Blood Omen 2
****
Game Started: 03/21/02
Game Beaten: 03/28/02


Blood Omen 2 is one of the best PS2 games out there. Following the long Legacy of Kain series (Blood Omen, Soul Reaver 1&2), Blood Omen 2 takes place between Blood Omen and Soul Revear.

The game begins explaining that once Kain recieves the Soul Reaver, he begins a long and bloody battle to take over Nosgoth. His struggles are rewarded as his name becomes a common word, whispered and feared by both mortals and Vampires but in response to his rise of power, another enemy surfaces; The Sarafan-a group of militant humans led by a dark and demonic being. The Sarafan dares to clash against Kain's army of Vampires.

This long war finally comes to a brutal end when the Sarafan Lord battles Kain in mortal combat, defeating the Vampire General, stripping him of the Soul Reaver. He then threw Kain off the cliffs where he was presumed dead.

Two Hundred years pass and the Sarafan rule. Vampires are being hunted down and exterminated like rats. During these dark times, one such Vampire, Umah, has discovered Kains broken body and discovered that he still lives! He nurses the General back to health. He convinces Kain to join the Vampire Resistance and take down the Sarafan but as we all know, Kain has a completely different agenda to follow. This is where the game begins.

Now, I'm not much of a fan for the Soul Reaver games, but the Blood Omens are two of my personal favorites. Much differant than the overhead, slow Blood Omen 1, BO2 is 3rd person and chalk full of new abilities and bloody warfare. Their are literally countless ways to dispose of your victims as well as an awesome new combat system that fully incorporates martial arts-type moves to avoid attacks. You are given the choice to have  Assisted Blocking which automatically let's Kain block attacks by holding L1, or Skilled Blocking which means you must time pressing L1 with an enemies attack (My preference is Skilled). Each block and dodge are very fluent and smooth. Even the enemies have their own, individual, styles of combat so that no two enemy types are the same. Prepare to lose much blood and/or your life getting used to their fighting techniques.

There is one point of the game that caught me the moment I purchased it; the Fatalities. No, I am not talking bout the kinds in Mortal Kombat or NightMare Creatures; I'm jus discussing the killing in general. Almost each weapon has a differnt style of killing someone and there are pleasently, four ways to kill a person with each weapon. The murders are very realistic (Like when you lop off a person's head, their is no scream and their body remaisn upright for a second before collapsing). Definatly not a kiddy game

As with great graphics and killings, the game also boasts excellent voice overs and dubbing with very few flaws. (Be expected to turn your TV's volume on High for some dialog for the backround noises tend to block out what's going on.) And following voice overs come the challanging puzzles and bosses. Always a plus is a game who offers a challange but doesn't bore you to tears trying to solve it. Also beware that you will most likely die a good four to five times trying to figure out ways of killing each boss. (Magnus killed me at least 10 times without me scratching him.)

This game gets 4 out of 4 stars.

I've decided to add an enemy list, tips on how to kill them, differnt ways of killing people, and a few gltiches and bloopers I discovered while playing BO2. Enjoy :D


Enemies: Minor

Civilians: They have differny looks and consist of both sexes and honostly, they are not very dangerous. In fact, they will never attack you, but what they can do is cry out to any nearby guards and send them a-running. Remember that these poor souls are 'prisoners' inside Nosgoth. Why don't you get rid of their suffering and feast ontheir blood? Its fun listening to them bed. Blood Amount: Low

Criminals: The easiest of all enemies but they can be tricky if you find yourself surrounded. 99% of the time you'll fnd them armed with a spiked club so keep your finger on the L1 button to block. They always attack three times before leaving themselves open to your claws. If you are lucky, you may witness them killing each other off. Kill them quickly and let them rot. Blood Amount: Low-Medium  Weapons Gained: Spiked Club

Guards <Without Armor>: These human guards wander around the streets acting on patrol. They are to be taken seriously for their swords deal a good amount of damage and they introduce a two new forms of attacks; Power attack and Unblockable. Power attacks appear when their weapons glow Yellow and you much be quick to side-step or block their attacks. Unblockable attacks appear when their weapons glow Red. Side Step these quickly for they can cut your life in half. They attack three times and sometimes add a Power or Unblockable to the end of their combo. Blood Amount: Medium  Weapons Gained: Short Sword

