DS Critic Reviews

The shooter has been a genre in decline since 3D gaming became the standard, but games like Nanostray 2 are shining examples of why this type of game needs to kept alive.

Nanostray 2 has shattered my ego and destroyed my confidence as a gamer, at least on the DS and in this genre. The staggering difficulty and blazing visuals may overwhelm the casual gamer, but anyone who takes the time to master the frantic gameplay model and memorize every level and every enemy wave and boss pattern will find a deep, strategic, and somewhat oppressive shooter.

If you're a DS-owning shooter fan, Nanostray 2 is a must buy. Not only is it a perfectly able shmup, it's also the only game in town. It's not inventive enough to catch the attention of the rest of the world, though.

Nanostray 2 is great follow-up to the original DS title.

Nanostray 2 will definitely please hardcore arcade shooter fans, but the increased difficulty may narrow the game's mainstream appeal. [Mar 2008, p.86]

Unrelenting difficulty aside, Nanostray 2 for the Nintendo DS is a top-notch shoot-'em-up that will give you your money's worth.

Just make sure you bring lots of patience along with your trigger finger.

Traditionally, games that needed to carve out a niche for themselves within the crowded shooter genre have done so by introducing a new gimmick. Nanostray 2 relies instead on pure polish.

Nanostray 2 is a dyed-in-the-wool shoot-'em-up that offers great action in a shiny, proficient package.

The game simply delivers some no-nonsense, hardcore space shooter fun that's decidedly tough to beat but easy to pick up and jump right into.