Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner (
Japanese title
Anubis: Zone of the Enders) is a
video game that was
developed and
published by
Konami for the
PlayStation 2 in
2003. The sequel to
Zone of the Enders, the game was produced by, and is closely associated with,
Hideo Kojima. The game is based around
mecha combat. All mecha were designed by
Yoji Shinkawa, the character and mechanical designer for the
Metal Gear Solid series.
The sequel picks up where the last game left off. The controls and graphics are improved to enhance the
gameplay. Although instead of going city to city like the first installment, the sequel is divided into sections, one after each boss.
A variety of weapons, enemies, and boss battles have been added to the game. The "Special Edition"
PAL and
NTSC-J versions of the game featured a variety of additions and extras to the game, including new VR Training options, added scenarios, more difficulties, a music video featuring a remixed "Beyond the Bounds" theme, improved anti-aliasing and graphical optimizations, new
Orbital Frames for Versus Mode, among other improvements to the game.
While the previous installment of the series covered themes such as the loss of innocence and the morality of killing, this game featured themes such as camaraderie, duty, vengeance, and mortality.
In a recent
GameSpot interview with Kojima, he was asked about a third installment of the game. His response was: "I've been getting questions about that, and I've pretty much counted each one as a demand...I'll be sure to count that one too." An even more recent interview describes Mr. Kojima as saying: "I want to make it, but I'm so busy with
MGS4 that I have to focus on that right now." While no confirmations of a third game were made, the possibility of one has been brought to attention many times. Kojima has even stated that he "has an idea for the next Zone of the Enders game", which should please fans fearing poor sales had put an end to the series.
ContentsSpoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.Callisto, satellite of Jupiter, 2174, two years after the Antillia raid. Dingo Egret continues his daily job as in ice miner on Callisto, but as he's talking to his friend Angie, his mining
LEV's radar detects a shallow bulk of metatron. Dingo intercepts the metatron, revealing it to be a large container holding the
Orbital Frame Jehuty. Just as Dingo makes this discovery BAHRAM forces attack Callisto and destroy his LEV. Desperate, Dingo climbs into Jehuty as it is sliding down a steep embankment and activates it, becoming the 2nd Runner of the title. He engages and successfully defeats many Raptors and supposed
UAV's called Mosquitos on his way to rescue his friend Rick, who at the time was surrounded by enemies and his LEV was damaged. Ken Marinaris arrives in her Frame, Ardjet, and challenges Dingo to do battle. Jehuty comes out as the victor, but Ardjet escapes and seek refuge inside the BAHRAM battleship that arrived on Callisto as it is evacuating the area.
Dingo manages to get inside the battleship just as the blast doors close and he starts to make his way around the battleship. After battling constant waves of enemies he comes across Nephtis, an Orbital Frame similar to Neith from the first game. Nephtis is now run by an A.I. based on the psychological traits of the deceased Viola. Burst, shot and blade attacks do not get past Nephtis' defence, so Dingo grabs a support beam from a wall and throws it at Nephtis, pinning it to the wall and apparently immobilising it. Just as Dingo starts talking to ADA about Viola, even though he is quite distrought at the news that she died two years previously, Jehuty gets a resonance reaction, Anubis is nearby.
Dingo finds Anubis but is overwhelmed by its speed from the Zero Shift Subweapon as they are doing battle. Nohman is shocked after the short battle to find out that the runner of Jehuty is Dingo. As this happens, Nephtis flies into the room gently with the same bar in its hand that Dingo threw at her earlier. Nephtis does exactly the same to Jehuty and temporarily immobilises it, forcing Dingo to surrender to Nohman's wishes of giving up and returning Jehuty.
In a secluded hallway Ken Marinaris shows up again and proceeds to show a lot of hostility towards Dingo, even punching him in the face before they even begin a conversation. Nohman approaches Dingo and has a peaceful conversation regarding Dingo's supposed return to BAHRAM under Nohman's commmand. Dingo refuses and turns away to get back to Jehuty, as this happens, Nohman shoots Dingo with multiple rounds from a handgun and seems to obliterate his major internal organs. Nohman orders Ken to dispose of Dingo's not-yet-dead body. Ken approaches Dingo, who is lying in midair due to Zero-G and makes a deal "Help me if you want to live". All Dingo can do is lie there speechless.
Two months later on BAHRAM's Deimos Station, Ken forges an order from Nohman stating to base scientists that Dingo is to be revived and placed inside Jehuty. When Dingo comes to, Ken tells him that Jehuty's energy is supplementing his heart and lungs. If Dingo leaves Jehuty, he will die within seconds. Ken goes on to tell Dingo that she is in fact a spy from the UNSF sent in to report in Nohman. Dingo believes her, but is reluctant to obey her orders. While Dingo tries to find a way to escape Deimos, he receives an SOS from a UNSF Phantoma LEV stuck inside a cargo of freight. The pilot of the LEV, Taper, need to use the emergency catapult to rendezvous with his unit on Mars to attack Aumaan. Dingo is reluctant to follow Ken's orders, but he successfully carries the LEV through the ship towards the catapult, whilst fighting off numerous enemy forces. Just as Taper evacuates the ship, Nephtis makes a short pursuit of Jehuty, however, Dingo escapes before Nephtis can reach him.
Dingo lands Jehuty on the outer egdes of west Margeritifer, a county of Mars. The entire area is war torn with burning buildings left, right and centre. Just as Dingo gets his head around the catastrophic landscape, he is attacked by many frames, but before the enemies reach Jehuty, they are destroyed by a large laser attack. The attack came from a Vic Viper frame flown by Leo Stenbuck.
Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.Dingo Egret
Dingo is an ice miner on
Jupiter's satellite
Callisto. A former member of BAHRAM, Dingo disappeared after his unit was wiped out in a UNSF ambush. He passes his days as an ice miner around Jupiter's moons, until he finds the hidden
Orbital Frame Jehuty.
Just as he finds the Frame, BAHRAM does as well, and attacks the mining operation to retrieve it. Dingo activates Jehuty and takes it into battle, wiping out the BAHRAM drones and driving off Ardjet. He infiltrates the BAHRAM battleship, but is defeated by Anubis and Nephtis. Outside of their orbital frames, Nohman tries to get him to join him once more, but Dingo refuses and Nohman shoots him. The gun shot wounds destroy his heart and lungs.
Dingo wakes up several weeks later in the cockpit of Jehuty, hard-wired into its life-support system. Ken Marinaris, claiming to be a UNSF spy, asks him to help the UNSF stop BAHRAM.
Nohman
Commander of BAHRAM. His real name is Ridley Hardiman. He pursues the project of completing "Aumaan" -- the invincible military fortress to secure the victory of BAHRAM. He is the frame runner who pilots "Anubis".
In truth, Nohman has no desire to liberate or conquer Mars. His ultimate plan is to destroy humanity, and the entire solar system with it. Aumaan is just the weapon to do that.
Sujet: Nohman 