Guards <With Armor>: These guards look less human than their unarmored counterparts. They are covered in armor and have a face plate covering the lower portion of their faces. Usually travelling in packs of two or three, these are actually the most annoying guards in the game. No matter how powerful you think Kain is at the time, if you get surrounded, you Will die. They attack three to four times and if you see them ducking under your attacks, be ready for an Unblockable attack. If possible, use your Jump Ability to nail them without their noice. (I've discovered that if they see you leaping at them, they will sidestep and avoid so be cautioned. Blood Amount: Medium-High. Weapons Gained: Short Sword

Guards <Glowing Armor>:
Also known as Glyph Guards, these guys will be known to you as the biggest pains in the ass in all of Blood Omen. Their armor glows a bright yellow whenever Kain is nearby. Even when Kain is in his mist form, they will circle and hunt him down poking and prodding with their swords until he is found. You CANNOT kill them while in your mist form. They attack three to four times and like other guards, they use the Power and Unblockable attacks. Do not let yourself be surrounded by them. Blood Amount: Medium-High  Weapons Gained: Short Sword, Bladed Bo

Guards <Demonic>: I call these guards demonic because they look like something out of a horror movie. They are HUGE and weld giant curved blades. Heavily armored but slow moving, they are the most powerful of the guards in the game. They attack five to seven times and are known to end their combos with an Unblockable attack very hard to notice until its too late. A plus side for Kain however, they tend to tire themselves out easily. Always keep your guard up. Also let it be known that because of their armor, you cannot decapitate them. They'll just fall and laugh.Like the Glyph and Armored guards try to use the Jump Ability to knock them off guard. Blood Amount: High   Weapons Gained: Curved Blades

Priests: Seen wandering the streets now and then, don't expect too much trouble from these mortals. They attack three times before tiring out allowing you to do what you wish. They do not seem to have a Power or an Unblockable attack so your worries should cease. Blood Amount: Medium  Weapons Gained: Forked Club

Theiv
es: Dressed up like ninjas, these women hide beneath the cities streets and sometimes in buildings. Not very dangerous, but they can attack from afar; throwing their knives long distances. They attack three times with their daggers before running out of breath. Put them out of their misery. Blood Amount: Low Weapons Gained: Dagger

Smugglers <Femal
e>: Like the Theives, these woman are quick and are known to throw their weapons. They also have crossbows that shoot flaming arrows. They are usually seen in the canyons and are relitivly harmless as long as you take them seriously and block alot. They attack with up to three to four times and like guards, use the Unblockable and Power moves. Thier Unblockables are easy to spot for their always jump backwards, their body glowing red, before they attack. Just side step and tear them to shreds. Blood Amount: Medium-High   Weapons Gained: Short Sword

Smugglers <Mal
e>: You'll see these guys inside the factories and along the canyon walls. They attack in twos or threes and are actually pretty difficult if you are not careful. Unlike most enemies, they will attack at the same time. They attack three to four times, also with Unblockable and Power manuvers. Best tip is to block their moves and use Beserk or Rage to toss them a few feet for great damage. Blood amount: Medium-High Weapons Gained: Curved Sword

Caravane
rs: You'll probably only meet five or six of these guys through the canyons. They resemble Jason from Friday the 13th and attack six to seven times in a row before tiring out. Block their moves quickly for when they begin a combination on you, it is hard to break out of it. Use the Rage, Beserk, and Jump Abilities to get the drop on them quickly. Blood Amount: High  Weapons Gained: Curved Sword

Bugs <Spikie
s>: Okay, our of all the enemies in the game, these are the ONLY ones I took struggled time to run away from. They are spiked dragonfly-type beasts you meet up in the canyons. They are really annoying. These bugs attack quickly with three swipes of their claws and sometimes follow up with a Power Attack or an spray of Glyph Mucus in Kain's face. I suggest that you only take on these bugs one at a time or avoid them as well as you are able. If you are not able to, use the Jump and Beserk to kill them quickly before they alert any others. Blood Amount: Very High   Weapons Gained: None

