Like its peculiar predecessor, Black & White 2s dizzying blend of epic battles, complex city building and virtual pet-care is a refreshing alternative to the Identikit strategy titles littering the shelves. But whether or not you enjoy this ambitious sequel completely depends on your feelings towards the first game
Anyone alienated by the originals confusing, open-ended structure will welcome Black & White 2s coherent story, a device that gives players specific goals to achieve and makes it easier to push the mythical plot forwards. The adventures behemothic pet creatures have also been tweaked, giving players a chance to see what their monsters are thinking and use this information to make training decisions, allowing you to keep your beast on the straight and narrow and prevent it from picking up bad habits.
But if you relished the freestyle nature of the first game and the freedom it gave you as the god of a virtual world, youll be disappointed by how the new version steers you down a narrow path and limits your chances for divine mischief. And although its less frustrating to be in charge of a creature wholl follow your commands, this editions obedient pets lack the unpredictable charm of their predecessors, whose surprising behaviour made them feel like real animals rather than the product of advanced artificial intelligence.