Blood Omen 2

GamePro

Kain’s modus operandi of grim human slaughter is so distressingly delightful.

TotalPlayStation

Sure, plenty of elements are executed well, but some things, like the ENDLESS switch flipping is just needlessly tedious.

Game Informer

A dark and unnerving game that will impress and worry you with how nefarious it truly can be. [May 2002, p. 82]

Media and Games Online Network

Not only did it make me sit and play it every spare moment I had until completion, it also made me want to pick up "Soul Reaver" and play it through again.

IGN

I am disappointed. I admit, I wanted a better-looking game; a faster, more finished title with more areas to explore, better looking locations, smarter puzzles, and better fights. But, I still liked playing it despite its obvious faults.

GameSpot

Soul Reaver fans will find a familiar experience in Blood Omen 2, but the new game lacks the innovation and the surprising drama that made the Soul Reaver series great.

Electronic Gaming Monthly

Combat is where Blood Omen 2 really outshines previous games in the series. [June 2002, p.109]

GameZone

Controls are rather stiff and PC-like, giving you less maneuverability than desired.

Official U.S. Playstation Magazine

The game feels rushed in so many ways, and it really detracts from the overall experience. [June 2002, p.98]

GameSpy

This is "Soul Reaver Lite" -- undoubtedly fun, but light on puzzle complexity, light on varying action, and unfortunately, more than a little insubstantial in the replayability department.

Electric Playground

The graphics are no longer fresh, killing people is just bloody, not inventive, the cut scenes are long and uninteresting, and the story isn't nearly as strong or complicated as the plot of the "Soul Reaver" games.

Yahoo! Games

The unyielding linear story, the decidedly average puzzles and the ease with which you sail through the levels will ensure that it gathers dust on your shelf after the first play.

PSX Nation

Simply put, Blood Omen 2 sucks (no pun intended) more than it awes, and goes awry with weak puzzles and action-adventure gameplay that doesn't feel as well put-together as Raziel's lesser challenges in the "Soul Reaver" universe.

All Game Guide

Even with the ordinary combat and rather tedious puzzles, Blood Omen 2 still manages to be compelling enough to keep you playing to the end, which is a testament to the overall presentation and varied locales.

PSM Magazine

Monotony is the main culprit: the whole game consists of flipping switches and slapping around lame enemies. [May 2002, p.31]

Adrenaline Vault

An occasionally buggy, always laggy and generally sub par release to get there. Crystal Dynamics lost everything they made right in "Soul Reaver 2," as the fluid combat, dexterous hero and grand puzzles have been sacrificed.

Game Revolution

A heaping bowl of mediocrity that quickly turns soggy in drenched pints of blood.

Armchair Empire

Unfortunately sometimes when an older game duplicates its own spin-offs the final product is a blatant but poor copy of the worst and the best of the offspring. Such is the case with Blood Omen 2.