PlayStation 2

BloodRayne 2

Basically, you’ve got a run and gun game with a hot sexy chick performing the honors. If you’re a fan of action games and a bigger fan of vampire movies you’ll probably appreciate the dozen or so hours of interesting gameplay here. It’s not too hard, and it’s not too boring which equates to a fairly good game. But because of the nature of its design it also isn’t very replayable as there is little to no reason to go back and do it all again.

Some cringe-inducing one liners and the occasionally poor hit and collision detection don't detract significantly from the dark and gothic atmosphere of the whole game. While this sequel does succeed in proving Rayne is more than a pretty face, a few more tweaks are needed before her playtime prowess matches her dark mystique.

BloodRayne 2, while not a huge leap for adventure gaming or even the franchise itself, is a good action title that will amuse players for a while. You’re not really going to find a lot of replayability with this game, but for the story and the action itself, it’s entertaining. If you’re a vampire or action junkie, you’ll probably dig this, but other gamers might want to look at this one as a rental before picking it up.

However, I like the more varied environments here, pole-jumping notwithstanding. In the end, BloodRayne 2 has made a few irksome design choices while improving other areas, but it should appeal to fans of the first game regardless. Hopefully they can beef up the enemies a little for the sequel, and take out the pole-jumping or at least give the pole-jumping some context.

In the end, BloodRayne 2 provides a viscerally enjoyable experience pretty much from beginning to end. The game certainly has its blemishes, and it's definitely not the deepest or headiest action title you'll ever experience, but underneath those problems is a stylish and gory action game with enough kills and thrills to keep you entertained. If you were a proponent of the original BloodRayne, or if you're even just a fan of good old-fashioned stylish action games, BloodRayne 2 is worth checking out.

Au final Blood Rayne s'en sort mieux que son aîné sans pour autant nous arriver exempt de défauts. Un peu trop radin sur les combos et l'originalité, il compense par quelques actions contextuelles divertissantes. Sa réalisation mi- figue mi-raisin n'empêchera pas les amateurs de la première heure de trouver là un petit jeu agréable.

Strangely, it’s quite easy to compare Bloodrayne 2 to Stubbs the Zombie which we reviewed last week. Both involve feeding from enemies, both are very easy and both become fairly repetitive pretty quickly. However, Bloodrayne 2 is the superior offering, as there’s far more to the combat and you have slightly more to do when making your way through the levels.

For a lot of players, the excellent graphics and high levels of violence and sex appeal will be more than enough to keep Bloodrayne 2 spinning. It's really a shame that the A.I. is so daft, and even with all the acrobatics, the very linear levels don't truly captivate. This is a game of bloodshed, pure and simple, and anyone out for more than superficial thrills will be disappointed. Bloodrayne 2 gets points for its pretty face; just don't expect to go more than skin deep.

The attempt to add depth to the game hasn’t really succeeded, but the combat still feels fun. If you’re willing to branch out and try some of the more complex moves, you’ll no doubt be impressed with how it all looks on screen. It’s just that the game never really asks that much of you. For an action game, BloodRayne 2 is pretty long, but because there isn’t a lot of finesse to the combat, it can also get repetitive. But taken in short spurts, BloodRayne 2 delivers solid, visceral action and looks good doing it.

One can demand more of modern game design, though, and BloodRayne 2 needs a more thorough, careful hand behind it. As it is, it feels like a one-night brainstorming session came up with a whole bunch of random ideas thrown in a pot and clumsily stirred. There might be a good game in here somewhere, but it needs to cook a lot longer.