Bugs <Spider
s>: Sure, I thought these guys were going to be tough, especilly when I had seven of them attack me at once, but they weren't. I will say that if a spider kills you, you should stop the game and bang your head on the wall for a while. They rarely attack you, and are easily killed with a Jump followed by two swipes or your current weapon or a blast of telepathic energy with two swipes, or just a six attack combo. They make civilans look difficult. Blood Amount: Medium Weapons Gained: None

Grim Reapers <Prison Guar
ds>: Hard to understand and dim-witted, these demons are not all that difficult. They like playing with their invisable trick showing off only their eyes and this normally leaves them open for attacks. If given the chance to attack, they attack five to seven times so be prepared to block quickly! When you are able, try to lure them into a stove and run around until they burn to death. Mm...demon stake. Mm Mm good.
Blood Amount: High
  Weapons Gained: None (Unfortunatly)

Demons:
Looking like the upper halves of skeletons, these creatures appear out of now where but are not entirerly difficult. They attack four to five times with their claws and if you just want to get them out of your way, use Rage. Again, don't let them surround you and you'll do fine. They do little damage and not very hard to kill. Blood Amount: Very Low   Weapons Gained: None

Prisoners
: Eyes and lips sewn shut, faces and hands torn apart, these people at first look dangerous but are nothing more than blood for Kain's enjoyment. They moan and groand, wandering aimlessly throughout the prison acting as bait for Spiders. You want to try something out? When you enter the torture chamber, flip the levers next to the strapped down prisoners for a nice show. Blood Amount: Very Low

Hyldens <sp?> <Noble>: These guys look like walking skeletons with a shi* eating grin, but do not worry, they are not all dangerous if you know how to treat them. They attack with their claws and have the bad habit of blocking your attacks so your best bet is to attack them before they get to you or block all 6 of their attacks before using Rage, Beserk, or Immolate to blow them apart. Blood Amount: Very High.   Weapons Gained: None

Hyldens <sp?> <Warriors>: Now, take these freaks seriously for they are very deadly. I have fallen to them many a time and it is not pleasent. They weld duel blades and attack quickly with seven to eight attacks followed by Unblockables and Power attacks. Do not get hit by their unbloackables for they will take up to 1/4 of your life. Try using this trick to lower their life as much as possible before fighting them head on; If you see them before they see you, use Telekenisis to blast them. If they are far enough away, use Telekensis again and quickly switch to Jump before they stand up. Aim your glowing image at them and when it turns Red, attack them. This should give you a fighting chance when you fight them. Blood Amount: Very High   Weapons Gained: None

Big Bad Ass Purple Monster Demon Thing:
Looking like a huge purple monster from H.R> Giger, this guy is an offical pain! You cannot do anything to this bastard. I tried Telekenisis, Jump, Immoulate, Rage, Beserk, NOTHING! He just breaks all my weapons and attacks with Unblockable moves only. Just run away from him and you'll soon discover a machine that will take care of him for you. Now if there are any others, I do not know yet so be on the lookout.

Bosses:

Faustus
: One of Kain's old 'friends', Faustus is the first boss you'll encounter in Blood Omen 2. Like all the bosses in the game, expect to die a few times until you figure out the boss's patterns and ways to kill them. Faustus begins the battle with a series off quick attacks, usually four to five attacks per combo. Make sure you have your Rage selected to slap him around when its full. After he losses some life, he'll retreat into a boilier room. Use the Mist technique to sneak up on him and turn on the oven he is standing upon. When he has been broiled a few times, he'll retreat into the rafters. I suggest you hide in one of the corners of the room until you see him flying down towards you. Jump aside, letting him crash into the walls and then beat him up. Continue this until he is dead. Now you have the Jump Ability.

Marcus:
You encounter him inside the cathedral. Don't expect too much from this guy for he is a coward. He'll fight you head on for a while before hiding in the church's second story sending out some hyponotized priests to deal with you. Kill them and begin the hunt on the 2nd story. You'll see his shadow running around so try your best to catch up and attack him as quickly as possible. Once he gets up, attack him again. Repeat this until he is dead. I doubt you'll receive much damage. Once he is dead, you'll get the ability Charm

Sebastian:
Another tricky Vampire, this one will make a servent turn on a series of vents that shoot out deadly steam. Ignore the steam and stay as close to the room's center as you can attacking this guy with Rage. He will attack five to six times and may add an Unblockable or Power attack after his combos. My tip for this is to block his usual attacks and Always side step to avoid any new attack. After he loses some life, he'll begin running over the walls making the chamber spin around. This is very tricky but if you are careful, you will rarely have to move; Stand as close to the lightning bolts as possible without being hit and use the right joystick to watch him move about without moving Kain. If you are in a good position, he'll just miss Kain and dive into the lightning by mistake. He'll do this at least three times before attacking the Nexus Stone. Leap onto the platform and use Charm to make the servant turn on the steam. All you need to do is attack him as many times as possible using normal attacks and Rage. Hopefully, you'll have enough life after the first two battles to kill him and recieve Beserk.

