The original Spectrobes was a runaway hit for the DS, but had its fair share of problems. Many critics found the game’s storyline to be subpar and the action pretty dull. However, Disney and developer Jupiter have apparently taken these criticisms to heart, as they have make some nice improvements to the game’s follow-up, Spectrobes: Beyond the Portals.

Spectrobes: Beyond the Portals adds improved 3D graphics and details, faster and more action-oriented combat, and a host of great multiplayer functions. While the story is still pretty lackluster and the overall gameplay might be a bit too simplistic, Beyond the Portals is a great step up from the original Spectrobes and is worth a look for fans of that game.

Spectrobes: Beyond the Portals once again puts you in the shoes of Rallen and Jeena, the two heroes from the original game, as they regroup to fight a brand new threat known as the High Krawl. The only things that can help defeat this new, dangerous enemy are the Spectrobes, thus requiring you to go through the galaxy locating and collecting them in order to defeat the High Krawl threat. The story has quite a bit more to it than the original Spectrobes, but probably won’t be terribly compelling to most older gamers, as the dialogue isn’t very impressive and the characters are pretty lame.

Collecting Spectrobes is of course a big goal in the game. You’ll be able to acquire 185 of them throughout the game’s universe, as well as upgrade and customize the ones that you have before you place them in battle. You’ll be able to take two of them into battle at a time, switching them on the fly as you fight your opponents. They are also divided into three different types that will give them an edge against certain types of enemies, adding a bit of a strategy element. You’ll even be able to level up your Spectrobes without fighting them by feeding them minerals through the game’s Incubator system.

You’ll also be able to fight as Rallen, who has a few abilities to himself. You’ll be able to use a gun for ranged attacks, a sword for close combat, and a special glove to defeat enemies, gaining himself experience points.

Aside from the combat element of the game, there are also a few interesting exploration features in the game. Fossil hunting is a very intuitive way to gather fossils and special minerals from the varied environments that you’ll explore throughout the game. Collecting these fossils is done differently depending on the terrain you’re trying to excavate. For example, if you are in a desert area then you may have to blow into the DS microphone in order to clear sand away, or melt down ice in order to get to the fossil.

Spectrobes: Beyond the Portals has some very robust multiplayer features. The local multiplayer from the original has returned, meaning that you can trade with your friends or engage in several different battles, including the four-player Battle Royale mode. Online mode allows you to trade Spectrobes in a marketplace, post stats on a leaderboard, and play a special one on one mode with mini games.

Graphically, the game looks pretty good. The 3D character models and environments are bright and detailed, looking quite well on the DS. The camera angles can be a bit of a pain, unfortunately, as they’ll often get caught up on objects in the environment.

Soundwise, the game has some decent effects, but nothing too impressive. The score is decent, but not to the caliber of other DS RPG titles.

Spectrobes: Beyond the Portals is a marked improvement over the first Spectrobes game, due to robust multiplayer features and fast-paced combat. If you enjoyed the first game, then chances are you’ll really dig the sequel.

Gameplay: 8.0
Beyond the Portals offers some great new elements, like an more action-oriented combat system and a fossil digging ability that are pretty intuitive and fun.

Graphics: 8.0
Aside from the wonky camera, the 3D graphics look pretty good and are very well animated.

Sound: 7.0
The music isn’t outstanding by any means, but sounds pretty decent for a DS game.

Difficulty: Medium

Concept: 8.0
Spectrobes: Beyond the Portals still doesn’t have a terribly compelling story, but adds enough new features and elements to make it a noted improvement over its predecessor.

Multiplayer: 8.5
The multiplayer features in Beyond the Portals are quite robust and allow you to interact in myriad ways either online through Disney’s DGamer system or locally.

Overall: 8.0
Spectrobes: Beyond the Portals is a pretty substantial improvement over its predecessor, offering a great 3D aesthetic, fast-paced combat, an interesting fossil digging mechanic, and fun multiplayer elements.