BloodRayne 2

"Rayne is back, and this time she's cutting down the family tree!"

When news was first released about a second BloodRayne game I almost had a heart attack. I wanted to play another game with Rayne, along with the variety of vampires and other creatures that a horror game would be expected to have. From seeing all the info about the new game (videos, screen shots, and written previews), I knew that this game would be great.

The company behind this game (Terminal Reality, Majesco) sure wanted the word out about this new title in the BloodRayne line. From a music video on MTV showing Rayne and several other characters in the game, to having Rayne pose topless in an issue of Playboy, to several ads showcasing some of Rayne's “Better angles” on the pictures. There is even a comic book based on the video game that should be released this December.

Hopefully, all this attention will create more fans of the game. This title can easily become a long running franchise, if enough fans back it up. The first game had very few fans behind it. The second should have more than the first, since the game was heavily updated with more features and extras.

My only fear is that the new movie, which is coming out in 2005, will be so bad that it will push fans away from the game. The movie idea would work, if a proper Director was behind it. And Uwe Boll is definitely the wrong choice for this film, or any film when you think about it.

Presentation
Having eight Acts in total, the game isn't short, and it's not long either. I would say that the average gamer could go through the game (without cheats) in around fifteen hours. It took me twelve hours to finish the game, but I already played the first title, and sort of knew what to expect for the game play.

The cut scenes in the game (non-computer generated, high quality ones) really brought the story along quite well. You get to see what is going on with some of the main characters, as well as the fate of the city in which you are trying to save. The whole story from start to finish is done superbly. I've only seen a few other games that had the same quality put into their storyline, and a great story can really make the game feel more fun to play.

The end of the game just screams for another title to be created. It leaves you wondering what will happen next, which is fun since it has that cliffhanger effect that some television shows use. Anyone who loves Horror games/movies or enjoys watching a sexy redhead in tight leather running around killing vampires all day will love this game. Not for the weak minded or weak stomached. There is plenty of blood, gore, and adult language/themes. That's why it has a ‘M' rating on the front, this game isn't for children. 10/10

Graphics
The levels have plenty of detail worked into the program. Especially the rooms where you can interact with objects. My favorite room in the whole game consisted of desks, chairs, shelves, and computers. You can take out all of these items with your blades. It looks and sounds like a wrecking ball is trashing the place! Once the smoke clears you see the room with all this debris and it looks very realistic.

Seeing blood in this game looks scary, because it seems very real. From watching a pool of blood form under a fallen victim, to seeing a fatality-like move done to kill another, every part of blood that you see is detailed to the max. If blood is on the floor, you can see reflections in it!

The characters in the game look very nice; especially the ones in the computer generated cut scenes. You would swear that they were real people. The movements of the characters are very life like, even when they fall down or are tossed into something (rag doll physics used). 10/10

Sound
The music has a very Gothic feel to it. One of the levels reminded me of the movie ‘Blade II' because of the music that was used. The sound effects work well with the environment, from guns to explosions. The voice acting is very professional sounding. Much better than other games that I've played. The woman who did the voice for Rayne (Laura Bailey) did an outstanding job once again. In fact, some of the lines that are heard are perfect for the game. Great job on the script, since what you hear doesn't seem out of place. 10/10

Gameplay
The game handles very well, and has very few glitches to be seen. I've read about a few but I only saw one and it didn't effect the game play at all. Your character will have several techniques for attacking that are unlocked during your progress into the game. You will also receive weapon upgrades for your handguns. I liked the RPG type of feel for gaining extra Health and Rage. You have to perform kills a certain way to get points, which once they reach the max limit, push your Health and Rage bars out a bit. Then it goes back to zero and you need to gain more points for that extra bit of Health and Rage.

Health is found in two ways. Either by finding a victim to feed on (certain enemies you won't be able to feed on because they are huge, or you'll have to disarm them first), or by finding hidden ‘Vampire Lairs' located throughout the game. The hidden lairs is a unique addition to the game, since you need to use Rayne's special vision in order to find the door to the blood room. I really liked this idea, and it saved me from dying a few times.

Some areas can be un-nerving, especially when you fight a group of vampires. You'll have to pick your fights, or end up taking a lot of damage. Plus some boss fights make you use your brain as well as your brawn to take the bad guy out of commission. It isn't an easy “Run around and kill everything” game. I'm happy to see that the designers made each Act unique in its own way, and challenging as well. 10/10

Lasting Appeal
After you finish the game one time, everything is unlocked. Some gamers won't even have to complete the game to see some of the extras (in-game codes used to unlock some of them). So that might stop some people from playing it more than once. Myself on the other hand, will be playing the game a second time with one of the very cool alternate costumes. Two words. Dark Rayne. The BEST costume in the ten that you can choose from. Just seeing her in this outfit will make fans want to play the game over again.

Also once you have finished the game, if you decide to play it again all of your moves and abilities that were unlocked from the first game will be with you. Also, your extended health and rage bars as well. This game is not for those who get bored with killing, but since I love ninety five percent of all Horror games, I will get my moneys worth playing this title over and over. 10/10

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 10/19/04