Evil Genius 2: World Domination

Hands down the most fun I have ever had on a base builder. Providing you with everything you expect and more to fill you up on your evil deeds. A true kudos to the original entry in the series, you will have your wicked way in no time and soon the world will truly be yours!

When I felt myself growing weary of the complication, I would march Maximillian into the mess hall and execute one of the stupider minions in front of his coworkers. This sent all the witnesses into a panic, resulting in improved productivity. I might be mentally damaged, but I’m having a great time and accomplishing my goals of world domination. Ultimately, Evil Genius 2 is a Dungeon Keeper clone in a different coat of paint. The surface has been well-prepped and the paint was applied with great expertise, though. If you consider yourself a fan of simulation-strategy games, this has to go on your must-play list for 2021.

Evil Genius 2 is absolutely... genius. It offers loads of super villain charm in a seamless, rewarding package.

Evil Genius 2 improves on the original in every way. There's the obvious, such as the improved tutorial, graphics, and interface. Beyond that, influencing minions is easier, it streamlines tasks, you have more control over minion capacity, there’s a fast-forward option to reduce empty time, and the crime lords themselves have much more personality, helped in no small part by the star-studded voice cast. The only drawback is on the World Stage. Quests usually involve dispatching different minion combinations, and while it does affect how you balance your lair, the lack of variety means non-story quests feel stale fairly quickly. It’s easy to overlook, though. With its fantastic ‘60s art style, swanky soundtrack, and compelling, in-depth management, Evil Genius 2 is one of the best strategy simulators around.

It comes across as a diabolical labor of love.

A great sequel for a great classic. Management can be tricky and some items can feel unbalanced, but all in all Evil Genius 2 is stylish, delightfully comedic and a blast to play.

The terrific concept, the amazing music, the minions bustling around the retrofuturistic secret base of my own design – there was a moment when I was deeply in love with Evil Genius 2. Hours later I discovered that it drags research out frustratingly and the choice of rooms you can build is too narrow considering the length of the scenarios. What’s the point of having a multistory facility if all the floors look the same? Still, it’s a fantastic game that will make all fans of Dungeon Keeper feel right at home. [06/2021, p.46]

Evil Genius 2: World Domination proves that exciting strategy games aren’t always super complex and difficult to learn.

There are issues with odd choices or explanation of game mechanics, but overall this is a great sequel to a cult classic. If you like the original then it’s highly likely you’ll be able to overlook the slight foibles like I did and have a great time with Evil Genius 2.

Strategy game preserves the structure and jokey vibe of the 2004 classic but adds 2021 slickness and scope.

Evil Genius 2 allows me to tap into my inner mastermind, creating an evil empire worthy of Blofeld himself even if the game is more Dr. Evil in its demeanor. It’s not a perfect empire, as some technical aspects are more frustrating than fun, but I still had a nefariously good time tapping into my inner evil.

Evil Genius 2 is a solid management sim that will keep you entertained for many hours between its good-natured humor, fun gameplay loop and little details. The game can get a bit frustrating due to the repetitiveness of the world stage and the stubborn minion AI, but not enough to overshadow its successes. Also, it is incredibly satisfying to see the agents try to pass your trap maze.

Overall, Evil Genius 2 is a worthy successor to Elixir Studio's cult classic. Despite some minor pacing and quality-of-life issues, the game delivers a compelling and detailed management sim with an engaging theme. Its excellent use of tongue-in-cheek humor and bold style do a great job of capturing the feel of an over-the-top 1960s spy spoof, allowing players to fully immerse themselves in the world of super spies and doomsday devices.

While the visual aesthetic and tonal backdrop may not look or feel that important to proceedings as a result, it’s Evil Genius 2: World Domination‘s cunningly-emergent approach to base-building where a lot of the hidden little joys are to be savoured. Conjuring all manner of obsession on shape, size and positioning alike. Never stopping, never wavering and all the better because of it.

UI anomalies and enemy pathing issues aside, Evil Genius 2 is a deep and addictive simulation strategy game that will satisfy your inner desire to, you know, take over the world.

Despite some flaws, Evil Genius 2 is a doomsday device built to dominate your free time. It's addictive, easy to understand lair building and retro Spy-Fi aesthetic will pull you in and not let go, even after hundreds of hours. It's a shame the titular Geniuses don't feel all that distinct, and that the otherwise stellar UI has some annoying issues, but that won't stop Evil Genius 2 from taking over your world. It feels oh-so-good to be oh-so-bad.

Evil Genius 2 is a worthy return to the world stage for the classic lair builder formula. While there's certain areas that could be improved in the presentation or the game balance, building up your 60s spy villain lair and defeating the seemingly endless string of agents trying to foil your plans is immensely satisfying and engaging.

