This game is a literary masterpiece starring a colorful and diverse cast of war criminals. Gameplay remains relatively unchanged from its predecessor, but I do like the general quest design and how the world presents itself to you. Companions often receive solo segments and for that I have mixed opinions. It happens more often than you’d expect and for long stretches, and overall, it was a tedious addition to a well-balanced game. Overall if you played the first game you know what you're getting yourself into, only that the powers and abilities appear immediately. You don't have to play it first to enjoy this game but do note it relies on DnD's stats and rolls for gameplay and that picking new abilities often relies on understanding which stats improve what skills.
This game's story telling is surprisingly charming and expressive. Fine antagonists, cool interactions, and an aesthetic yet to be topped, most likely since it really captured an entire aesthetic the sequels never aimed towards. Combat has some low points but is overall satisfying, I especially liked the ability to go wherever and do whatever as long as you either acknowledge the water chip's time limit or prioritize it. I never felt like the game prevented me from doing whatever I wanted exploration wise, despite the fact I was almost always under-equipped. The game isn't without problems however, it seems like if unpatched, the GOG version of the game has no option to save certain factions because of their dependencies on cut content, which is a critical blow to any professional review of this version. I am aware the game is censored, and I do not endorse censorship on any level (especially not the petty kind this version engages in), but I feel like the negative reviews are blowing it out of proportions. This isn't even comparable to the more notable cases in other games and literally has no effect on any of your playthroughs, as it removes children NPCs, none of which are crucial to the game or its story. Now that you're aware of the cut content's consequences seeping into a game without it, and the censorship of the version, I feel you are freer to make up your mind in regard to a purchase, just know that the voice acting, setting, and freedom of exploration are phenomenal and more than make up for it even when unpatched. 10/10
