Cannon Fodder 2

Lore & Background

Cannon Fodder 2 was developed by a small team of essentially four people, including first-time level designer Stuart Campbell, a former journalist. The game retained the engine of its predecessor, preventing the addition of new gameplay features. Campbell designed the levels to be harder and more tactically demanding, creating multiple paths through missions and making obvious solutions more difficult while hidden paths were easier once deduced. He named most levels after song titles and lyrics, as well as referencing wider pop culture artifacts.

The game's plot, minimally expounded in the manual, concerns soldiers abducted by aliens to do battle on an alien world, with time travel resulting in medieval and Chicago settings. Development of the plot was hampered by budget constraints; Campbell partially completed a novella intended to accompany the game, but Virgin vetoed the proposal as too expensive and produced a simplified explanation that confused reviewers. Jon Hare later reflected that Sensible Software had poorly managed the project by delegating design to newcomer Campbell.

Critics enjoyed the gameplay retained from the original but were disappointed at the lack of new mechanics or weapons, comparing the game to a data disk. Reviewers praised the level design, though less so those of the alien planet. The game received positive reviews but lower scores than its predecessor, with mixed criticism of the new theme music and increased difficulty.

Reader's Guide

Cannon Fodder 2 is significant as a sequel that refined rather than reinvented its predecessor's formula. Its development illustrates the challenges of creating a follow-up under budget constraints and the tension between publisher profit motives and creative ambition. The game's increased difficulty and tactical level design, while divisive, influenced later strategy-action hybrids. Its failure to expand mechanics or provide a coherent plot highlights the limitations of retaining an older engine and the importance of narrative in game design. The game's legacy is also tied to the controversy surrounding the original Cannon Fodder's use of poppy imagery, which led to the sequel adopting a hand grenade on its cover. Though commercially modest, Cannon Fodder 2 remains a notable example of a sequel that polarized players between its refined gameplay and lack of innovation.

Did You Know?

• The game's levels were designed by former journalist Stuart Campbell, who had previously worked at Amiga Power.
• The plot was originally intended to be explained in a novella, but publisher Virgin vetoed the proposal as too expensive.
• The game features 72 levels across 24 missions, with settings including medieval, gangster-themed Chicago, an alien spacecraft, and an alien planet.
• Level titles reference pop culture, including songs by The Jesus and Mary Chain, game shows, and Bugs Bunny cartoons.