The overall graphics in SW2 are stunning and with a dazzling amount of effects on screen at any one time. The environment itself is also seemingly made of bolster wood because even after a small fight most objects around you lie in ruins. The game also seems to know just when this crescendo of death is at its apex because time will slow down and allow you to enjoy your handy work. As your razor sharp blades cut demons to ribbons, a cacophony of gory body parts will fly around in the beautiful physics engine. It is not just the blisteringly fast action that sets SW2 apart from other games, the way you can obliterate your foes adds a huge wedge of satisfaction into the mix. I will say that due to the setting and overall feel of the game I prefer DOOM but that is just a matter of preference. This fast and visceral combat are why so many gamers have compared SW2 to this year's excellent DOOM. Enemies can be dispatched in a myriad of ways and even when you have hacked the arms of sword wielding ninjas they still keep coming back at you. While I would have liked some feedback off the weapons they do dish out some very satisfying effects. Wang can leap, dash, climb his way around like lighting in a bottle. Make no mistake about it, while there are plenty of decent systems working throughout the game, the combat is the star of the show and why Shadow Warrior 2 (SW2) is so good.

So all considered the loot hunting isn't on the same levels as the aforementioned games but it certainly is a welcome mechanic to keep you visiting previously visited areas.

You can also unlock gem crafting at a later stage which allows you to fuse weaker gems into one more powerful version, but just be aware this is about as complicated as it gets. Some upgrades will even add additional secondary fire modes such as arrows that can be detonated remotely. In addition, each weapon can hold up to three gems that can add a plethora of improvements from elemental damage to health regeneration and damage. Sometimes having a million types of gun handle can take away the weapons personality and it's here that Shadow Warrior 2 shines. The game has seventy unique weapons and while this might not sound that many compared to the thousands in most loot shooters: for the most part they are well designed and have their own place in your arsenal. If I had to describe Shadow Warrior 2 with comparison (which I have no problem with) I would say it has elements of Borderlands 2, DOOM and also Diablo 3.

As game plots go this is fairly standard fare with a little twist, you have the soul of young woman transferred into your head while you seek to save her body from demonic corruption. Unlike the previous games, the developers have opted for procedural generation for most of the missions with a few hand crafted that deal with main plot points/boss battles. Once you have picked up a quest you can them chose a location from the map and are instantly teleported to that location for the mission. Wang operates from a central hub area where he can chat to NPCs, pick up quests and access various shops.

Shadow warrior classic swimming down