All in all, Evil Genius 2 is a perfectly solid update-slash-sequel to the original title. It doesn't break the mold but focuses on streamlining the core gameplay while adding more enemies, features and traps. It's similar enough that it probably won't change your mind if you didn't like the original, but by the same token, if you liked Evil Genius, you'll most likely enjoy Evil Genius 2. It's also a good starting point, as you don't need knowledge of the original to jump into evil scheming. It's not perfect, but it's probably the best supervillain simulator out there.

If you've ever had dreams of taking over the world with a comical Doomsday Device, then Evil Genius 2: World is the near-perfect game for you to see it happen.

By perfecting the Dungeon Keeper formula, the best James Bond game since GoldenEye proves that playing the bad guy really can be more fun.

A simulation game with a twist, Evil Genius 2: World Domination is a must-play for fans of the genre. Forget building hospitals, theme parks or zoos; creating the world’s most evil lair is where it’s at. There’s plenty to sink your teeth into here, and an awful lot to learn, but once you get the hang of being evil, you’ll discover that being bad sure is good fun.

Overall, Evil Genius 2 is a fun, addictive, simulation game that’s easy to pour time into. If you’re a fan of the genre, it’s definitely worth checking out.

Evil Genius 2: World Domination is a competent sequel, even if it remains inferior in several respects to its direct predecessor. The gameplay formula has been modernized, but some features that made the first chapter a cult classic have been inexplicably removed. A shame because otherwise we would have had a real masterpiece in our hands, but several shortcomings and smudges make it “only” a good video game.

Everything that made that original game special, and ultimately a cult classic, is faithfully and lovingly reproduced here. It’s a safe reimagining, but simply on merit of all the small modernizing touches, which add up to a lot, it’s also pretty clearly a better game than the original – and considering how much I loved that game, that’s no small feat. I can see many more hours in my lair ahead – and with potential updates and DLC down the line to address some issues, true world domination could still be ahead.

Evil Genius 2 is a solid, expansive, and fun lair management and defence game and a welcome return for the franchise.

Evil Genius 2 is a fun and deep base building strategy game that manages to offer hours of fun, a lot of thematic jokes wrapped in a package of stellar art direction and high production values.

In some ways falling short, but in many ways vastly exceeding the original, Evil Genius 2: World Domination is everything we wanted in a sequel to one of the best evildoer simulators ever made. It recaptures the spirit of the original, brings it up to modern standards, and lets us play in an evil sandbox of our own making.

Anyone who ever dreamed of being the villain building an island base to rival Dr. No should give Evil Genius 2: World Domination a fair shot.

Evil Genius 2 is a surprisingly addictive (evil) management sim. Despite there being a bit of repetitive busywork to do, there’s plenty of global domination wickedness for even the most power-hungry megalomaniac to sink their avaricious teeth into.

For fans, Evil Genius 2 accurately recreates the feel of building up and defending a Bond villain's lair from the original, but with a host of quality of life changes that make it feel effortless. For the newly curious, Evil Genius 2: World Domination is a witty, stylish, and surprisingly deep base builder.

Then again… sometimes you just want to play out certain scenarios in gaming, right? Sometimes you want to pilot a starship and sometimes to want to escape from devious traps and sometimes you want to make your way through an emotional family drama. There are different feelings for different days. Evil Genius 2 has a strength that no other game can offer- there is no other modern game that will let you play out this fantasy. Because some days you just want to be Dr. Evil, and it’s pretty cool that there’s an outlet for those megalomaniacal tendencies.

Basebuilding in Evil Genius 2 is great fun and is one of the motivating cornerstones to to the virtual world domination. But it feels unbalanced, while your options to intervene are limited.

Halfway between a Dungeon Keeper and a Theme Hospital, Evil Genius 2 is an honorable sequel. Its management mechanics remain very effective, while the atmosphere "James Bond / Austin Powers / No One Lives Forever / 70s" is always as pleasant. A good deal.

Without ever seeking to upset the original formula established by Evil Genius, this second episode ultimately offers few changes in the face of its 17-year-old elder.

A superbly stylish and surprisingly challenging management game, Evil Genius 2 is let down only by its tendency to bloviate.

Thanks to great art direction and tone, Evil Genius 2 is a base builder that is captivating to play, even if it gets tiresome at times.

A good builder with a cool mood and some nice ideas.

