Two Worlds 2: Initial Reaction(s)

The first TW definitely sucked a significant amount of ass in general, but the game had some golden corn in the turd. The inventory system was interesting and had some potential, the magic system was intriguing and the combat was simple yet fluid and entertaining. It was the voice acting, story and general lack of cohesiveness to the world, coupled with way too much empty space on the world map that really bogged it down. I won't get started on the horse/mounted physics/dynamics because they sucked, as they do in TW2; but they've sucked in every game other than Red Dead Redemption and Assassin's Creed 2. The mounted play even sucked in the 'almighty' Oblivion. So here are my initial reactions in terms of both strengths and weaknesses, now that I am about 4 hours in:

Strengths:

The inventory and crafting systems, including spell and potion crafting are awesome. They allow for a significant amount of customization, which is what a lot of hardcore RPG fans look for.

The combat is also really good, with the most unique feature being the ability to assign and subsequently swap between different equipment loadouts during combat. A player can be in a mage loadout, cast a spell for defense and summon a monster, then switch to a fighter loadout and charge into battle. This is a unique and welcomed feature for an open world RPG. The graphics, although not groundbreaking, are also very well done.

Weaknesses:  TW2 suffers from a similar, yet less pronounced problem of terrible voice acting, cheesy storyline (although nothing short of standard fantasy fare, no biggy for gamers such as myself- I'm here for the open world), and pretty bland physics. The look, story and sound of the game are just not what an epic masterpiece are made of.

I haven't had as much time as I would like to explore the game itself and the finer elements, but I will most likely write and update review after I do. The key thing to remember with TW2 is that its for the hardcore RPG gamer. If you are someone who would play a roguelike or still enjoy, say, FF5 or FFTactics, then this game might appeal to you. If you only like the biggest budget and the flashiest look and your real RPG experience is mostly a side dish, then TW2 is not for you. Don't get me wrong, when both elements are combined, it makes for an experience second to none, but this will do me just fine until the next top-shelf piece of RPG action comes my way.

-Matty