NG2 is almost a great game. Unfortunately awful camera and occasional poor level and enemy design results in mediocrity
NG2 would have been a truly outstanding action game if it wasn't for a handful of glaring flaws that will constantly drag down your enjoyment and cause you to die.
The Camera. Oh dear.. Given the experience of the team behind the game, the abysmal camera control is unforgivable. In a game where acting and reacting to your enemies moves is central, it's insane that you have to get use to fighting enemies you can't see for a large portion of the game. Even in close combat, the camera will place itself so enemies are outside your field of view. All you can do is hack and slash and hope you are hitting.
The enemies. For the most parts the enemies you fight are great! Most are fast, aggressive and force you to adapt and alternate your strategies. Against most ninja enemies you'll rely on blocking to hold them off while picking them off with counter attacks. Against Imps or Werewolves, the block is only partially useful you find yourself moving constantly to avoid their attacks. Lots of fun. But then you get a number of enemies that can't be blocked, that have ranged attacks that can hit you from the games horizon, that knocks you back when hit. These are just not a lot of fun. You'll beat them eventually, mainly by running around like an idiot and hope the camera when mess with you when you're lucky enough to get within striking distance for long enough to attack (a second later another rocket will knock you back and you'll be back to square one).
The underwater sequences are another gripe of mine. In several places you'll be forced to fight over and underwater at the same time. However each time you break the surface the controls change and your camera becomes even worse than on ground.
It's a shame really. If not for these flaws NG2 would have been a really outstanding game. When things work and none of the flaws are getting in your way, it's a blast to chop slice and kill your way through your levels.
There is a story but it's the kind of cliché I'd expect from a bad 80'ies Ninja movie. The two females in the game have breasts that are so exaggerated that they look more like mutants than most of the demons your fighting. None of the characters have a shred of personality of character development. But to be honest that doesn't bother me. The game is about action and chopping up bad guys. I just wish the camera didn't constant force you to fight stuff you can't see.