Lucius II: The Prophecy
Review
Back to the slaughter
by Johnathan Irwin
reviewed on PC
Mindless Sheep
The game also has several references to different horror and suspense movies, both classic and the more modern. Some are obscure, while many are very in-your-face. Let me put it this way, I met quite a few real and fictional serial killers in the game and it was apparently with Lucius' guidance that they ended up on their paths. I wish I could go into every little easter egg and reference, but those are best left up to the player to find. Just be sure you go everywhere you can in every level, leave no stone unturned, and enjoy hunting for them while you're also hunting down new victims.
The sequel has certainly shown improvement over the predecessor, however the best laid plans can often have trouble. That trouble has increased quite a bit with Lucius II it would seem. Technical issues are abundant, and though thankfully they are small glitches, there are enough to definitely pull down the enjoyment of the game somewhat. Much more pressing than the technical issues sadly enough, is the AI in the game. They are stupid, and I mean sheep to the slaughter stupid. They often do not react properly to any of the situations set forth in the game. When they are on their default pathing, they're manageable.
When Lucius throws death into the mix, they might as well flop on their back and accept their fate. Countless times I got kills I didn't even anticipate just from the AI walking into fire or one time even falling down an elevator shaft through no doing of my own. They also do not react properly when you mind control someone and have them kill someone else, as when you relinquish control everyone just stares at the body and not the man with the axe who just killed him literally a second before. The AI wasn't great in the first one, and it's hard telling how they would react to danger when all the danger in the original was scripted. But this AI is just outright bad, and as fun as it is to use Lucius as a tool to their demise, having them be at least somewhat intelligent would've lead to a much more fun experience for me.
The Rapture
Lucius II: The Prophecy is a much more fun experience than the original, but its flaws are pretty obvious. Even setting aside the fact the story has become more of an afterthought than the main attraction, glitches and horrid AI hold it back once more from what could be a cult classic. In the end this leaves the game as a morbid, amusing ride that leaves mixed feelings of satisfaction and disappointment, with enough interest left to go back and have some fun with the mindless inhabitants of the game.
7.0
fun score
Pros
Lots of potential victims and ways to kill them, interesting levels, quite a few references to horror and suspense movies, enjoyable art style for the cutscenes.
Cons
Story has taken a less serious bare bones turn, several minor technical issues, seriously bad AI.
