Soul Reaver 2 is the continuation of the saga of Raziel, who finds himself thrown between different times in this ongoing tale of the Kain Series. The first Soul Reaver is a great game by all means (except for a flawed ending) but part two will help answer the questions many asked when completing the first game while still making you scratch your head by the end of the sequel.

Graphics:
Soul Reaver 2 is leaps and bounds above the PS version and succeeds in creating stunning gothic atmosphere all the way through. As you progress in the game, the graphics just keep on getting better and better with added visual touches. There are an abundance of particle effects in the game that look great - ranging from blood flowing from a wall to snow falling to the ground. The different time periods really add to the graphics as well. Seeing as even though there is some backtracking in the game, it never really feels like it due to the distinct look of the different eras. All the characters animate nicely as well and at 60 fps, with some occasional slowdown here and there, but nothing to complain about. All this comes together with almost no loading times at all, which is a definite plus.

Audio:
The audio in Soul Reaver 2 is lots of dark tunes and weird rhythmic melodies that add to the gothic/vampire flair of the game. The real winner here is the voice acting which is top notch for a game and some of the best there is to date. Not many games can be said that have great voice acting and only 3 come to my mind. (Soul Reaver 1 and 2 and Metal Gear Solid, give or take a few I'm missing.) Everything else from the different footsteps that Raziel makes to swords clanging against each other during the heat of battle come off great.

Gameplay:
There isn't much new to say about the gameplay. You have to work your way through the land, trying to figure out puzzle after puzzle and fighting along the way. The puzzles are very unique and keep things fresh in this game and that is what makes the game fun - figuring out the puzzles and fighting. Now in some games its get repetitive and boring, but the quest was enthralling and unique enough to get to the end and finish. The story really captivates the player and makes them want to finish. The lack of Boss battles was sorely missing in this sequel, which some might gripe about.

The Bad:
Not much to comment on here. For starters, where as I liked the fact there wasn't bosses, many will most likely not. While the bosses from the first game were great, I just don't see the need for them in the sequel. Even though, there is no loading, the game has occasionally dips in framerate, but its not really a problem. Although Soul Reaver 2 is a great game, I found myself done and over with it all too quickly (like a recent trend of games lately), but games are never as long as they used to be so don't let that ruin this great sequel. Last, I'd like to say that while its not necessary to play blood omen or soul reaver 1 to play the sequel, it definitely would help flush the story out a little better then someone with no previous knowledge of the series.

Extras: Included on the game is various game trailers along with a awesome making of Soul Reaver 2 which has everything from outtakes to voice recordings. It all comes together kinda like a special addition feature on a dvd which was a nice addition by the makers.

Overall: Soul Reaver 2 is better in every way then its prequel (besides no bosses). Its has amazing vocals to go with a superb story that will leave you guessing till the sequel but for now become Raziel, Reaver of Souls and fulfill your destiny.

- - Justin Celani