General:
Not really a boss, but I will treat him like one. Treat this guy as you would one of the Demonic Guards and never let your guard down. Block all his moves until your Rage guage is nice and full and use Rage on him. If you are possible, use the Jump Ability to get the drop on him first off to lower his life. Once you kill him, you'll get a new weapon: Broadsword.

Magnus
: Okay, I had to be laughing my ass off the most when I fought this freak but cried because of the frustration. This guy you'll 'kill' three times before the actual battle. When you meet him in the Prison, keep attacking him to push him backwards until you can knock him into water. When you finally battle him for real, RUN AND HIDE! He can literally kill you, no matter how much blood you have, with ONE move. It took me at least tweleve times until I was able to discover his secret. Blast him right away with Telepathy and run behind the nearest Prison Guard statue. He'll blow that up by mistake. Use this time to blast him again with Telepathy and run, once agian behind anouther statue. You'll have to do this 3 times before he decides to run off. Follow him and you'll end up in a courtyard. If you want, watch him for a while to see him crash himself into a few walls. Its pretty funny. Anyways, you'll notice 4 Prison Guard statues. Lure him into crashing into their weapons to expose Telepathic switches. Expose all 4 before activating them to see a huge statue fix itself. Lure Magnus into the statue's staff to finish him off. Now you have Immolate.

Sarafan Lord
: I'll leave this baddie up to you guys, but I'll provide one little tip: Experement with your Dark Gifts to see which ones work and remember to charge your Rage Meter to defeat him. Good luck gang!


Weapons and Fatalities <May Differ>

Spiked Club: Mist Form: Decapitation. Spine Break.
                   Holding- Hit/Throw. Smash between the legs.

Dagger: Mist Form: Knife through head. Slit Nck.
            Holding: Stab in the gut. Stab in the Head

Short Sword: Mist Form- Gutting. Sword through head.
                    Holding: Use the hilt on their head. Impale.

Forked Club: Mist Form: Decapitation. Spine Break.
                   Holding: Hit/Throw. Smash between legs.

Curved Blade: Mist Form: Slash open their back. ?
                    Holding: ?.  Decapitation.

Blade Bo: Mist Form: Spear through their head. ?
              Holding: Multiple stabs in stomach. Spear through head.

Ax: Mist Form: ?,?
      Holding: Between the legs hit, Hit/Throw

Curved Sword: Mist Form: Decapitation, Sword through head.
                      Holding: Impale. ?

Still looking for new weapons as the game goes on.

Glitches, Bloopers, Tricks:

Want to have fun? Learn differnt ways to kill people. My favorites are in the Mist form, Jumping at them, and throwing them off cliffs and buildings. An excellent time to do this is in the Dock level where you battle a horde of Glyph Guards. If your Blood Life is uhigh enough and you don't currentl care for blood, Block all the guard's ataccks until he tires himself out. Grab him by the neck and toss him into the drink. With all that armor, he just sinks!

Sometimes, if you reach enemies in groups, you'll see them killing each other out of boredem. When you are in the canyons, you may receive help with the Spiked Bugs by your enemies. This is most evident if you attack a bug before they kill your enemies.

Listen to some of the townspeople talk before you kill them. I heard one group complain about adultry. (Or that is what it sounded like)

Sometimes when you solve a puzzle, Kain will automatically appear where you needed him to go. Talk about saving time.

When your enemies are crawling away from you, stand over them and use your weapon to impale them. This works even on the bugs.

Want some more fun? Go up to some guards without  a weapon drawn.(Make sure they are not going to attack you). They'll yell at you for a while.

Make them beg for mercy! Draw your weapon on a civilian. My favorite excuse is "Put that away, your scaring
me!"
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