shinji catches her before any damage is done. Afterward, the Angel is defeated and Mayumi wakes up with no injuries.
The game concludes with Mayumi transferring to another school. Shinji says his goodbyes and she thanks him by saying that since Shinji is doing his best to improve himself, she can perhaps do the same.
Links
Sega Retro’s Page on 2nd Impression
Sega Retro’s Page on Takashi Iwade