Dungeon Keeper 2

DEVELOPER : Bullfrog
PUBLISHER : EA

 

System Requirements Pentium 200MHz, 32MB RAM

Recommended Pentium II 350MHz, 64+ MB RAM

Ratings
Code Issues Graphics: 9 Audio: 9 Interface: 9	Play Issues Gameplay: 8 Replayability: 6 Multiplay: 7 Learning Curve: 8
Other/Notes Documentation: 9 Stability: 5 I encountered several problems with this game (part of the reason why this review came in later than usual) on both my P200 Voodoo 1 (min specs) and my P III 450 Voodoo 3.  This game is far from bugless. There is a patch available with a few fixes and extra levels but I reviewed the original version. Pros: excellent graphics, good variety of playing options. Cons: difficult to manage enormous maps, high system requirements. Overall: 8.3

Dungeon Keeper 2 is not meant to be a sequel to the original game. It keeps the subtle humor that made the first title famous, it brings new graphics and monsters but overall it is the same game. Bullfrog avoided assuming any risks for now and developed an updated, but not revolutionary, Dungeon Keeper game. The majority of the original elements were conserved. It's time to find out how these elements blend with the new features to create a worthy sequel.

Become Absolute Evil

The main objective in every mission is the retrieval of portal gems from the lords who are guarding their land. Only one creature can finish this noble mission and that devilish creature is indeed the Horned Reaper, who is always spawned at the end. The campaign couldn't be considered linear although the goal remains essentially the same: destroy the King and his heroes to get access to the surface and wreck havoc in the land of heroes. There are various points at which you can play secret levels as well as moments during the campaign in which you have an option regarding how to proceed. The missions are well varied, you might encounter stronger keepers who shouldn't be attacked early or you might have to blitz  weaker keepers who should be attacked before they build up and take advantage of their superior position -- resource wise. Although the overall focus never changed from the original, I still enjoyed all the modes of play, the campaign in particular.

What's New?

Dungeon Keeper 2 expands the original theme with a variety of new features, an improved interface and updated aesthetics. However, the main elements remain  unchanged and will be quite familiar to anyone who had the opportunity to play the original. One of the game's best new features is My Pet Dungeon. Similar to an editing mode, it allows you to spend unlimited time customizing a dungeon. You get all the rooms, minions, spells, doors, traps, and you don't have to worry about those heroes unless you want them to come for a visit. You have full control over their presence and can trigger as many invasions as you want. Be careful though, each invasion will be stronger than its predecessor. This whole concept is excellent for testing your dungeon's capabilities. Speaking of dungeon facilities, there are two new rooms available, the Casino, specialized in keeping your creatures happy or taking back their paychecks if you are low on cash, and the Combat Pit for training your creatures to upper levels. As about your minions, you'll become familiar with them in no time; the lovely but deadly Dark Mistress is back in Dungeon Keeper 2 and she has the same old habit: partying in the Torture Chamber. Other creatures like the vampires are now more powerful although they lost their teleporting ability from the original game. The only creatures who still benefit from it are imps but they must be trained up to level 10 first.

Execution

The game's attention to detail is remarkable. The sounds and the graphics are vastly improved since the original. Hardware acceleration is now fully implemented and the game can run at up to 800x600 in 16-bit or 32-bit rendering. But as you all know, eye candy implies steep system requirements. The sound theme is what makes you have no doubts that evil is good. A techno soundtrack keeps you entertained during the battles and gives you more motivation to put an end to the heroes' resistance. The narrator has the same typical perfectly evil voice and his role is to keep you updated on the status of your dungeon and introduce all your creatures, spells, doors and traps as they become available.

Interface

One of the most important aspects of a game requiring a considerable amount of micromanagement is the interface. It's more intuitive and simply better than the original's.
All the buttons and descriptions are neatly organized on the sidebar at the bottom of your screen leaving more space for action. You can view your dungeon from any number of angles and levels of zoom with the camera controls. It also includes an immersive first-person perspective once you researched the Possess Creature spell. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the game is the ability to possess your minions and lead them to war. The bonuses the creature you possess receives along with the special skills they may have available only when under your control make this a feature you can't do without. Bullfrog has also implemented a party creation option, allowing you to choose your deadliest followers for an assault. I found this feature extremely useful especially when I couldn't afford the "Call to Arms" spell which is very costly when cast in enemy territory. Also, there are a lot of hotkeys to make your life easier when mouse clicking gets tedious.

The Verdict

Dungeon Keeper 2 is a good game that I would recommend to all the strategy fans. However it might have been a great game if it could have detached from its predecessor. There are enough new features, the aesthetics are significantly improved but the game still suffers from a certain sense of deja vu.

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Reviewed by Gabe Andreescu