For Legacy of Kain fans, its a must have. For everyone else, you might be dissappointed.
Lets start with a bit of background. From what I remember, Soul Reaver 2 was being developed for the PS1 but was switched to next gen(not sure). Next, there are 5 games in the LoK series but the plot is one story. Across 5 games. And i'm not talking MGS style where plot points link, but you can play the games seperately. Each game almost without exception ends abruptly to be continued in the next game. So I have the entire series, and unless you're willing to go back and play Blood Omen or Soul Reaver 1 you're going to be pretty lost plot wise. Multiple time streams, different allegiances, conspiracy, revenge and salvation. It is extremely hard to follow the story. Check LoK fansites for more story info.
SR2 takes places directly after SR1 as you're character Raziel follows Kain through a time streaming device in order to kill him as an act of vengence. Essentially, nothing has changed since the start of Soul Reaver 1.
It is a action adventure from the 3rd person perspective, like a combined Tomb Raider-God of War. This was all the rage on PS1 as we saw with Soul Reaver 1. Soul Reaver 2 looks exactly the same as that game, despite being one gen ahead.
The graphics feature wide open environments with impressive ruins and mountains/caves and plenty of pretty lighting effects. Raziel's acid burnt body and soul reaver look well detailed and the transformation fromt he material realm to the spectral realm (a brilliant puzzle mechanic from soul reaver 1) looks great as the envirnoment distorts around him, trees and buildings bend. Opponents (particularly the human ones) look pretty flat, as do the very poorly done elemental shadows which look like...shadows.
The game is a mix of combat and puzzles. Combat is, well, not that impressive anymore. Having removed the stealth element of SR1 it is replaced with light/heavy attack elements. Both are pretty boring. Dodge strike dodge strike is how you do it. Or, better still, run past every opponent to your goal. This worked ok on the PS1, we didnt expect more, but next to DMC and GoW the combact system is lazy and unfinished. The puzzles are the redeeming factor. They really do recquire thought, but are never illogical. Combing different elemental reavers, flight, different keys and different material/spectral planes makes each puzzle and excercise.
Sound effects are either great (footsteps, water, doors) or poor (weapon combat). Music is sweeping orchestra or quite tones but the high point of sound is the melodramtic voices of Raziel, Kain, Mobius and the other characters. Raziel was an English Lit professor in another life ('the cataclysm which was to befall my savior left me with an unbroken sense of longing-yet my thirst for vengance remained unabated') thats not an actual line, but its not far of.
Theres also a distinct lack of boss battles, which were an excellent part of Soul Reaver and Blood Omen previously. This isnt a huge problem, but given how melodramatic the story is some huge bosses are called for.
Also, SR2 is actually extremely linear unlike SR1. This is actually very strange. In SR1 you could spend a rather long time exploring Nosgoth to find magic powers and hidden areas. This made the game world feel distncly like a world, where you were free to move around once the ability you needed had been acquired. In SR2 there is almost no need to hunt for hidden items as there is no magic, no life power ups or glyph power ups (glyph=magic). Reallly, you dont explore, you just run from one puzzle to the next. This doesnt destroy the game, as the world is huge and exploration is handled by the fact that you're constantly going to new areas but it does mean there's very little replay value.
The main problems with SR2 are these.
1. You basically play it for the story. Which means at the bare least you have to play SR1. The story is brillaintly convulted but it will be next to impossible to get all the PS2 LoK games (SR2, Blood Omen 2 and Defiance) let alone get Soul Reaver 1 and Blood omen 1. (and Blood omen one is almost unplayable now-but thats for another review). You'll have to read up on the story before hand but, who wants to do that?
2. Soul Reaver 2 should have been released on the PS1. Soul Reaver 1 is groundbreaking on the PS1. Looked great played great, awesome sound. the package. Soul Reaver 2 would also have been outstanding for a PS1 game-and there's really nothing in the game engine which looks like it couldnt have been pulled of on the PS1. Thats not to say its bad...it just looks like the absolute top of the PS1, rather than the top PS2. Given how old Soul Reaver 2 is it holds up quite well...just dont expect GoW.
Soul Reaver 2 represents an excellent (possibly the last good) installment in a series. As a stand alone game however, its hard to recommend.