In playing a short, confined demo for Two Worlds II, it became apparent that SouthPeak Games is going for the "Domino’s marketing approach" on this one. That is, the sequel is nothing like the predecessor, which is a good thing given the first’s failures. While Two Worlds II is very much the same idea (a third-person, Oblivion-esque open-world adventure game), the combat and movement, even the environment, have evolved quite a bit, though a lot still remains to be seen.
Here’s the basics from what was demoed: the combat system this time around feels a little more familiar, a lot like Dragon Age: Origins. Selecting a weapon and a mode of attack is essentially all that’s necessary, and then flourishing moves are available on a limited basis. Pretty standard, right?
The cool thing that sets the new system apart, though, is the ability to switch quickly between equipment configurations. With a simple scroll through pre-arranged sets, players can jump from an iron-clad knight to a lightly weighted sorcerer and so on. The emphasis is clearly on being able to adapt characters to any situation, and not pigeon-holing players into a "warrior" class or "mage" class, etc. Basically, any adventurer can be anything at any time, which might lend to some issues with slackened difficulty, but that wasn’t readily apparent in the given demo. Mostly it just seems like a unique way to offer the feel of a full on multi-character party system with just one character to truly manage.
In the same vein, skill points can go toward any class at any time. While players still have the option to be a single-track rogue/mage/warrior/ranger, the experience spent on upgrades for each area can be reassigned at certain locations called "Soul Patchers." For the hardcore RPG fan, this can be taken to a deeper level with unique customization of not only crafts (items, weapons, potions, etc.), but also magic spells. It all sounds great, but given the limited time with the demo, we could only scratch the surface of these systems.
So why is Two Worlds II worth paying attention to? The improved combat, some new interactive, physics-responsive environments, extensive avatar skill, equipment, and appearance customization, and a hint of the more complex storyline (rescued by your former enemies to tackle the greater evil, etc.). A sleeper hit for the ages? A revamp on par with Oblivion? Look forward to more coverage on Southpeak’s mercifully recreated sequel as it develops.
