Introduction
The original Dungeon Siege released in 2002 was a very good looking Diablo-esque RPG. To be honest, calling it a RPG is kind of misleading because this is nothing like ye olde D&D or anything. It introduced a novel leveling system that was very easy to understand. By using a type of weapon (like a bow or a certain spell) your expertise with that weapon increased. However, the biggest complaint by far about the original Dungeon Siege was the lack of depth. The RPG system basically did not allow enough for the more hardcore RPG players. However, for FPS monkeys like me, it is a great way to transition into RPG games. Dungeon Siege 2 was one of my most anticipated games ever, so much so that I even pre-ordered from the asstacular EB Games to get the mini-graphic novel. DS2 improves on the original in every way possible. It's longer, prettier, and is much more involved. Plus, the new Hero Powers are just awesome.
Gameplay
The basic party-based combat system is largely unchanged from the first game. You create your main hero from one of four races and four classes. Each race has different attributes so there is at least some amount of customization, much better than the original's "Choose if you want to be a farm boy or a farm girl." Another excellent addition in DS2 is the Diablo-style skill tree that allows for more customization of your characters. For example, my character is a Combat Mage who specializes in Fire Magic, and now that I have beaten the game again is almost as good with Death Magic. Melee fighters can choose from large two-handed weapons, dual-wielding, or using a sword and a shield. This system helps make a variety of characters to use in your party. The size of your party is initially limited to 2 characters with the ability to add 2 more the first time through. You will want to do this as soon as possible. Also added in DS2 is a weakness/resistance system that can be very helpful, or make you curse those damn Vai'Kesh assholes and their Death Magic resistance. The single coolest addition to the game however is the Hero Powers, which vary from the useful but boring Gravity Stone (gathers enemies into one spot) and Provoke (gathers aggro on the fighter), to the "oh fuck yesssss" Detonation (makes a giant explosion of fire) and the Elemental Rage (gives dual-wielders a large amount of fire, ice, and lightning damage with each hit). When used properly, the powers can make some difficult situations very easy. Facing a large group of Morden Thugs killing your mage? A quick use of Harvest Soul can restore him to full health quickly. Got a large group of enemies overwhelming your fighter? Whirling strike not only causes massive damage, but knocks all enemies back and stuns them.
Dungeon Siege 2 is a much longer game than the first. The first time through will take you probably 40-60 hours depending on how many side quests you finish. Doing all of them (you can finish them even after you've beaten the game) will take you probably more than 60 hours because of how big the world is. The game is much less linear than the first game and there is a lot of space to explore. You still follow the same path from beginning to end but there is more room to wander around, and lots of chances to backtrack.
Sights and Sounds
Graphically, this game is kind of a mixed bag. It uses the same engine as the original Dungeon Siege that has been modified to use pixel shaders and a new particle system, but this is still mostly 2002 tech here and it shows with some kind of crude looking models and effects. However, artistically, this game is beautiful. From the lush forests of the Greylin Isle, to Zaramoth's Horns, everything is beautifully textured and very colorful.
The sound design is amazing. The music, done by Jeremy Soule, is extremely well done. The sound effects of each spell cast and each sword hit are very good. This is a game that you can appreciate with awesome headphones. I was recently playing using the speakers on my laptop. The sound was still good, but as soon as I plugged in my nifty Shure E3g's, I could immediately tell I had been missing out.
The voice acting however, is a giant mish-mash of some very nice work, with some painful, ear-hurting performances. most of your party members are well done, as are most of the main characters you come across. But when you're dealing with all the minor NPCs while doing the side quests, some of the lameness becomes painfully obvious.
Stuff that sucks
As a Dungeon Siege fanboy, I don't find much fault with the game. The biggest negative is that it's using a 3 year old engine that looks a bit chunky. Next on the list is the hit and miss voice acting. Other than those two things, Dungeon Siege 2 takes the original and makes a vastly better game out of it. Hardcore D&D/d20 types should probably stay away, but they smell nasty anyways. Fans of the Diablo style of hack 'n slash combat will absolutely love this game.
Conclusion
This game is a veritable powerhouse of easy to get into RPG action. The boss battles are intense, the enemies are varied, and you're in a lushly detailed world. The Hero Powers are some of the coolest things in a game I've ever played. If you're looking for an intense game, play Dungeon Siege 2.
Score :
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This makes me want it anyway 