Amazing game, but only for those who have played the first.
The story picks up nearly right after the last one, with our heroes hunting down DC remnants, but things change as a mysterious new organization arrives, and to make matters worse, a new alien race, known as the Einsts have been appearing, meaning that everyone's favorite all-star team fo giant mecha are back in action for more explosions then ever.
The gameplay is turn-based with one side taking turns moving, attacking, etc. While it may look simplistic on the field, there's a lot of meat to this game no matter where you look. Everything from pre-battle planning to mech formation has a lot to explore and mess with. Even the mecha and their weapons can be customized to fit your style, provided you have the cash to do it.
The animations are smooth and even more exciting then the last game, and while some may look rather boring after the 20th time you've seen them, some never get old, such as any attack involving the Alteissen or anything involving Sanger. Period. No seriously, the guy's a beast, he makes everything interesting.
In all seriousness though, the map graphics are very bland, but the over the top animations for the battle scenes definitely make up for it.
The sound is well done and nearly every pilot has their own theme song, which gives the pilots a lot of life and individuality. Everything from epic (midi) choruses to rousing rock themes, the music is excellent in SRT:OG2. The only complaint would be the bland map graphics and the steep learning curve that makes this game discouraging for beginners. Also, DO NOT BUY THIS GAME FIRST, BUY ORIGINAL GENERATION BEFORE THIS. Seriously, OG2 will still be fun, but you will not understand at least half the storyline without experience from OG1. Also, many of the jokes won't make sense without OG1 experience. Also, OG1 is far easier.
Another thing that should be noted is OG2's difficulty. If you're a perfectionist and don't like to lose units (death is NOT permenant) then expect to restart a level 2 or 3 times. Units WILL die. Your units WILL take damage. Your units WILL NOT be invincible. That's another novelty about OG2. While some mechs are indeed near indestructible. Your average mech will take the same amount of damage you dealt to your enemy, thus making OG2 require a lot of strategy. Everything from terrain, nearby support units, and the person piloting the mech can make the difference from honorable glory and a burning pile of scrap heap.
Overall, while OG2 is a difficult game, it will last you a long time and is a lot of fun to play if you stick with it. The story may be slow for the first 5-10 hours, but after that, it's a constant whirlwind of action and well paced storyline.
So in other words, if you like Turn Based Strategy games or anything to do with robots, buy this game and you will not be dissapointed.