The best vampire game in years, Lagacy of Kain should beware!
Now in 2006 (a year and a half after the American release in October 04) she's back again and this time it's 60 years later and you've got to hunt down all your half-siblings who formed the Cult of Kagan, Rayne's father who's rape of her mother caused her birth, to stop them from turning the world into a vampire apocalypse.
BloodRayne 2 gets off to a much better start than the first game which had you running about swamps with a very limited moves list. This time you're in your Dracula-like half-brother's mansion and from the off you can see BR2 has had a complete overhaul from BR1, The graphics are fantastic, the controls have had a complete change and one minute in you're already hacking up people's limbs in an extremely gory fashion so by now you'll know what you're in for - another slaughter-fest!
The graphics have been totally overhauled for BR2 and features some of the best Xbox graphics seen yet. Both Rayne and the other main characters are amazingly rendered and the monsters, goons and minions aint bad either. The enviroments are very varied from the mansion to indudtrial districts to factories and theme parks. The best part however is watching Rayne cut off a bunch of body parts in super-slick style.
Gameplay has also been changed remarkably. BR1 controlled like a 1st person shooter whereas BR2 has been ghanged to a 3rd person control scheme. Combat is the main part of the game and unlike the first games limited moves you now have numerous combos that can all be chained together for maximum damage, a pair of blood powered guns which can shoot numerous projectiles and a harpoon which can be used to toss enemies into spikes and fires ect. The other great part of the combat is, every vampires best feature, the blood drinking which you will be using to replenish health and after you're done with them can be gruesomely disposed of using any of 12 execution moves. Rayne also has numerous powers at her disposal such as slowing down time, ghost feed and a blood fury mode which makes the blades grow twice the size and makes you invincible for as long as the bar has any energy in it. The problem is though that all this makes the game very easy and almost any enemy can be fed upon or hacked up. There's also Prince of Persia style acrobatics which are fun but nothing special unless you grind down a rail and slash people on the way.
Overall BloodRayne 2 is a triumph and stands above the first game in many ways. If you like a challenge this is not for you but if you're after a lot of very fun straight-forward hack'n'slash action BloodRayne 2 will not disappoint!
- Alan Digney