There already are a couple of reviews talking about missed potential when it came to the story and use of its characters, which I agree with, so I'll cover something that hasn't been covered yet... I loved Blackguards 1. It was challenging and the character's stats meant something. Completing Blackguards 1 felt like completing a game - there were some frustrating moments as a result of a lack of care/concentration on my part, and many moments where a win felt hugely rewarding. This one seems like a response to an outcry of "the first game was too difficult and complicated!" by those who never bothered to read the PDF manual that came with the game. Thus, we end up with Blackguards 2 and its overly simplified character stats, which then means that the combat has moved across the plane in the direction of the "faceroll". For me, there isn't much need to think about what I'm doing anymore, and I find that super disappointing - it completely takes the challenge out of the game. At this point, as much as I like a tactical hex-grid combat system, I find it to be rather pointless in this game as it has lost the feel of requiring a good strategy to survive the battlefield. There isn't any need to stop and think about my next move, wonder how the opponent will respond, and go from there, so why bother? Basically, if you enjoyed the first Blackguards and still want a similar degree of challenge, just avoid this one.
