Two Worlds II Previews

With only a couple of weeks to go until Reality Pump’s Two Worlds sequel is occupying store shelves, it’s probably a good idea to familiarize yourself with the game by reading through some new hands-on previews.

GameFocus is up first:

The first thing that stood out was the graphical improvements. The bland and lifeless textures are a thing of the past. Antaloor’s landscape is rich with tons of dynamic foliage and plenty of wildlife (I’ve never played a game where I could slay an ostrich!) The character models have improved as well, each carrying more detail than that found in the previous game.

The biggest change though came in the form of the controls. Everything from the melee and ranged combat to the magic use and crafting skills is much smoother and intuitive. Better yet, each system has a unique feel, even though they utilize the same buttons. Where in the previous game I found swinging my sword more of a chore, here everything is fluid. Switching between blocking, block breaking and full-on attacks is a breeze and flows much better than before.

And GameZone gives us some more:

There are several important pillars sustaining any RPG, and arguably the most important is the quests. Two Worlds 2 promises plenty of side-quests: everything from assisting a helpless NPC clear his basement of zombies to acting as a courier to transport an important head (yes, a head). Each town and city is home to plenty of NPC’s, many of whom are in need of help. The map helpfully pinpoints anyone of interest, and the journal tracks your progress through any active quests. Since the game is non-linear, you have complete freedom in which order you tackle the quests.

The game is graphically superior to its predecessor, built as it is on new technology. Attractive models and textures sit comfortable with some stunning effects, though there are inevitably areas that can be improved: some models and textures are bland, while most animations are stiff or lack fluidity (or are over-animated, as is frequently the case in conversations).