Black & White 2

 PC
User Score
7.2

Mixed or average reviews- based on 142 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 76 out of 142
  2. Mixed: 48 out of 142
  3. Negative: 18 out of 142
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  1. JohnnyS.
    Oct 7, 2005
    5
    Do not believe the hype, this the the poster boy for an 'average' game. Quite nice looking but many design/ai flaws and a very repetitive nature make this far from a masterpiece.
  2. JesseCarmack
    Dec 31, 2005
    6
    Black & White 2 is incomplete and broken. Besides the spectacular graphics and sound , the game suffers from flaws in every category. Whether it be the non-existant and highly scripted A.I , or the sheer lack of any real game. You will not find a great strategy game, or an innovative "god" game here. This game is abysmal. Keep away.
  3. KarlyleH.
    Jan 29, 2006
    6
    fun game but to much of the same thing over and over.
  4. DougC.
    Jan 29, 2008
    7
    I personally loved Black and White 1 because of its scope and complete originality. I was very excited about Black and White 2 and spent a huge amount of time watching for updates during it production. But i was quite disappointed when i finally got to play it (After spending a few days trying to get it to work when it was released) in my opinion the big downside is the opponents AI. I I personally loved Black and White 1 because of its scope and complete originality. I was very excited about Black and White 2 and spent a huge amount of time watching for updates during it production. But i was quite disappointed when i finally got to play it (After spending a few days trying to get it to work when it was released) in my opinion the big downside is the opponents AI. I was looking foward to large scale wars where i would need to use strategy to prevail (and a lot of fire xD) but all i got was the same number of troops attacking me at the same intervals and the computer not really reacting to anything i did. The toning down of creatures was also a let down, creature fights always just end when one leaps on the other one. All the punching before hand is meaningless. Its plot also didn't really seem adequate for a game where you are a god. Of course certain parts of the game were refreshing such as the level of control you had over creating your utopion city or totalitarianistic fortress and the ability to pick up 300 of your people and hurl them at an approaching army. But i personally think that if the game had not been so hastily released it would've been one of the best games for 2005.… Expand
  5. Fishymew
    Nov 10, 2013
    6
    In comparison to the original game, this follow up feels simplified. Sometimes it's for a good cause, but it often feels like content has been ripped away rather than refined.

    The graphics are stunning, even today. But the game feels like a cheap RTS with uninspiring gameplay. You may take over villages by impressing them (this is the good way), and you do this by hoarding up a bunch of    In comparison to the original game, this follow up feels simplified. Sometimes it's for a good cause, but it often feels like content has been ripped away rather than refined.

    The graphics are stunning, even today. But the game feels like a cheap RTS with uninspiring gameplay. You may take over villages by impressing them (this is the good way), and you do this by hoarding up a bunch of stuff in your starting village. It's unclear whether a lot of the stuff actually has any function besides looking pwetty and cranking up your impressiveness-meter. To unlock such things, you'll have to buy them through tribute. Tribute are earned by doing different "quests", which seems more like boring achievements. Such as building 10 houses, getting your creature to harvest 5000 grain, or taking over two towns. You may also earn tribute through silver scroll quests, that are a lot like the one's from the original game; where you have to go through small challenges such as solving puzzles or just throwing barrels from island to island. Even though the structure are the same as in the original, the quests feels a lot more shallow as your reward will always be tribute. You'll never be surprised by getting a silly beach ball or a new pet. In some levels throughout the game, the tribute thing may become a problem. Either you'll get bored, as you've unlocked everything early on; or you'll find a level impossible to win as you haven't unlocked enough stuff; while the opponent is about to build an epic wonder that'll be more or less an instant win. It'll then be very tedious having to restart a map that you've played for hours.

    The creature aspect is another thing that has gotten revamped. You may choose from 4 pets at the very beginning of the game with no particular quest leading up to it. Then you'll be stuck with the same pet throughout the game, as there's no other ones to be earned. Your pet is easier to teach, as he will have a much clearer thought bubble over his head about exactly what you may praise or scold him about. You can also go back to any learned behavior via some menu clicks to re-scold or praise him again, should you change your mind. It becomes clear early on that the scold and praise thing is more of an on/off thing, than just directions. This makes the pet a lot easier to maintain, but it will also feel less like a pet, and more like a robot.

    If you want to play as an evil god, you may take towns by force. This is done by creating soldiers, and may be combined with having your creature help out. The system will sometimes make things a bit too easy, as neutral towns rarely pose any challenge. The enemy towns tend to have an extreme amount of soldiers from the beginning though while you have to wait for the breeders to give you new men; making your small legions useless if you aren't stashing up heaps of them during a long time. The creature cannot take over towns just kill enemy troops and buildings; and as the influence system has been replaced with the impressiveness system, there's seldom any point in bringing the creature over to an enemy's town for other reasons than fighting.

    Lastly, the tribute system also covers for the miracles and the skills of your pets. You will have to buy your miracles, as well as your creatures miracles; instead of teaching him them. You will also have to buy functions such as hand gestures and the possibility to force your hand through the influence radar; all through some uninteresting menus with boring descriptions.