Overall, I have mixed feelings about Evil Genius 2. It does a nice enough job of modernizing the original game, and it has far more replay value than the original game had (with four evil geniuses and three islands to choose from, where each choice changes the way you play the game). But the 60+ hour campaign is a slow slog, and it wears out its welcome so thoroughly that you might not even care about replay value by the time you finally grind your way through it. I could see Evil Genius 2 getting better after patching and DLC, but it’s tough to see how Revolution can possibly fix the campaign. And so Evil Genius 2 is a coin flip for me. Get it if you loved the original game, or if base-building / tower defense games are your cup of tea. Wait for patches and a sale otherwise.

Evil Genius 2 is a fun, charming game which allows you to run an evil empire from your secret island lair. Despite some issues, the gameplay holds up to be a worthwhile experience.

Even though Evil Genius 2 has not developed that much in terms of gameplay and story, the visual improvements are so good that can actually lift the game and fully satisfy the hardcore fans of Base Building genre.

There are not all that many games around like it. As an overall strategy-come-management-sim, it's fair, but with a few annoying and perhaps unforgivable flaws. As a chance to stomp around in an underground base built into a volcano, shouting at people and firing giant superlasers at Australia just for the sheer fun of it, it's pretty much your best option.

When Evil Genius 2 gets it right, it gets it spectacularly right, and if you’re the type that can bury your brain into resource management while laughing at the deliberately cliched and over-the-top style of the game, you’ll have plenty of moments of fun taking over the world, one carved-out-of-mountain-rock room at at time. However, there’s still some rough edges here, and some game balancing that could have made it even more engaging, both for those who adore resource management and those who might just like the challenge of taking over the world with the help of a few shiny new doomsday devices.

Evil Genius 2 is the natural continuation of the 2004 base-building, trap-laden classic. New evil geniuses, new minion types, and expanded bases round out this mostly satisfying sequel, but a grindy mid-game and no minion control dulls the game's shine a bit.

We’ve had a lot of fun with this strategy and management game, trying to bring the world down to its knees. It doesn’t do anything new, but what it does, it does it well.

Evil Genius 2: World Domination is a great base builder undermined by slow pacing, dense AI, and a little bit too much repetition. This doesn't make Evil Genius 2 a bad game at all — not in the slightest. And Rebellion have definitely stayed true to the original formula while ironing out some of the stickier annoyances.

I do like Evil Genius 2; it's a loving sequel to an overlooked management game that's waited more than 15 years for a second outing. But it's left me wanting more. The surface is diabolically good, but the systems below it feel shallow and unrewarding.

Inelegant systems and unsatisfying progression throw a wrench in the grand plans of this criminal mastermind.

Evil Genius 2 is an intricate game of spinning plates and building, building, building to make the numbers go up smoothly, which manages to capture the spirit of its Bond villain simulator conceit. Though its management gameplay creates momentary frustrations, the tight rapport among all the different elements of the Genius' organization make for a challenging, long-term management puzzle that requires you to both move quickly and take your time. Plus, you can use a giant magnet to drag your enemies into a flamethrower, which is pretty damn whimsical. You know, in an evil way.

Sometimes, being evil is fun, other times it's incredibly difficult. In Evil Genius 2, being evil is boring.

Evil Genius 2 is a beautiful game that is created by a team that had an obvious love for spy comics/cartoons. However, after the first few hours, the game lacks a diversity of content for players to explore.

A game with energy and personality in abundance, but it fizzles out too easily [Issue#358, p.114]

Evil Genius 2 captures the spirit of the original and still provides plenty of entertaining moments as a result, but the fiddly interface and the lack of any options to manually control its often moronic minions makes it a real exercise in patience at times.

In Evil Genius 2: World Domination, a fiddly world map and confusing objectives foil the plans of this stylish, gleeful villain simulator.

The truth is Evil Genius 2 succeeds in expanding on almost every feature of the original, but it somehow manages to not fix a single one of its main problems. The original game also suffered from an intense lack of player control and management tools back in 2004, and Rebellion somehow missed all of that when designing its sequel. As fitting and poetic it is for evil to defeat itself through incompetence, it makes for truly terrible gameplay when a player fails at a game because he is not given the tools to succeed when the game misbehaves. It ruins what is otherwise a great and very well produced title, and the hurdles are too big to ignore -- Rebellion managed to make the concept of launching international schemes to rule the world a boring endeavour.

Evil Genius 2: World Domination has a certain nostalgic charm, and not just because of its retro 007 stylings. It feels like something you might have found on your dad or friend’s computer back in the Windows 3.1 era and sunk a few diverting hours into. Unfortunately, a lack of depth, challenge, and modern features makes the game hard to fully recommend in 2021. Some fun can be had if you keep your expectations in check, but don’t count on Evil Genius 2 taking over your world.