‘Leynos 2 Saturn Tribute' Switch Review: A Proper Mecha Gaming Classic

Forbes

04-04-2025

'Leynos 2' was and is a mecha gaming classic.
One of the lesser known Sega Saturn classics is Assault Suit Leynos 2, and this new and fully translated version is an excellent tribute to that.
Released in 1997, Leynos 2 is technically a follow-on to the original Leynos on Mega Drive. More thematically than anything else, as the story is somewhat disconnected. However, compared to the first Leynos, the sequel is functionally a lot more involved.
In that, for Leynos 2, there's quite a lot more customization in the back-end, with different armor, weapons, and other devices to help you become progressively more powerful.
The missions are also more open-ended in terms of the areas and less scripted and planned out like in other shmups.
Leynos 2 is also like the first Leynos, which is a difficult game. Not so much in terms of the controls, although those are a bit more involved, but just in what the game throws at you.
For instance, on the first level alone, the first boss will likely trample you and blow you to pieces if you aren't fully prepared.
While you can shield enemy fire, the shield can be destroyed. Moreover, the ability to use the shield to control your dashing, as per Assault Suits Valken, is not present either.
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'Leynos 2' also has an arena mission similar in tone to 'VOTOMS'.
Talking of Valken, it's worth me being upfront here: I worked on the recent Switch release, Valken Declassified. However, I was not involved in this release.
Mentioning Valken is noteworthy, though, as Leynos is a different game in many ways despite being in the same Assault Suit series.
Valken had more deliberate pacing and level design, with finite weapons and no real customization. You also had more control over your movement and aiming.
Leynos 2 is far more automatic in terms of targeting, and the dash and shield have to be managed differently, too. Not to mention, you have multiple mecha to choose from as you progress.
The big aspect of all this, though, is that until now, Leynos 2 was a Japan-only release. This Saturn Tribute version is the first time the game has been available in English.
That's not a trivial thing, as there is a lot of text that had to be translated, and, as far as I can see, the localization has been handled very well.
Apart from that, this Saturn Tribute version doesn't offer much else in terms of additional content. You get a few screen options and a gameplay rewind setup, but this is really just Leynos 2 translated into English and not overly messed around with.
Some of the later missions see you end up in space.
This is by no means a criticism. For many, Leynos 2 was often regarded as an overlooked mecha game gem on the Sega Saturn. As well as being surprisingly influential for later games, such as Bangai-O.
The latter is something I wrote about at length back in 2008 for the now Game Set Watch site and then later backed up on my own Mecha Damashii site.
Specifically, the mecha in Leynos 2 are surprisingly potent, so the emphasis is on the weapons and what they do and less so on the relatively small mecha sprite itself.
In Leynos 2, depending on the weapon used, the camera moves in and out to help you target your enemies. This was something that Bangai-O employed, and it was interesting to see how mecha functionality affected 2D game design, especially in a shmup framework.
So to have Leynos 2 widely available like this and fully translated is great because now, at least, people can see what I was trying to explain over fifteen years ago.
All that aside, Leynos 2 is a very good mecha game and shmup. It had to figure out all manner of problems by how the mecha move and use its various weapons. The potency of the mecha and the more open-ended levels also meant that the camera needed to adapt as well.
So, while there are definitely ties back to other games in the Assault Suit series, especially the first Leynos and less so with Valken, Leynos 2 is its own and quite specific beast.
Overall, this Saturn Tribute version of Assault Suit Leynos 2 is a mecha gaming classic through and through. Not only is the game influential across other shmups and mecha games, but also a really well-wrought game in its own right. It's definitely difficult and technical, but like most good old mecha games, that's almost always a sign of excellence.
Assault Suits Leynos 2 Saturn Tribute
Platform: Nintendo Switch (Reviewed), PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
Developer: City Connection
Publisher: Clear River Games
Released: 21st March 2025
Price: $24.99
Score: 9/10
Disclosure: Clear River Games sent me a copy of this game for the purposes of this review. While I was involved in the release of Assault Suits Valken Declassified, I had no involvement at all in the Saturn Tribute for Leynos 2.
Follow me on X, Facebook and YouTube. I also manage Mecha Damashii and am currently featured in the Giant Robots exhibition currently touring Japan.