While it is a polished, more refined version of Dungeon Keeper, there isn't much more to it.
these problems were small though, and didn't hurt my love for the game. In this sequel, i expected more delightfully evil toys to play with, a more refined experience. Unfortunately i experienced various degrees of disappointment with these expectations.
First, lets talk about the biggest improvement in the game:
ENGINE
Though the engine is a bit dated by todays standards, the dark, dungeon-like atmosphere is great, and it remains full of color all the while. The immersive potential is huge, especially counting that you can posess a creature, seeing it through it's eyes. As each creature has different height, speed, and sound, it's good fun just exploring your hard-earned dungeon through the bug-eyes of a firefly, for then to explore it through the dark, lifeless vision of a skeleton.
now, while seeing those familliar faces was a positive bit of nostalgia, it didn't keep my attention for long, and i started looking for the new bits. The new bits, however, failed to show up.
I was left with a empty feeling, feeling as lifeless as the skeleton cackling through my halls.
another dissapointment was the combat, wich i didn't expect much of in the first place. though when my evil advisor,
Duc Beauregard( named after the snake from stronghold) said things like, "you shouldn't drop your creatures too close to the enemy, as they'll be stunned" a small fire of hope lighted up in my heart, only to be quickly extinguished as i dropped a couple of goblins on the goody two-shoes, and winning easily. micro does little difference, and an outmatched force will still be destroyed, regardless if they're dropped a few squares to the left.
After this, the game bugged out the first of many times, forcing me to replay the entire level.
The conclusion is: the franchise has been refined, but only skin deep. If you want more of the same, you should play this. if you want a game that takes it's first baby steps from it's momma DK, check elsewhere