    Black and White 2 obviously aims to ease things for the player, making the system clearer and refined. But it comes off as shallow and uninspiring, and more of a regular strategy game instead of a god simulator. It's an okay game, but as the concept holds so much capacity; I must say I'm a bit disappointed.    … Expand
  6. Chris_DK
    Jul 7, 2012
    6
    A decent game that can consume a lot of your time! It is quite enjoyable. But the warfare is completely stupid, what is the point of going to war if the enemy can use destroyed armories to create platoons? The enemy can create a fully experienced platoon in 3 seconds without having to recruit people. That makes warfare unnecessary and shallow.
  7. MattB
    May 2, 2008
    7
    This game provides hours of fun and frustration as you choose whether you and your creature will be good or evil (playing the middle ground isn't fun). When I played the first level, I had fun just building houses, and kept finding new and fun parts of the game up till the point when I could never get enough ore to build things, and this made me ultra conservative with it. Military This game provides hours of fun and frustration as you choose whether you and your creature will be good or evil (playing the middle ground isn't fun). When I played the first level, I had fun just building houses, and kept finding new and fun parts of the game up till the point when I could never get enough ore to build things, and this made me ultra conservative with it. Military combat can just be downright annoying since your enemy has experienced armies and I never had an army that wasn't just a bunch of greens. Using my creature was alot of fun in some aspects, but tedious in others. NO! I don't think you should eat trees and rocks. OH GOD DONT EAT THAT ORE ROCK! But through and through, the game provides brilliant visuals and the capability to pimp out your city with various nick-nacs like lamps, which shine with brilliance even when you zoom out allowing to arrange them into formations that say your name, suck it aliens!, or just whatever your favorite dirty word is. Overall the game is fun, but sometimes the game is just straight up BUGGY. I suppose it's a side effect of how ambitious the game is or perhaps the fact that it was produced by the 'brilliant' producers at EA. I give it a 10 for all the fun and innovation, but -3 for the pain and suffering it brought me. Seeing how cheap it is now, it would make a great budget game.… Expand
  8. PaulC.
    Oct 25, 2005
    7
    Good game, not as open ended as BW1, but a good game none the less. If i was critical i'd have to say the combat was a letdown - just have more "troops" and you'll win. Terrain and Height - that was so important up to this point - suddenly is meaningless is a swarm of arms/legs and torso's reminiscent of the"Settler" series of games (Or a low budget "art" movie ...ahem) Good game, not as open ended as BW1, but a good game none the less. If i was critical i'd have to say the combat was a letdown - just have more "troops" and you'll win. Terrain and Height - that was so important up to this point - suddenly is meaningless is a swarm of arms/legs and torso's reminiscent of the"Settler" series of games (Or a low budget "art" movie ...ahem) Also the arbiary and massive nature of some of the specials. _ Siren call = game over. Volcano = game over. You don't see them coming - but when they hit you (normally after you've invested 2 hours into a level) the only viable option is reload - restart. How arbitary is that ? Rule 3 in the "What games should and shouldn't do" could read. - Do not punish your player for just playing the game. It is not funny, and they may not buy another game from you. Pete - If your reading this -of course I will, looking forward to "Movies" just don't do this again.… Expand
  9. Wiebe
    Feb 26, 2020
    5
    What a let down after the great first game, looking back at it now that I see the EA logo on the cover, I understand why.
  10. MatikTheSeventh
    Oct 10, 2020
    6
    Much better than the predecessor, but still an average game. The graphics are fine, and the gameplay is OK, but there is no much depth to it.
  11. Torgall
    Dec 12, 2020
    6
    Unfortunately it's an average game that doesn't even comes close to the previous title.
  12. HydrophobikFish
    Jun 9, 2023
    5
    In leaning away from the creatures and god powers in favor of human warfare RTS elements, it sacrifices too much of the soul of the franchise and ends up feeling underwhelming and unfinished.

Awards & Rankings

73
#73 Best PC Game of 2005
41
#41 Most Discussed PC Game of 2005
31
#31 Most Shared PC Game of 2005

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
75

Generally favorable reviews - based on 50 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 30 out of 50
  2. Mixed: 18 out of 50
  3. Negative: 2 out of 50
  1. Edge Magazine
    70
    As an RTS, Black & White 2 is less deep, but just as flexible and responsive – and when creatures, miracles, wonders and large armies are all in play it’s arguably the greatest show in gaming. [Nov 2005, p.94]
  2. IGN
    88
    There are plenty of things that I wish the game had included, but the one thing the game definitely needs to do is build a greater sense of personal involvement between you and your worshippers. As it is they mean absolutely nothing to you beyond their occupations.
    Read full review
  3. Eurogamer
    60
    Much like Sid Meier's recent reinvention of "Pirates!,' huge numbers of ideas have been included at the sacrifice of any of them being particularly impressive. Jack of far too many trades, apprentice at only a few.
    Read full review
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