Summoner 2 is an action RPG from Volition, a sequel to the first game set in the dark fantasy world of Orenia. The player takes on the role of a hero with the ability to summon powerful beings into battle alongside themselves and their companions, moves through a vast, to some extent open world, completes quests, develops the character through a skill system, and gradually uncovers an intricate story about power intrigues, ancient forces, and the fate of an entire realm — a story that follows the events of the first game, though it can also be played independently without knowledge of the previous plot.
Compared to its predecessor, the sequel sped up and streamlined the combat system, reduced lengthy transitions between locations, made navigating the world clearer, and placed greater emphasis on real-time action and clearer control of companions in combat. On Xbox, the game benefited from improved performance when rendering larger landscapes, castles, and cities, though even at release it was not among the graphical elite, and some textures, character models, and animations felt somewhat dated. The music and the dark, melancholic atmosphere of the world of Orenia, full of crumbling kingdoms, religious conflicts, and ancient prophecies, remain among the title's strongest elements, as in the first game.
Critics praised the improved accessibility of the gameplay compared to the more complicated and slower first game, as well as the visual presentation of the sprawling locations, though some longtime fans missed the depth and tactical deliberateness of the original game. Summoner 2 today reads as a typical representative of a transitional period, when console action RPGs were trying to find a balance between narrative depth and accessible, faster action, and for fans of the genre it remains an interesting, though today somewhat forgotten, stop in the history of console RPGs, especially for those who enjoy a darker, more mature narrative tone.
Why play it: For fans of the genre with a taste for a darker, more mature narrative tone, Summoner 2 remains an interesting, though today somewhat forgotten, stop in the history of console action RPGs.
Game 114 of 176 for Microsoft Xbox
